Gastric Dilatation-Volvulus" ("GDV") act fast

[elfshimmer]

TIME IS A KEY FACTOR !

As the owner, you play a major part in getting your dog through a Torsion............and that is recognising the signs and getting the dog to the vet as quickly as possible.


A Torsion can happen anytime and anywhere............don't make the mistake of thinking it will never happen to your dog.


Know how your dog acts and behaves, especially after meal times....as this will help you notice any difference in behaviour.

Stand behind your dog and remember the shape of the body from the middle towards the rear end..........as sometimes the swelling of the abdomen can be easily seen like this...............and learn how this area feels before and after meals.

Check with your vet that they are able to deal with the condition..... ( this isn't as silly as it might sound )..........and also find out where the out of hours emergency vet is located......( as they are often in a different location to your own vet )

Have the vets number to hand and don't be fobbed off on the phone with..... "Give it an hour and call back if the dog is the same"...........remember....TIME IS THE KEY.........and it's down to you at the begining.

Make sure you have insurance details/paperwork to hand and take it with you...........or make sure you can pay for the emergency treatment as it will be expensive..........and the vet might not even start treatment without making sure you can pay for it.

If you don't drive or have a car.........work out how you can get the dog to the vets.

Covering these details will save time and could make the difference between life and death.








Below is a list of "Possible" symptoms and behaviour you might see.

You might see one or more but learn what to look for.



* Enlarged abdomen, hard to the touch
* Trying, but unable to vomit or belch.......Retching or dry heaves
* Trying to get under things or behind furniture etc......in a sort of panic state
* Restlessness/anxiousness, Acting uncomfortable, unwilling to move around
* Excessive salivating, mucous or froth around the mouth
* Gasping for air
* Shortness of breath
* Groaning
* Pale gums
* Extreme lethargy
* Unable to rise
* Laying on one side of the body and unable to rise
* Collapse

Re the raised bowls. This would be ok for the water... but as I feed mine raw they eat laying down anyway, so I assume there's less chance of bloat in that position?

[Nanny Ogg]

I heard that the raised bowls thing was a bit of a con, and actually made things worse... Anyone know any better?

[elfshimmer]

the raised bowls are more for comfortable position to eat in.i think

[Caryll]

I've been using raised bowls for some time. I don't see how it can make things worse, when a dog eats from floor level he strains to swallow & often swallows air. If you watch a dog closely after he's finished eating you'll notice that he'll usually burp. I found that they burped far more when eating from floor level, and seemed to be more uncomforable for a while afterwards.