Gastric Dilatation and Volvulus - The big dog emergency

          Do you have a deep chested large breed dog? By that, I mean either a Great Dane, Doberman, Weimaraner or even a Golden Retriever, Labrador, Boxer… You get my drift. 

If your answer is yes, then this blog is a must read for you. 

          I must confess I am a little more biased towards the larger breeds because there’s just so much more dog to hug! However, these gentle giants due to their size and structure are predisposed to an acute life threatening condition - Gastric Dilatation and Volvulus.

Only if there is awareness about this condition can we save more lives!

What does GDV mean exactly?

          In these dogs, due to reasons not completely known, the stomach can suddenly rotate on its axis. It literally does a flip, blocking both exits from the oesophagus and towards the small intestine. The flipped stomach then starts bloating, putting pressure on major blood vessels and becomes a very painful, sudden, life threatening condition. Some studies believe that the bloating comes before the stomach flips. Either ways, once the tummy twists, the clock starts ticking.

A lot of studies have been done that enlist a wide variety of reasons why this happens.Some of these include ( but are not limited to): 

• Eating too fast

• Eating fermentable foods

• Eating from too low a dish

• Vigorous activity right after eating

• Stress

However there’s no concrete proof to any of it. I would however advice that all these reasons are avoided so as to prevent this situation from arising. Teach your Lab to go slow with eating. (Tough, yes, but must make it happen!.) Make sure your Rottie is not running around after meals.

        

How can you identify that your dog might have GDV?

          The signs are very obvious. Most parents do not realise because this happens so quickly in a span of minutes and does not appear as serious as it actually is. 

Signs that indicate that your dog may be heading into a GDV like situation include:

• Pacing

• Restlessness

• Salivation

• Attempts to vomit with no content

• Visible bloating of the abdomen

• Panting

What can you do?

          This condition requires immediate veterinary attention and you must not waste time trying any home remedies. Nothing is going to work, we will only lose precious time. These dogs require a surgery AS SOON AS POSSIBLE to right the flipped stomach and remove all the gas. What you can do is stay calm and rush your dog to a vet.

How fatal is it?

          Every minute lost increases the chances of them not making it, so time is of the essence. If the surgery is done soon enough, within a few hours of the stomach twisting, they do have a chance at recovery. As the hours go by, this chance reduces as other major organs get involved and the blood circulation to the entire body slowly starts getting impaired.

What can we do then to prevent it?

          To prevent a GDV from occurring, you can adhere to not exercising your dog after meals, not giving them fermentable foods or large meals. 

          In addition to these simple things, there is in fact a surgery that can be done where their stomach is tacked to one side of their abdomen. It is called a gastropexy. It Is a routinely done procedure and prevents the stomach from flipping. You could consider this option and speak to your vet about it. It is a prophylactic surgery that can be done to prevent a far more fatal surgery. 

          We all love our giant fur babies. It is unfortunate that their tummies aren't the best. It is our job as responsible pet parents to ensure that they never have to suffer through this ordeal where their life may be at risk. Awareness about the condition and quick action are our best chances at ensuring an incident free lives for these beautiful breeds.

Stay aware,

Dr. N