IT’S A MEDICAL EMERGENCY!
Bloat – Know the Signs!
Timing is Everything!
By Ara Radler and Scott Padgett
It happened to Flash last night! It was just a normal night. Supper at 7:00 and a VERY leisurely, short stroll at 9:30. It likely started around 10:00. I convinced myself by 10:30. We were at the emergency vet by 11:00. He was in surgery by 12:30. Bloat trumps most cases at the ER. His surgery went well and hopefully everything is going to be okay.
This incident of bloat ended well. The foster knew the signs and what to do.
Gastric dilation or bloat is a condition in which the stomach fills up with air or food. It then “twists around itself” often misplacing the spleen with it. This cuts off the blood supply to both organs, resulting in life-threatening shock. This condition is a medical emergency! Causes are thought to be associated with eating large meals, exercising just before or after eating and gorging on large amounts of food or water. But sometimes it just happens.
Know the signs of bloat
The signs of bloat often occur within hours after a meal.
• Distended (bloated) abdomen
• Restlessness and pacing, inability to lie down, panicked or distressed, rapid shallow breathing
• Unsuccessful vomiting or bringing up foamy saliva
• Drooling or salivation
First Aid
• Transport immediately to a veterinary hospital or emergency room. (Will need to have stomach decompressed, be assessed for stomach rotation and have treatment for shock immediately.)
Prevention
Although there are no fool-proof ways to prevent bloat, some things may help:
• Feed more than once daily. Two meals of equal size are best.
• Do not allow your pet to exercise directly before or after a meal; separate by at least one hour.
• Do not allow pet access to bulk food sources from which they might gorge themselves.
• Do not allow your pet to drink large volumes of water at one time, particularly after exercise.
Mammato, DVM, MPH, Bobbie. Pet First Aid – Cats and Dogs. American Red Cross, The Humane Society of the United States. Mosby.
