Canine Bloat or Gastric Dilatation-Volvulus (or GDV), is a is a condition that occurs when a dog's esophagus becomes twisted, preventing your dog from either vomiting or belching to reduce the pressures of gases , food, and water trapped in the stomach.
Bloat typically affects large dog breeds that are fed once per day. We've all seen a puppy eat too much and laughed at how their little bellies swell like balloons. This isn't GDV, it's more the precurser. Generally, the dog will either belch to relieve the pressure of gases or vomit the excess food that the body can't handle.
GDV occurs when a dog eats an extra-large meal, drinks water, then engages in vigorous activity immediately thereafter. In the simplest terms, the extra weight in the stomach causes the stomach to twist, thus pinching off the esophagus, or putting dangerous pressure on other organs like the spleen.
Preventing the condition is a combination of a couple of things:
First, feed your dog 2 or 3 smaller meals each day instead of one large meal once per day. This will prevent the dog from carrying an extra large weight of digesting food in its stomach. The less weight in a dog's stomach, the less likely canine bloat is to occur.
Second, don't let your dog engage in vigorous activity immediately after eating. Think back to your mom telling you to wait 30 minutes after eating before you could go swimming. The same principle applies. Resting and allowing the digestive process to properly begin while allowing the gases caused by digestion to be belched out will greatly cut the risk of canine bloat.
Canine bloat is a life-threatening emergency that generally calls for immediate surgery. Prevention can save your dog a terrible experience and you a monster vet bill.
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