What relieves bloating fast in dogs

By Isabella Storyclaire

last updated September 16, 2024

Contributions sourced from

Bloat (or GDV) in Dogs: What Is it and How Is it Treated?

If you believe your dog is suffering from symptoms of bloat, call your vet or emergency vet immediately.

I hate this disease. When I first started as a vet, we gave a dog with bloat a 50-50 chance if he could walk into the hospital. Many were too weak and had to be carried in. They often died. Now, 30 years later, bloat still kills about 30 percent of the dogs it affects, even after extremely intensive treatment.

I hope you never see this disease in your dog, but learning about what it is, why it happens, and how its treated may help your dog fall into the percentage of dogs that survive. Read on for common questions about bloat and new perspectives on prevention.

What Is Bloat in Dogs?

Bloat, also known as gastric dilatation-volvulus (GDV) complex, is a medical and surgical emergency.

As the stomach fills with air, pressure builds, stopping blood from the hind legs and abdomen from returning to the heart. Blood pools at the back end of the body, reducing the working blood volume and sending the dog into shock.

If this isnt enough, there is yet another scary thing that happens, and it is devastating to see. As the stomach flips, it drags the spleen and pancreas along with it, cutting off the blood flow. The oxygen-starved pancreas produces some very toxic hormones. One, in particular, targets the heart and stops it cold. In fact, a dog can go through successful treatment and seem to be out of danger, when suddenly the heart stops.

Even in the mildest case of bloat, which is extremely rare, dogs die without treatment.

What Are the Signs of Bloat in Dogs?

An enlargement of the dogs abdomen
Retching
Salivation
Restlessness
An affected dog will feel pain and might whine if you press on his belly

Without treatment, in only an hour or two, your dog will likely go into shock. The heart rate will rise and the pulse will get weaker, leading to death.

Why Do Dogs Bloat?

This question has perplexed veterinarians since they first identified the disease. We know air accumulates in the stomach (dilatation), and the stomach twists (the volvulus part). We dont know if the air builds up and causes the twist, or if the stomach twists and then the air builds up.

How Is Bloat Treated?

Veterinarians start by treating the shock. Once the dog is stable, hes taken into surgery. We do two procedures. One is to deflate the stomach and turn it back to its correct position. If the stomach wall is damaged, that piece is removed. Second, because up to 90 percent of affected dogs will have this condition again, we tack the stomach to the abdominal wall (a procedure called a gastropexy) to prevent it from twisting.

How Can Bloat Be Prevented?

For years, veterinarians have been looking for ways to prevent bloat. If you search on the Internet, you will find a host of suggestions, but much of it is folklore. We have to look at what is scientifically proven and implement those strategies.

Risk of bloat is correlated to chest conformation. Dogs with a deep, narrow chest very tall, rather than wide suffer the most often from bloat. Great Danes, who have a high height-to-width ratio, are five-to-eight times more likely to bloat than dogs with a low height-to-width ratio.

In addition to Great Danes, large- or giant-breed dogs at greatest risk include St. Bernards, Weimaraners, Irish Setters and Gordon Setters, Standard Poodles, and Doberman Pinschers. Males are twice as likely to bloat as females. Neutering or spaying has no effect on risk.

If a dog has relatives (parents, siblings, or offspring) who have suffered from bloat, there is a higher chance he will develop bloat. These dogs should not be used for breeding.

Certain dietary ingredients have been blamed over the years, but the data is inconclusive. This is because most large-breed dogs are fed a cereal-based diet, so making a statement that those diets are to blame is difficult. However, we do know that foods containing soybean meal or having oils or fats in the first four ingredients increase the risk by fourfold.

Over the years, I have seen studies that show that food bowls on the floor cause more cases of bloat, but a few years later this was debunked, and elevated food bowls are now known to be just as much of a risk. With these conflicting results, a solid recommendation cant be made.

Dogs fed one meal a day are twice as likely to bloat as those fed two meals a day. Rate of eating is also a contributor. Fast eaters have five times the risk than dogs that are slow eaters. Using slow feeder bowls with fingers (or center posts) or putting large rocks in the bowl slows dogs down physically, but its also important to address the anxiety that comes with feeding around other dogs, because that can be a risk factor. Stressed dogs and those that are hyperactive are more likely to bloat. Separating dogs at feeding times may help reduce anxiety and stress surrounding food. Unhappy or fearful dogs are twice as likely to bloat as those that are happy.

A recent trend is to perform a preventive surgical gastropexy on an at-risk dog. Often performed when a dog is sterilized, some veterinarians now do this procedure laparoscopically to reduce the invasiveness. Unfortunately, the hardest part is determining which dogs are at a high enough risk to warrant this surgery. It could be said that all the above-mentioned breeds should have this surgery performed. We just dont know if it is cost-effective. Consult with your veterinarian about this option.

We cant prevent all cases of bloat, but by implementing some of the above techniques, you may be able to reduce your dogs risk. If your dog shows signs of bloat, take him to a veterinarian or an emergency pet clinic immediately.

Bloat in Dogs

What Is Bloat in Dogs?

Bloat in dogs is a condition in which food or gas stretches a pups stomach, causing abdominal pain. While its more common in large breed or deep-chested dogs, any breed can develop bloat.

When bloat occurs, a dogs stomach begins to expand, or distend, and cuts off blood flow to the abdomen as well as the stomach itself. This may cause injury or death of the stomach wall and without treatment, other organs. Bloat can also put pressure on the diaphragm, a thin muscle that separates the chest from the abdomen. This can cause difficulty breathing in dogs.

In severe cases of bloat, a dogs stomach flips, or twists, and fills with gas. This is called gastric dilatation and volvulus (GDV).

Bloat with GDV cuts off blood flow to a pups stomach and the lower half of their body, making it impossible for food to pass into the intestine. In extreme cases of GDV, a dogs stomach can rupture, and the spleen can also be injured.

All cases of bloat are medical emergencies, and require veterinary intervention to determine the severity. If untreated, a dog with GDV will die within hours. If bloat and GDV are treated immediately, they are often curable.

Symptoms of Bloat in Dogs

Bloat is an uncomfortable and painful condition. Symptoms of bloat in dogs include:

Dry-heaving (also called retching) without vomiting any food. Sometimes a dog might spit out white foam when trying to vomit, which is usually mucus from the esophagus or stomach.
Abdominal swelling (this might not be visible in the early stages of bloat)
Sudden anxiety, pacing, an inability to get comfortable or constantly moving around the room/house.
Positioning the body in a downward-facing pose, where the dogs back half is up, and upper half is down
Panting and drooling
Collapse
Rapid heart rate (tachycardia)
Pale gums

Causes of Bloat in Dogs

Its unknown why bloat and GDV occurs in dogs.

While these conditions can affect in any pup, there are suspected risk factors that can increase the chance of bloat in dogs. These include:

Dogs that ingest large amounts of food or water too quickly
Dogs that weigh more than 99 pounds
Dogs that are male
Dogs that are older
Dogs that are of large breeds and deep-chested
Dogs that exercise immediately after eating
Dogs that eat from an elevated food bowl
Dogs with a family history of bloat
Dogs that eat dry food with fat or oil listed in the first four ingredients

How Veterinarians Diagnose Bloat in Dogs

A veterinarian may suspect bloat and/or GDV by simply seeing a dogs distressed behavior and physical appearance, but they usually perform tests to confirm the diagnosis.

Veterinarians diagnose bloat in dogs with:

Treatment of Bloat in Dogs

If caught in time, bloat is curable. However, treatment of bloat in dogs depends on the severity.

There are no home remedies for bloat in dogs. Dogs with simple bloat are usually hospitalized to receive of intravenous (IV) fluids and medication for pain or nausea as needed. Theyre also walked often to stimulate movement of the gastrointestinal tract to help move the gas and food quickly through the body.

A dog with GDV requires more intense care. This typically includes:

IV fluids with electrolytes to aggressively treat shock and improve circulation to vital organs.
Pain medications andantibiotics to treat discomfort, shock, and any death of tissues from the loss of circulation.
Trocharization, a procedure often used to decompress the air out of the stomach to restore the blood flow.
Electrocardiogram (ECG) to monitor for any heart abnormalities.
Surgery, which is performed as soon as the dog is stable. Depending on the severity of bloat, a vet may have to untwist the dogs stomach and/or spleen. They may alsoremove any part of the stomach wall that has died due to loss of blood flow. The vet will also stitch the stomach to the body wall in a procedure called a gastropexy. This significantly reduces the risk of rotation of the stomach in the future.

Recovery and Management of Bloat in Dogs

After diagnosis, dogs with simple bloat tend to bounce back into their normal lives and routines one to two days after receiving fluids and taking frequent walks.

Following a gastropexy procedure, a dog will remain in the hospital until their pain is controlled and the dog is eating and drinking normally on their own.

The duration of a pups hospital stay depends on their health history and severity of bloat. Their stay may be anywhere from one to two days, to up to seven or more.

Follow your vets discharge instructions regarding surgical aftercare. This includes typically 10 to 14 days of rest, monitoring the incision, and giving oral medications. It may be useful to purchase a cone or recovery suit to help keep your pup from licking/chewing at their surgical incision during recovery.

Prevention of Bloat in Dogs

You can lower the risk of your dog developing bloat by doing the following:

Never leave large bags or bins of food accessible to your dog to avoid overeating.
Do not use raised food bowls unless advised by your veterinarian (some pets require a raised food bowl due to a medical condition).
Have your dog wait at least one hour after a meal or drinking a large amount of water for any exercise or playtime.
Feed your pup small meals a few times throughout the day instead of one or two large meals.
Dont allow your dog to gorge on water when drinking.
Discuss preventative surgery with your veterinarian for breeds at higher risk of bloat. This can often be performed during your pets spay or neuter procedure.
If purchasing a pup from a breeder, be sure to ask if there is any family history of bloat or GDV.

Bloat in Dogs FAQs

What relieves bloating fast in dogs?

If your dog is experiencing bloat, they require immediate medical attention. If the bloat is distension only and the stomach has not twisted (GDV), your vet will treat your pup with fluids, medications, and increased walking. If your dogs stomach has twisted, emergency surgery will likely be required.

Can dogs survive bloat?

Yes. While bloat and GDV are both medical emergencies and potentially life-threatening, with fast medical intervention they can make a complete recovery.

Its important to get your dog emergency veterinary careone to two hours can be the difference between a good and bad prognosis.