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The Dangers of
At one time or another, most of us have felt uncomfortably bloated after eating too much. Our stomach gets tight and feels overly full, but in a short time, the food and gas leave the stomach, enter the intestines and we feel better. Dogs also get bloated, but the way bloat presents in them is referred to by veterinarians as “the mother of all emergencies” since in just tens of minutes to a few hours, the condition can become deadly! Gastric dilatation is the term for when a dog’s stomach stretches from the food, fluid and/or gas that has entered, sometimes stretching as big as a basketball. Pressure from the distended stomach pushes on the lungs making breathing difficult. By narrowing the openings of the stomach, the pressure also prevents the contents from moving on its journey, so the bloating dog cannot vomit or release the food into his intestines. Uncomfortable as that is, the situation becomes deadly when the enlarged stomach twists, cutting off the blood supply, resulting in tissue death. Known as gastric dilatation volvulus, the twisting
stomach pulls on the vessels carrying blood back to the heart causing circulation to slow, and the heart to beat irregularly (arrhythmia) resulting in shock. Once the stomach has torsioned (twisted), immediate veterinary care is the only chance for survival. Top 4 Risk Factors Genetics & Body Weight: Knowing a dog’s family history is key, since dogs with a parent or sibling who have bloated are 60% more likely to bloat as well. Additionally, large deep-chested breeds are more prone to bloat while studies show that thinner dogs too are at greater risk. While letting your canine pal get overweight is never a good thing, a little fat taking up space is the abdomen does allow less room for the stomach to move from its normal position. Breed & Chest-shape: Depth-to-width ratio of a dog’s chest can contribute to bloat. Dogs with deep keel-shaped chests have more room for the stomach to move in the abdomen behind the ribcage, increasing their risk. Great danes are at greatest risk but other breeds high on the list include:
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