# Questions about Bloat...



## flatsandstubs (Jan 7, 2011)

Hi,

I've got a 3 year old male Weimaraner named Marley who, just last night, had his first episode of bloat. Being as this is both a highly dangerous and terrifying place to be for both a dog and owner, I'd like to ask those of you who know about bloat or have had experience with chronic bloaters for some advice and tips. Marley has been 100% raw fed for nearly one year. After some issues with food allergies and doggie IBS, we've made a happy transition from kibble over to a life of raw. 

I always kept bloat in the back of my mind, knowing that Weims are prone to it, so I knew the signs right away. Marley had his dinner (I feed twice a day) around 8:30 pm...nothing out of the ordinary, just the regular meal. I always watch closely while feeding, just to make sure that he paces himself and doesn't wolf his meal down. About 5 or 10 minutes after he finished and was let out of the crate, I could tell something wasn't right. He started pacing back and forth all over my living room and kitchen, wouldn't respond to his name or any commands, started licking everything including the carpet and walls, became all drooly, and his chest was in a sort of spasm and I knew...it was bloat! Right after this all started, he vomited twice, one round being the meal and the second simply bile. I quickly grabbed the simethicone (I think it's basically Phayzme) from my cabinet and gave him around 1400mg (8 gel caps) and started grabbing his records and such to rush to the emergency vet down the road. About 10 minutes after the simethicone, it was like night and day. He stopped pacing, licking everything and went right back to his normal self, just like that. I monitored him for a while longer and nothing, it just stopped and for the rest of the evening, he was his usual goofy self. 

So, now that we've survived an absolutely terrifying bloat episode, it's time to ask some questions and get some tips for the future. I realize that if a dog bloats once, it will most likely happen again and I am determined to do everything I can to prevent it from happening again! For those of you who have either lived through a bloating experience or have owned a chronic bloater, are there ways that you can help prevent another episode from happening? That is, aside from the obvious methods like witholding water after a meal, not exercising right after a meal, feeding smaller meals more often, etc., which I already am aware of and practice. I realize there isn't a way to cure bloat and that a vet is the best option in this kind of crisis. But, as far as helping to prevent another episiode goes, any ideas? Also, do any of you know of a forum that is specifically geared for bloat related issues? Maybe you know of helpful threads/websites? Although I read up on the issue a while back (as a "in an emergency" sort of capacity), I'd like to arm myself with as much knowledge as I can on the topic now that it's happened and is very real to me. I would greatly appreciate any good info or tips. Thanks so much!

-Kyndal A.


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## BrownieM (Aug 30, 2010)

flatsandstubs said:


> Hi,
> 
> I've got a 3 year old male Weimaraner named Marley who, just last night, had his first episode of bloat. Being as this is both a highly dangerous and terrifying place to be for both a dog and owner, I'd like to ask those of you who know about bloat or have had experience with chronic bloaters for some advice and tips. Marley has been 100% raw fed for nearly one year. After some issues with food allergies and doggie IBS, we've made a happy transition from kibble over to a life of raw.
> 
> ...


Honestly? It will probably happen again. Maybe sooner rather than later. I would personally get his stomach tacked. 3 years is young to bloat (I had one bloat + torsion at 2). The younger it happens in a dog the more I think they really have a predisposition for it. You were lucky this time that it resolved and that he did not torse.


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## DaneMama (Jun 27, 2008)

I agree with BM....I'd suggest getting a gastropexy so that he's 99% guaranteed not to bloat AND torsion again. I have all my girls prophylactic gastropexied so that I don't really have to worry about it. The surgery done NOT during an episode may run between $500-2000 depending on the region and the vet. BUT if your dog bloats and you rush into ER surgery...guaranteed it'll cost you $5K plus in bills. Which includes a gastropexy. To me, skipping the whole trauma of the episode and the possibly deadly outcome is far more worth it than hoping it wont happen again.

Sorry to hear your boy bloated. Scary stuff! I know on the Dane forum they have a bloat section that people post in and give a bunch of details about their dog/episode. I've read through it and its really just random occasion, really no rhyme or reason to why dogs bloat.


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## BrownieM (Aug 30, 2010)

DaneMama said:


> BUT if your dog bloats and you rush into ER surgery...guaranteed it'll cost you $5K plus in bills. Which includes a gastropexy.


_Damn_! I guess I was lucky, because it was just under $2,000 for Henry's emergency bloat/torsion surgery!

But still...it is cheaper done prophylactically and you don't have to worry as much. ESPECIALLY in a dog that already bloated. In fact, more and more vets would want to go ahead and tack the stomach in a dog that came to the hospital for bloat without torsion.


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