Gastric Dilatation (Volvulus)

This disease is also known as “bloat”. But as benign as it may sound, it is a deadly condition and it is at the top of medical and surgical emergencies.

Bloat is an extremely serious condition, where a dog’s stomach becomes filled with gas, causing the stomach (and sometimes the spleen) to rotate around its axis. So far, we have not completely understood “why” this happens but we do know “how” it happens.

Bloat develops suddenly, as a consequence of several events. When a dog eats, he will swallow air, which is normal –same happens with humans. But for unknown reasons, some dogs cannot release the accumulated air. If the dog eats a large meal at once, especially if he is gulping down his food, more air will be swollen. Drinking lots of water afterwards will only make things worse, as more air will be ingested and the stomach becomes enlarged with liquid, food and air. When food ferments, more gas accumulates, causing the stomach to become bigger and bigger, pressing on nearby organs.

At this point, the stomach resembles an over-inflated balloon, on the verge of rupturing, and it will have the tendency to rotate on its axis. As it does so, it also spins the blood vessels, cutting off the blood supply. No blood supply means no oxygen, and no oxygen leads to death. Apart from pressing all major abdominal veins, and thus reducing venous blood return to the heart, the stomach begins to die due to insufficient blood supply. All these events will rapidly cascade towards shock, collapse and death in just a couple of hours, so you need to rush your pet to the vet as soon as you see probable symptoms.

Clinical signs are not always easy to recognize as definite bloat-associated symptoms. Nevertheless, should you have reason to suspect your dog is suffering from bloat, or worst-case-scenario-volvulus, you should immediately take your pet to your veterinarian.

Signs and symptoms: swollen abdomen, non-productive attempts to vomit, restlessness, abdominal pain, rapid shallow breathing, salivation, pale gums. As the condition progresses, the dog will go into shock –weak pulse, abnormal heart rhythm, collapse.

Factors attributed to developing gastric dilatation and volvulus

-breed predisposition: large breeds with deep narrow chests, like the Great Dane, Irish Setter, Saint Bernard, German shepherd and so on;

-gender: males have higher risk of suffering from GDV;

-age: dogs over 7 years of age are more likely to develop bloat;

-eating habits: dogs that are fed only once a day are more likely to duffer from GDV, compared to those who are given 2-3 meals per day. Dogs that gulp down food or exercise after eating are also at increased risk of GDV.