Thekeytosuccessfultreatmentisearlydiagnosis.Dr.Rozanski
stressedthatbreedersmusteducatetheirpuppybuyersabout
bloat!Anaffecteddogmightexhibitadistendedstomach,
restlessness,unproductiveretching,weakness,shortnessof
breath,palegumsandrapidheartbeat.Alumpmayappearonthe
dog’smidlineifthespleenhasbeenpulledoutofplace.Adog
withthesesymptomsshouldbebroughttothenearestveterinary
hospital,wheres/hewillreceivesupportivecareandbex-rayed.If
bloatisdiagnosedandsurgeryagreedupon,theabdominalwall
willbeopened.Thestomachwillbede-rotated,inspectedfor
damageandtackedtotheabdominalwallsothatitcan’tshift
again.Thistackingprocedure,knownasgastroplexy,isgaining
popularityasapreventativemeasureinbreedsthatareproneto
bloat,suchastheGreatDane,sinceGreatDaneshavea42
percentlifetimelikelihoodofabloatepisode.
Howcanbloatbeprevented?Ithaslongbeenthoughtthatthe
riskofbloatisreducedifyoufeedthedogfromaraisedbowl,
deterthedogfromgulpingitsfoodandpreventstrenuous
exerciseaftereating.However,itisnowthoughtthesefactors
don’tmatter.Instead,thedog’snervousnessandstressare
likelytobeimportant.Slowermotilityoffoodthroughthe
gastrointestinaltractisalsothoughttocontributetoriskofbloat.
TheAKCCHFrecognizesthatbloatisadevastatingdisease
thatiscurableifrecognizedintime.InJanuary2013,itlaunched
aBloatInitiativethatwillfeaturealaylanguagewebinar
describingpossiblecausesofbloat,susceptiblebreeds,symptoms,
medicalinterventionandexplanationofresearchneeded.Itis
alsoraisingfundsforbloat-specificresearch.InJuly2013,five
researchproposalswerechosenforpeerreview.Accordingtothe
AKCCHFwebsite,these“grantswilldelve
SaberTails
I
December2013
www.pbgv.org
35
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continuedonpage38