Gastric Dilatation is the medical name for a sudden abnormal amount of air, fluid and food in the stomach and is more commonly referred to as BLOAT.  Volvulus is a term referring to a sudden dangerous twisting, rotation or torsion of the stomach.  As the stomach fills or swells with fluid and or air, it can twist between its anchor points which are the esophagus and the duodenum (the upper small intestine that the stomach empties into).  Once the esophagus has been shut off due to the torsion, everything is trapped in the stomach and it enlarges compressing the veins in the abdomen.  This process restricts the blood flow back to the heart and lowers the blood pressure, usually followed by dangerous cardiac problems and shock.  The stomach’s lining then starts to break down or die due to loss of circulation, creating a toxic situation.  The stomach will actually rupture if left long enough because the dog cannot vomit or belch to relieve the pressure and then the problem intensifies.  The dog’s spleen, bowels, liver or pancreas may also be severely damaged by all this.  GDV is a very dangerous condition that very quickly becomes an extreme medical emergency and if not treated or if treatment can’t be done immediately, the dog will die a very painful death.

Symptoms of Bloat or GDV

• gagging without being able to vomit

• foamy or slimy mucous around the mouth and lips ( or vomiting this)

• a distended or hard abdomen that sounds hollow when thumped

• pacing with refusal to lie down

• whining, is restless or anxious

• heavy panting, drooling or salivating

• fast heartbeat and a weak pulse

• discolored gums which are very red in the early stages, and blue or white in late stages

• weakness and collapse

Time is of the essence - depending on a number of factors that may be out of your control, your dog could have as little as 30 - 45 minutes to live after detection of symptoms.

Causes of Bloat or GDV

There is lots of speculation, but nothing definitive as far as scientific evidence.  Most bloat victims do not have overly full stomachs, have not been running or doing strenuous exercises.  For reasons unknown, the stomach appears to lose its ability to contract regularly thus trapping food, air and gas which then leads to torsion.  The following factors may influence whether or not your dog gets bloat:

• rapid eating or ingesting large amounts of food in one session

                        - feed smaller meals 2 to 3 times daily instead

• drinking too much water before or after eating

                        - ration the amount of water ingested before or after a meal or make the dog wait an hour

• vigorous exercise before and after eating

                        - limit the dog’s activities before and after eating 

                        - my dogs rest ½ to 1 hours before eating and 1 ½ to 2 hours after eating

• feeding a low quality dog food

                        - instead, feed a quality meat-based food with natural preservatives

                        - consider adding probiotics or enzymes to the dog’s food

• feeding gas-producing foods

                        - avoid soybean products and brewer’s yeast

• emotional disposition (anxious or fearful temperament)

                        - a sensitive dog may be more prone to bloat

• stresses of travelling, boarding or in normal routine

                        - minimize stressful situations

• heredity

                        - bloat seems to be more prevalent in some lines indicating a possible genetic predisposition.

• physical build - dogs with large, deep and / or narrow chests

                        - keep your dog at a healthy weight

                        - older dogs are more likely to bloat than younger ones

What should I do if I notice symptoms ?

- keep a supply of the antacid Simethicone, which can be found in Phayzme or Gas X on hand. Simethicone is considered safe even in larger doses.  It seems to break up large gas bubbles in the stomach, enabling the building gas to be more easily passed.  If you have Phayzme 180mg softgel capsules, slit open 5 - 10 and pour the contents into the dog’s mouth or if using the Phayzme 125mg chewable tablets, you can dissolve them and put them in the dogs mouth.  This may buy you enough time to get the dog to the vet before it’s too late. 

- the main objective is to get the dog to the vet ASAP as time is life and death.  It’s a good idea to call enroute to the clinic so that the staff will be ready for the dog when it arrives. 

What happens during surgery ?

The main purpose of surgery is to rotate the stomach back to its normal position to provide a normal blood flow to the heart.  The spleen, which is located next to the stomach sometimes twists along with the stomach.  A twisted spleen must also be put back in its proper position.  Both the stomach and the spleen are examined for signs of damage due to necrosis (dying tissue).  Any necrotic tissue must be removed and sometimes the spleen must be removed.  Sometimes, the vet will suture the stomach to the abdominal wall to prevent future torsions as the recurrence rate can be as high as 75%. 

The dog may still be at risk following surgery and some have died suddenly within a few days of surgery due to a condition called “Reperfusion”.  This occurs when the torsioned stomach and /or spleen are untwisted and the blood that was stagnated in these organs start to flow again taking all the toxins that had accumulated while twisted back into the system.  The twisted organs were hypoxic meaning they were lacking oxygen and that’s what causes the toxins to form.  The longer the organs are twisted, the more toxins are produced and the worse the situation becomes, including shock and / or cardiac arrest or cardiac arrhythmias.   It is imperative the dogs heart be monitored following surgery and continually watched after the dog comes home. 

Pain is a huge factor following surgery due to the large incision and the handling of internal organs.  Different dogs react differently to different medications.  There are many kinds of pain killers on the market and it may take experimentation to find the one that is right for your dog to keep him/her pain free.  Communication and openness is essential with your vet if pain management is to work in the best interest of the dog. 

Costs of surgery will vary anywhere from approximately $1000.00 to $3000.00 depending on the circumstances and follow-up care involved. 

The most important factor in possibly saving your dog’s life is TIME !  Know the symptoms,  keep some Gas X or Phazyme on hand to buy the dog time until you can get to the vet and communicate your intentions or wishes to the staff.