If gas becomes trapped in the dog’s stomach, the dog may have a condition called bloat. Bloat in dogs causes a dog to be unable to expel gas through belching or vomiting. Bloat is a serious condition that is a veterinary emergency.
If a dog has bloat, the dog owner is likely to notice that the dog’s abdomen has become distended. Dogs with bloat may have excess salivation. The dog may gag or squat as if attempting to pass a stool. Those with bloat are often uncomfortable and may pace.
There are two types of canine bloat. Gastric dilatation is when the stomach expands because of gas buildup. Gastric volvulus, also called torsion, occurs when the stomach rotates and flips and becomes twisted. With torsion, the esophagus and small intestine are twisted closed, so there’s no way for gas to pass out of the stomach.
Older dogs and large breeds are most susceptible to canine bloat. Canine bloat is often associated with a dog exercising or becoming too active immediately following eating. Eating large amounts of dry dog food at one time increases of dogs risk bloat. Dogs can develop bloat even if they do not fit the usual risk factors.
A dog showing signs of bloat needs to receive immediate veterinary attention. A dog with bloat can go into shock and cardiac arrest if the bloat is not treated immediately. A dog can die from bloat within hours.
When a dog with bloat is taken to the veterinarian, the veterinarian may insert a needle into the stomach to allow some gas to escape. Surgery is often necessary to thoroughly emptied the stomach and reposition the stomach if it is twisted.
Cases of bloat in dogs that involve torsion are more severe than gastric dilatation, because the twisted stomach and spleen may have a significant loss of their blood supply. This can cause the cells of the stomach to begin to die. Cell death is permanent and decreases the dog’s ability to recover.
The veterinarian is likely to suture the stomach to the abdominal wall to help prevent future episodes of torsion. After surgical treatment of bloat, the dog is at risk of infection or complications due to damage to the soft tissue and the interruptions of normal blood supply to the organs.
The common suggestions for preventing bloat is to avoid feeding the dog a large amount of food at one time and restricting the dog’s physical activity immediately following eating. The dog should not be allowed to drink large quantities of water at one time.
