Bloat?

[Ace]

Rush has been bloating pretty bad lately, today she looked like a cow. She has been getting a really firm tummy, usually she looks really sleek and has a soft tummy, but lately not so much. I usually feed her once a day at 9:30 (3/4 cup of ToTW Pacific Stream formula with 1/4 cup of dehydrated carrots). Sometimes without the carrots. She will bounce around after she eats, and generally inhales her food. I have been feeding her one kibble at a time the past three nights in a row.

 

I keep getting mixed information and its really confusing and I dont exactly know what to do. I have heard to feed her oatmeal, then I was told not to, and I was told to exercise her before hand, then not to, then to feed her once a day, then told to do it 4 times a day, then I was told to take her dinner and use it as exercising treats for agility, and feed her that way.

 

The bloat is kind of freaking me out, shes in heat right now, I dont know if that could be contributing. Or maybe my mom always feeding her something (thought hopefully I put a stop to that.)

 

I was feeding this supplement for awhile and she never bloated on it VetBalance Could it help to put her back on it? We stopped buying it because it was expensive, and I just wanted to use it until she lost the weight I wanted her to (because of the high protein).

 

Also I was wondering if someone hand feeding her one kibble at a time could be making it worse? Or if raised or on the ground feeding would be better? I have heard them both.

 

Diane

[aussiered]

Feeding raised off the ground and using methods to make dogs eat a little slower (one kibble at a time, tennis ball in bowl etc) are methods used to reduce the risk of Gastric Dilatation-Volvulus (commonly referred to as 'bloat') which is a serious condition in which the dog's stomach expands and often twists requiring surgery to fix it. It is common in deep chested breeds (eg. German Shepherds, Wolfhounds).

 

I don't think this is what you're referring to though? If she is appearing bloated in the abdomen after eating it could be caused by eating too fast, you could try the methods such as placing a tennis ball (or any ball) in the bowl so that she has to eat around it, and this could help slow her down. I'm not really familiar with other methods used to reduce gas and bloating but I'm sure your vet could help you out with some advice.

[jvw]

I would go to the vet!! This is not normal and it should be checked out by someone qualified who can see the dog.

 

Jennifer

[Journey]

Has this been determined by a vet that it's bloat? I don't think I have ever heard of a Border Collie bloating. Feeding off the ground has been found to not help wrt bloat. I don't think I understand what you mean she is doing? If she was truly "bloating" you are lucky she's not dead. Could it be the kibble is expanding in her belly and she's eating to much and appears to have a distended belly? Hope you figure out what's up!

 

ETA - could it be the dehydrated carrots that are expanding causing a full stomach? I've not heard of feeding this.

[1sheepdoggal]

Perhaps if she is a gulper when eating, she may be taking in vast amounts of air while gulping her food.

Maybe she would slow down eating if she were fed in a crate. (wouldnt feel the need to hurry up and eat as there would be no outside source to make her feeel as if some one or some thng may get her feed) I wouldnt allow any play before or after eating, and only small amounts of water. My rule of thumb with my dogs, is they dont eat, and very little water after exersice for 45 mins. I have a gulper, and this seems to be working fine for us. When I first got him, to slow him down some, I floated his kibble. Meaning I pored his food in a lot water so it floated, so he had to pick it out slower. After a while, I stopped putting it in water and just gave it to him dry, and found that the water was the only reason he'd slow down, if it is just straight kibble, he still wolfs it down.

Id def talk to your vet, bloat or not, you still need to know what is going on with your dog, bloat is not a condition you want to guess at. Good luck.

[Lewie'sMom]

I highly recommend that you get Rush to the vet asap. This doesn't sound like something you should try to fix yourself.

 

Bloat is nothing to fool around with. I always thought it is more of a giant breed problem, like the Irish Wolfhounds I'm researching, but it can't be good in any breed. It can quickly turn deadly. The professionals don't know what causes bloat, but it is very serious.

 

This may not apply to BC and smaller breeds but here is a blurb from a Wolfhound site:

 

"Bloat, correctly called gastric dilatation, is often accompanied by twisting of the stomach, called volvulus. The two syndromes together, gastric dilatation-volvulus, are abbreviated GDV.

 

In bloat, gas accumulates in the stomach, causing the abdomen to swell. If you tap the dog's side with your finger, it sounds like a drum. The dog tries to vomit, but can't. Instead he makes a retching sound sometimes described as "ga-a-ack." Once you've heard this sound, you aren't likely to forget it. As the stomach expands, it puts pressure on the diaphragm and on the veins passing through it to the heart, quickly causing the dog to go into shock. Bloat is truly an emergency and you must call the veterinarian immediately! If caught early, acupressure can help relieve the pressure but veterinary care is still necessary."

 

Please call your vet, now!

[jvw]

Yes, Border Collies can and do get bloat.

 

Jennifer

[2 Devils]

I don't know if you are seeing actual bloat which is life threatening or if you are seeing something else. You really should get her to a vet and do it after she eats so they see what is happening.

 

Now the question is - is what you are seeing is bloat is that possibly a bad term you are using? Could it be that Rush is drinking a ton of water after eating? I have a dog that will try to drink a ton of water after eating which makes her sides expand to the point she looks like she gained 10 lbs...

 

Feeding by hand is not dangerous and teaches the dog you are in control of the meal. Raising a food bowl is not or good or bad. For some dogs multiple meals are better and some are fine with one meal. It really does depend on the dog.

[Ace]

Bloat was a bad term to use, yes lol. Her Stomach gets enlarged after she eats. I know its not from the dehydrated carrots, because I havent fed them to her in awhile - though I did tonight. I am pretty sure its caused because she inhales to much air when she eats her food (she gobbles). She also runs around a lot, a friend told me who has this issue with her Chi that its bloat and I need to change things around before they become an issue. All I know is that her stomach is enlarged if she eats to fast or exercises right after she eats, its not HUGE HUGE like omg, but she looks kind of fat (shes already broad so she looks overweight).

 

I plan to take her to the vet when we take her in to get her rabies in two weeks, I dont think its so bad it cant wait till then.

 

I just was curious ways to prevent it since people are giving me mixed information.

 

She hasnt bloated at all today, I exercised her for twenty minutes and then put her on kennel rest for 40 minutes, then hand fed her kibble (which took like 7 minutes). Now she is on kennel rest for an hour, then I will take her outside to go to the bathroom and drink and then bedtime. I am hoping she doesnt bloat at all, which I am thinking she wont, since usually right after dinner she is swollen.

 

I was just curious about ways people prevent it, what I should be careful not to do. Its obviously not a thing with her genetically (though I cant technically confirm that), but something I am doing wrong in the way I care for her. (

 

I think I made it sound worse then it is >.< She is acting completely normal, other then the fact her tummy is a little bigger. If it happens again I will get pictures to show the difference :x. I dont want it to escalate to the point that her intestines twist. Just wanted to say, she isnt showing ANY symptons of bloat - other then the swelling. She doesnt vomit, or try to, and her stomach doesnt sound hollow when you tap it, no being tired or salivating {Not even close to any of that).

 

I hope maybe that cleared some stuff up? I was wondering if there was anything I should maybe restrict, or the feeding on the floor or elevated.

 

I can wait to ask my vet, but I thought I might get a quicker response here.

 

Thanks everyone for your caring responses!

 

Diane

[Rave]

*ANY* DOG CAN BLOAT!! My BC mix Zoe, who is 17.5" tall and 28 pounds bloated. I was lucky I saw Zoe bloating and got her into the ER vet asap. They induced vomiting and Zoe vomited up copious amounts of gassy froth. I was very lucky her stomach didn't twist. I now keep Gas X in my first aid kit for that very reason.

 

To prevent bloat, do NOT exercise your dog hard within one hour (before or after) of eating. A good rule of thumb is no eating when panting. To slow down gulpers, there are a few methods from putting large rocks or balls in the food dish, buying a specially-made dish, or spreading kibble out all over the floor (I did the latter). Don't allow gulping large amounts of water within an hour of eating either.

 

As everyone else said, talk to your vet about what's going on.

[Maralynn]

Something like a Busy Buddy Twist 'n Treat will slow her down while she eats as well. You just fill it with kibble and your dog noses it around on the floor so the kibble comes out piece by piece. It takes my dogs about 6-8 minutes to empty the large one.

[Ace]

Thanks for the responses! I didnt even think of spreading the kibble on the floor. My friend Danielle suggest the food ball thing though, and freezing it in a kong and giving her that.

 

Just wondering, how does Gas X help? I know we usually have some in the medicine cabinet. I have a few questions I could ask my vet.

 

thanks again!

[Rave]

Thanks for the responses! I didnt even think of spreading the kibble on the floor. My friend Danielle suggest the food ball thing though, and freezing it in a kong and giving her that.

 

Just wondering, how does Gas X help? I know we usually have some in the medicine cabinet. I have a few questions I could ask my vet.

 

thanks again!

 

 

When Zoe bloated, her stomach was full of gas. Gas X kills the gas while you're on the way to the ER vet. Every little bit helps. I've heard too many stories of dogs not making it even when rushed to the vet.

[bc4pack]

If I understand correctly...this is more a dog eating too quickly...Handfeeding helps develop the bond...making the dog 'work' for their food. teaching some impulse control.

[trailrider]

Soaking kibble in water before feeding to the dog will prevent expansion in the dogs body because it is already filled with water. This will allow the digestive enzumes to spread more quickly and easily to do their work.

[shanni and kingsley]

I just saw this and have to share it. The author has a great dane and was able to quickly id bloat in her dog and managed to save her.

 

click click

http://www.erinvey.com/bark/2009/05/07/bloat/

[JMack]

I just saw this and have to share it. The author has a great dane and was able to quickly id bloat in her dog and managed to save her.

 

click click

http://www.erinvey.com/bark/2009/05/07/bloat/

 

 

 

I just read this & now wonder about 2 episodes my 5 yr old had a couple of months ago. She was restless, hunched up, circling, and just ODD. The first time it happened I had been out of town. Her sitter had brought her home around 6-6:30, fed her, then left. I came home about 8:30. The oddness went on for perhaps 30 minutes.

 

The 2nd time we were at the park. I can't remember about her food--but I don't feed her before we go out & try to wait until she's cooled down when we get back. She pooped, seemed fine for a minute or 2, then it happened again, though it wasn't as severe as the first time. Again, she was hunched up, circling, seemed to be in pain, then lay down & wouldn't get back up. A friend went & fetched my car (we just live a few blocks from the park) & by the time she returned, Durga was fine.

 

I thought it was something orthopedic, but the vet could find nothing. It hasn't happened again.

 

I soak Durga's kibble for 5 minutes before I give it to her. (She got rather gassy after going on prozac & this seems to help.) She does wolf it down.

[Sue R]

ETA - could it be the dehydrated carrots that are expanding causing a full stomach? I've not heard of feeding this.

A quarter cup of dehydrated carrots could, when reconstituted with water, amount to quite a lot of carrot volume. I'd drop this from the menu and check with the vet, as well.

 

If you really want to feed some veggies (and I have had dogs that absolutely loved their veggies more than almost anything else), make sure they are rehydrated or at full moisture (cooked and soggy wouldn't hurt) first.

[Ooky]

I read that food preserved with citric acid should never be wetted before feeding as it will increase the risk of bloat quite a bit. From the synopsis of a recent study:

 

The [Gastric Dilation Volvulus or bloat] GDV increased 3 fold (200%) in dogs that consumed dry food containing citric acid* as a preservative. Dry foods containing a rendered meat meal with bone product among the first four ingredients significantly decreased GDV risk by 53%. Moistening of dry food alone was not associated with GDV but consumption of owner-moistened dry foods that also contained citric acid significantly increased GDV 4 fold (300%). Approximately 30 and 33% of all cases of GDV in this food related study could be attributed to consumption of dry food containing fat among the first four ingredients or citric acid, respectively.

 

Sigh. The food we've been feeding and that he has been doing really really well on, and it doesn't bankrupt me, and I like the zipper on the bag, has been Prairie by Nature's Variety. Guess what is high on the ingredient list and preserved with citric acid? Also, I've been pre-moistening it for him because he really likes it better that way. He often refuses to eat all day if only dry kibble is presented. Wet kibble, no problem. I'd prefer he eat twice a day because he does get a bit clumsy and/or unfocused in the evenings or after vigorous exercise if he doesn't eat, which I attribute to low blood sugar. So I've switched to Wellness and so far his coat seems a little greasy. But maybe that's because he went wading in the pond the other day. All I know is, DARN, I really liked that food!

[Devi]

What about feeding treats while doing agility? I do this every day with my non-toy-motivated dog. Am I putting him in danger? I never thought anything of it since everyone I train with does the same.

 

I don't mean to hijack, I hope Rush is doing better!