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Gastric Torsion

 

Gastric torsion, sometimes known as bloat is a serious, life threatening condition that sadly not that many dog owners I have spoken to are aware of.

 

It occurs most commonly in dogs which have a deep chest, breeds such as Boxers, Rottweilers, Dobermans, German Shepherds, Greyhounds etc… but can occur in other breeds also.

 

It happens when a dog’s stomach fills with air and then twists around which cuts off the blood flow, causing your dog to go into shock,  and is a real medical emergency- you need to get your dog to a vet AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

 

Symptoms:

 

  • Your dog may get quite restless, pant and pace around a lot.

 

  • Quite often they will be quite drooly (more so  than usual if you are used to a slobbery dog), and try to vomit but nothing seems to be coming out.

 

  • Sometimes they want to lie on their side, but can’t get comfortable and their tummy may start to swell.

 

If you see these signs, call your vet and they will see you straight away.

 

What we can do to reduce the risks of our dog getting a torsion?:

 

  • Feed your dog 2 x daily instead of once a day.

 

  • If your dog is a real foodie, who gobbles his food down in a matter of seconds, employ enrichment feeding toys such as kongs or slow feeding bowls etc..

 

  • Don’t run your dog, play ball games in the garden 1 hour BEFORE feeding. Also don’t do any vigorous exercise for at least 1 hour AFTER eating either.

 

Let’s be aware of this problem so we can help to save more dogs lives.

 

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