Forum Post

bloat

Last post 11-24-2008 9:25 PM by dyan. 11 replies.
Page 1 of 1 (12 items)
Sort Posts: Previous Next
  • 11-18-2008 6:36 PM

    • loretta
    • Not Ranked
    • Joined on 09-10-2007
    • Posts 87
    • Points 90

    bloat

    Does anyone know what would be the best dog food to give a dog to prevent bloat?

    • Post Points: 0
  • 11-18-2008 7:24 PM In reply to loretta

    • Cazzy
    • Top 200 Contributor
    • Joined on 05-04-2006
    • Posts 874
    • Points 25

    Re: bloat

     Well I have a 112lb St Bernard, and a 75lb german Shepherd, and I feed the St, Innova, and the Shepherd, California Natural. So far so good. I stay away from foods that swell to much. I don't let them run for at least two hours after they eat..I know there is a lot of questions about bloat out there. But this is what I feed.

    Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket
    • Post Points: 0
  • 11-18-2008 7:49 PM In reply to loretta

    • Sera_J
    • Top 75 Contributor
    • Joined on 09-10-2007
    • Western Washington (State)
    • Posts 3,469
    • Points 830

    Re: bloat

    It is my opinion that the best dog food to HELP (nothing is a 100% guaranty) is to go raw.

    Also to keep the dog quiet for an hour prior and 2 hrs after eating, and make sure your dog is well socialized with a good temperament, anxiety can also cause dogs to bloat.  Main thing, that I've gathered from research is genetics.  Some dogs are predisposed, lines with bloat in deep chested dogs are far too common sadly.

    So, I crate my dog prior to and after eating (i do feed raw) and do my best to make sure he's a well adjusted dog.  Recently a friend of mine lost her dog to what we assume is bloat (pending autopsy) she put her dog in his crate for bedtime and when they woke up the next morning he was dead.  He was 22 months old. ... who knows what happened to make that night the fateful one that it was, but I'd have to guess genetics.

    Just do your best and familiarize yourself with the symptoms and I keep tums (or pepcid or the like) on hand.  It will not stop a dog from bloating, but it can buy you a precious few minutes to get your dog to the vet.

    Lani- Dog.community Moderator

    Photobucket
    Proud Idogger since April 2005
    • Post Points: 0
  • 11-19-2008 7:28 PM In reply to Sera_J

    Re: bloat

    another warning  on one of my golden etriever forums, a golden was put under for a minor proceudre--nd developed bloat from the gas give to it.  She was surhsed back to hospital, cure" only to have it happen again in a few hours.  she was so bad off he ower was thinking about sending her to the bridge.  but a 3rd trip to thevet and she has been find since her reease from hospitalo.

     

    I only mention this because all pecausions need to be taken as far as food goes, but also, put your dog under as seldom as possible.  Get teeth cleaned and cyst reoved at same time, get spay ad teeth cleaned, etc. all to void a 2ed "putting under" of your beloved dog.

    • Post Points: 0
  • 11-19-2008 7:46 PM In reply to sandra_slayton

    • erica1989
    • Top 50 Contributor
    • Joined on 02-21-2007
    • Clearwater, Florida
    • Posts 4,363
    • Points 410

    Re: bloat

    • Post Points: 0
  • 11-23-2008 4:07 PM In reply to loretta

    • dyan
    • Top 25 Contributor
    • Joined on 09-10-2007
    • Ohio
    • Posts 5,623
    • Points 105

    Re: bloat

    I have an article that I got off the Interent a few years ago. It was writtin by a woman that had a dog that bloated a lot...I believe it was a Great Dane. But she suggested having Phayzme on hand and giving 10 caps even in case you even think your dog MIGHT be in bloat. Also can have liquid simethicone on hand...which is what I have. She also suggests Rescue Remedy on hand JUST IN CASE to help keep the dog from going into shock. 

    Back to the original question about food. The lady in this article said that when she switched her dog to a meat based kibble from the grain based kibble he was on....the dog never bloated again.    

    I always added meat as a topping for our Danes kibble....hoping to help her not bloat.  Also its very important to me to use a probiotic supplement and I even "up" it when he is under stress.

     If your really concerned about bloat here is an aricle about accupressure and your dog,,,used for bloat. I printed this out and hope that if I ever need it I can find it in a hurry and not panic.

     http://www.iwane.org/A_P.htm


    Dyan and Gibson
    • Post Points: 0
  • 11-23-2008 5:42 PM In reply to dyan

    • BCMixs
    • Top 100 Contributor
    • Joined on 01-10-2008
    • Virginia
    • Posts 1,761
    • Points 30

    Re: bloat

    I think there's alot of behavior things that might be more important than the type of food.  Not letting them gouge on food or water before or after exercise, resting about an hour after eating, slowing down a gulper, etc.  I lost my airedale to bloat and he had nothing on his stomach at all.  He was 10 and had been increasingly affected badly by stress.  A bad incident while being boarded sent him into a tailspin and he hadn't eaten in approx. 48 hours before he bloated once, the vet was able to resolve it and then he twisted a second time about 24 hours later and we made the painful decision to let him go because we doubted seriously he would survive the surgery.  I was told that as these dogs who are prone to the disease age, the abdominal muscles that help support the stomach and hold it in place begin to weaken as their general condition does with age and it can be more likely to happen.

    I feed homemade that is moist and contains alot of water, so swelling is less of an issue.  I'm still careful, though.  I feed them twice a day (all in one meal is not supposed to be good for volume reasons), crate them at mealtime so there's no stressful gulping or anxiety, and keep them quiet or crated for an hour after meals.  I don't feed within an hour of exercising, sometimes longer if they've been at the dog park and have really been crazy and active.  Gulping water has never been a problem but if I noticed it, I'd limit how much water they had access to at one time.

    It's a scary and sad thing.  I hate it and live in fear of it.  I try to do everything I can to avoid it.  I've read such conflicting things on the use of elevated food bowls and my airedale was fed and watered with one, but now I'm feeding both on floor level.  Kind of hard to elevate a food bowl in a crate. 

    • Post Points: 0
  • 11-23-2008 8:04 PM In reply to BCMixs

    • dyan
    • Top 25 Contributor
    • Joined on 09-10-2007
    • Ohio
    • Posts 5,623
    • Points 105

    Re: bloat

    BCMixs:

    I I lost my airedale to bloat and he had nothing on his stomach at all.  He was 10 and had been increasingly affected badly by stress. . 

    Curious....what did your airdale eat normally?

    I believe you hit the nail on the head....stress.  With all I read ( and I do read everything I can about bloat ) stress plays a very very large factor on it.   I am concerned about the exercise before and after eating......but more than that I am concerned about stress around eating time.

    I know of a Dane a year ago was taken to grooming which always was upsetting to him. Sure enough he started getting sick and they called the owner. Long story short....the dog died because of bloat.


    Dyan and Gibson
    • Post Points: 0
  • 11-24-2008 10:21 AM In reply to dyan

    • BCMixs
    • Top 100 Contributor
    • Joined on 01-10-2008
    • Virginia
    • Posts 1,761
    • Points 30

    Re: bloat

    He had stomach issues most of his life and had many episodes of near fatal HGE.  The only food he could tolerate was Science Diet for Sensitive Stomach.  I didn't know about homecooking back then, probably would have helped.  

    For him, it was a catastrophic combo of bad events.  The stupid kennel I had him at while on vacation told me that he'd fallen into a splits during the night and was stuck that way all night and then couldn't stand properly on the concrete run without falling.  They never called me or my vet though they had numbers for both.  I'd have had him transferred to my vet immediately had I known.  So when I got him back a few days later, he was extremely stressed and I imagine due to the falling, splits, etc. all his abdominal muscles were probably fatigued and possibly damaged.  Despite our efforts to just rest him (I took him immediately to the vet for a check when I picked him up) and trying to let him recuperate, I think it was all too much.  This was the dog that nearly died from HGE when I introduced a new dog to the household, so I'm really surprised he didn't die at the kennel, he was that susceptible to stress in his old age.  

    Crying

    Needless to say, I'm UBER cautious about feeding and stomach issues now with Woobie and Indie.  Homecooking is NO problem for me after losing Rush. 

    • Post Points: 0
  • 11-24-2008 1:43 PM In reply to BCMixs

    Re: bloat

    there was a study showing that feeding chunks of meat was highly protective for bloat. I have dogs of a breed prone to bloat and our biggy is never ever feed a bowl of nothing but dry kibble in it. But really, the primary causes of bloat seem to be genetics and stress, with diet only playing a secondary role. If you go around collected stories about bloat a theme that keeps coming up is a major distruption in routine, like moving to a new house, or being kenneled, or owner goes on vacation.

    • Post Points: 0
  • 11-24-2008 2:08 PM In reply to mudpuppy

    Re: bloat

    I've looked into bloat since I have GSDs and they are large with deep chests.  I've heard GSD owners who say they fed one meal a day, three meals a day, never fed before/after exercise, did feed before/after exercise, moistened kibble with water, never added water and only used dry kibble....you name it and dogs have bloated.  I personally have never known anyone with a dog that bloated and I only know one person (excluding online acquaintances) that feeds raw or homecooked, everyone I know feeds kibble.  I think raw/homecooked is definitely better overall, but I don't know that there's any proof that kibble - or one kibble over another - actually causes bloat.  If so I'd think there'd be much more of a pattern by now.


    http://vankelderdogs.dutchbingo.net
    http://www.schhmi.com
    • Post Points: 0
  • 11-24-2008 9:25 PM In reply to mudpuppy

    • dyan
    • Top 25 Contributor
    • Joined on 09-10-2007
    • Ohio
    • Posts 5,623
    • Points 105

    Re: bloat

    mudpuppy:
    there was a study showing that feeding chunks of meat was highly protective for bloat. I have dogs of a breed prone to bloat and our biggy is never ever feed a bowl of nothing but dry kibble in it.

     

    In my heart of hearts...I believe this.  I never fed Ollie or Bubblegum just plain kibble for that reason.  I always added meat..or at least eggs on top of their kibble. 


    Dyan and Gibson
    • Post Points: 0
Page 1 of 1 (12 items)
 
 
Contact Us | Help | Rules & Conduct | Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | About Us
Copyright 2007, PetsUnited LLC