Bloat can affect a lot of large dog breeds, like Bernese, Great Pyrenees, Great Danes, and Anatolians. Keep reading to learn what bloat is and how to prevent bloat in dogs to avoid long-term gas and gastric problems through food (or feed) and exercise.
Our Large Breed Dogs
We have large and giant breed dogs on our farm, helping protect our family and livestock. We’re grateful for their service and the bond we experience with these cherished animals.
It was devastating to lose one of our large guard dogs to bloat. For nine years, he was an excellent dog for us, and it was difficult to adjust to a sudden and unexpected goodbye.
Living on a farm has ups and downs, and losing a pet is always upsetting. The good news is that we can prevent many potential problems and improve our pets’ lives.
We always take special care of our dogs, whether we’re grooming our Great Pyrenees, taking measures to prevent fleas and ticks, introducing them to the herd, or finding the best feed. Finding a way to avoid bloat in our dogs is one more way we take care of them.
Once you experience bloat in your pet, you’ll seek out how to prevent bloat in dogs in any way you can. We want to avoid bloat in our other large or giant breed dogs, so we did some research, talked to our vet, and asked people to reach out to us. And we found some great advice.
What Is Bloat in Dogs
The medical term for bloat is called gastric dilatation-volvulus (GDV). Bloat occurs when food, gas, and liquid get stuck in the stomach, and the stomach begins to fill with gas.
The stomach can get as large as a basketball, causing pressure on the lungs, heart, and intestines. The gastric pressure builds, stopping blood from circulating to the abdomen, legs, and heart. This bloating sends the dog into shock.
Once this happens, the stomach twists and can flip, pulling the pancreas and spleen with it and cutting off all blood flow. This action will starve the dog’s organs of oxygen, creating toxic hormones which can stop the heart.
Once a dog gets bloat, it can die within hours if a veterinarian can not treat them immediately.
What Causes Bloat
There is some speculation about what causes bloat in dogs, but nothing has been completely verified. Here are some likely causes of bloat.
- Meal Size – Feeding your dog too much food all at once.
- Poorly Timed Activity – Dogs that are overactive immediately before and after eating.
- Posture – Not having a straight posture while they are eating or eating with the dog food on the ground.
- Swallowing Air While Eating – Gulping their food down can cause them to suck air.
- Genetics – Large dogs with parents that have had GDV can be at higher risk.
- Age – Older dogs seem to be at higher risk.
Dogs That Are at Risk of Bloat
All dogs can get bloat, but large or giant breeds of dogs are at a higher risk. Another risk factor is the large chested cavities in bigger dogs. These dogs include Great Danes, Great Pyrenees, Anatolians, Saint Bernards, and Weimaraners.
Because our dogs are large breeds of Great Pyrenees and Anatolians (and after experiencing bloat in one of our dogs), we knew it was time to learn how to prevent bloat in dogs. It’s much better to avoid bloat than to try and treat the symptoms.
Symptoms of Bloat
Signs of bloat (GDV) may differ, but here are some common symptoms. When these signs occur, your dog could only live an hour or two, so please seek medical attention before the symptoms become fatal.
- Pacing – Pacing is where a dog goes back and forth and can not settle down because of stress. If this happens during mealtime, there is reason to be concerned.
- Restlessness – Signs of restlessness in your dog can be a factor that the dog is in pain, has anxiety, or has health issues.
- Swollen or Distended Abdomen – If your dog has a swollen or bloated abdomen, immediately go to your local veterinarian.
- Retching or Dry Heaving – A dog can occasionally dry heave, but if mixed with other symptoms on this list, it can be an underlying issue. Seek medical advice immediately.
- Panting or Rapid Breathing – If your dog is panting or rapid breathing, this could be a sign they are in pain, anxious, or dealing with an upset stomach.
- Excessive Drooling – Many things can cause excessive drooling in your dogs, but it could be a sign of a problem in their stomach.
- Painful Abdomen – If your dog is in pain when its abdomen is touched, it’s probably a good idea to take them to a veterinarian.
- Inability to stand or collapses – This is serious; if your dog can not stand or collapses, seek medical attention immediately.
- Not Eating or Eliminating – Most likely, if your dog has bloat, it will not be able to eat or eliminate because of blockage in the digestive tract.
Preventing Bloat in Large Breed Dogs
Because veterinarians don’t know exactly what causes bloat in dogs, coming up with exact cures is impossible. Here are some helpful preventive actions that could help prevent this problem in your dogs.
It’s important to note that we are not accredited veterinarians, and this post is not intended to diagnose or treat but for informational purposes only. Please contact your animal care professional before introducing new practices into your animal’s wellness routine.
Feed Several Small Meals a Day
Some say giving your dogs a few small meals each day (instead of one large meal) will prevent your dog from overeating and inhaling their food, but we also know that only some have this option.
Combination of Wet and Dry Food
Having a combination of wet and dry food is important. Too much dry food can cause constipation. Wet food is often too rich in fats. It’s also good to buy high-end dog food with fewer fillers. The fillers can be a cause of gas buildup.
A combination of wet and dry foods allows all the food to work through the stomach and digestive tract more effectively. We feed our dogs medium-cost dog food and add fresh raw deer meat or raw egg when possible. Dogs are carnivores and will eat fresh meat, which is high in vitamins.
Time Exercise Properly
Exercising your dog before and after meals can cause bloat because they could take in too much air. Remember that even playing or wrestling with your dog is a form of exercise. Give your dog at least 30 minutes of rest before and after eating.
Avoid Stressful Situations
Highly stressed dogs can be known to get bloat more often. Preventing stress in your dogs around eating time is essential. Calm them down before you feed them. If you have multiple dogs, try feeding them in separate areas. We try to do this with our dogs.
Elevating the Dog Food Bowls
Some claim that elevating dog food helps decrease the chance of bloat in your dog. Some people feed them elevated, while others feed them on the ground. The opinions are about 50/50.
We decided to try elevating our dog food to allow the dogs to eat with a straight posture. Because we lost a large guard dog feeding on the ground, we were open to the idea of trying elevated feeding.
We were gifted a Little Giant elevated dog feeder that attaches directly to our fences with carabineers.
Avoid Swallowing Too Much Air
A dog gulping air while drinking or eating could cause bloat, so if you have a pet that is gulping air, it could be helpful to get a slow feeder. These feeders will help your dog not eat so fast, which could prevent them from developing bloat.
Preventing Bloat Summarized
Taking these preventative steps isn’t a guarantee against bloat, but if you have high-risk breeds of dogs like we do, these are all good things to do.
Once you experience bloat in your dog, you’ll never want to experience it again. Prevention is key to keeping our dogs happy and healthy. If you’re concerned your dog is at risk of bloat, please seek the advice of your local veterinarian.
