If you have a large breed dog, you may already know something about bloat. Bloat is an absolute emergency situation resulting from a dog's stomach filling with air, and then rotating on the axis of the esophagus and small intestine. It is 100% fatal if untreated in a timely manner.
Any large, deep-chested dog is susceptible to bloat, but the breeds most commonly affected are Great Dane, St. Bernard, and Weimaraner. Any dog weighing over 100 pounds has a 20% risk of bloating at some point in its lifetime.
Contrary to popular belief, grain content of the dog food has no relation to risk of bloat, nor does elevating the food bowl help prevent it. In fact, in two recent studies, elevating the dog's food bowl actually INCREASED the risk of bloat. Here are some things you can do to prevent your dog from bloating:
1) Feed at least twice a day. Smaller amounts more frequently reduces risk.
2) Moisten your dog's food or add canned food to the dry ration.
3) If your dog eats very quickly, slow him down by giving a special type of bowl with protrusions in it that makes him slow down in order to get the food. These bowls are available at most any pet store.
4) Be proactive via surgery. At West End, we offer a "stomach tacking" surgery called "gastropexy" that can be performed at the same time as a spay or neuter. We make a small incision at the end of the last rib on the right side, take hold of a piece of the stomach, and suture it down to the inside of the body wall. This prevents the stomach from rotating. This surgery is widely recognized as a good way to reduce the chance of bloat by 75%.
More detailed information about recognizing, preventing and treating bloat can be seen on the Veterinary Partners website at
http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=672
