July's
Pet of the Month
Meet
our big, handsome July Pet of the Month, Blue! Blue is a 3.5-year-old Great
Dane who weighs in at a whopping 120 pounds! Blue is a sweet boy who,
regardless of his size, thinks that he is a lap dog. Blue also wants to be
friends with everyone he sees, especially while out walking and riding the
elevator in his building. Blue is here to talk to us about this month's topic
gastric dilatation and volvulus (GDV), most commonly known as "bloat".
A
few months ago, while out for a walk, Blue started exhibiting some concerning
signs. Blue's abdomen was distended, he was repeatedly attempting to vomit, and
was in obvious discomfort. Luckily, Blue's owner knew something was wrong and,
suspecting GDV, rushed over to Pearl Animal Hospital where we were able to
assess Blue and immediately refer them to Dove Lewis Emergency Animal Hospital.
Blue's surgery went well and he made a full recovery back to his normal, goofy
self.
Most
commonly seen in large breed, deep-chested breeds such as Great Danes, Saint
Bernards, and Weimaraners.
Unfortunately,
there are no definitive ways to prevent GDV, but you may reduce the risk by
doing the following:
- Limit stress and anxiety
- Do not feed your pet 1 to 2 hours before or after exercise
- Feed two or more meals per day Maintain your dog at a healthy weight.
- Gastropexy: a procedure where the stomach is tacked to the body wall to help prevent rotation.
Symptoms
of GDV include symptoms of severe nausea and pain such as extreme lethargy and
retching without producing any vomitus and sometimes, though not always
obvious, a grossly distended abdomen.
If
you think your dog is showing symptoms of GDV, you must rush the dog to the vet
IMMEDIATELY, as it is extremely time-sensitive.
