Dogs have many health issues and it is important to make sure if you have a dog breed that is more susceptible to certain health ailments that you take the proper care. In order to understand the health issues your dog could have it is important to look at each one on a per ailment basis. In this article you will learn about bloating in dogs. You will find out some of the breeds that are more susceptible to bloating, what causes the disorder, and how you might be able to prevent it. You will also learn about treatment options.
First of all the dogs more susceptible to bloating issues are the German shepherds, Great Danes, and Doberman Pinschers. You will find that most of the larger dog breeds will have the bloating ailment. It seems that these dogs are just more likely to have their stomachs change position and the bloating occurs.
Let?s look at a more detailed description of what bloating in dogs really is. First bloating occurs in the stomach. The cause of the actual condition is unknown, but swallowing air, an abnormal accumulation of air in the stomach, foam in the stomach or a twisting of the actual organ will cause the stomach to bloat. Food is one of the main causes for the stomach to bloat, such as overeating. You will find that when the stomach has twisted and the abdomen swells it can be deadly to your dog. Stress has also been linked to the cause of the disorder. It seems that stress causes the dogs to suck in more air. It is also seen that a lot of movement such as jumping and twisting can cause the stomach to actually change position. Lastly for the causes you will find eating rapidly, overeating, an insufficient diet can cause the gastric juices to dilute and develop the bloating in the dogs.
Symptoms that you will find include vomiting, lethargy, anxiety, stress, a distended abdomen, and coughing is usual. Other symptoms or signs include pale gums, gagging, heavy salivating, a foamy mucous, whining, pacing, licking the air, hiding, abdominal pain, and a few other symptoms. The stomach can rupture if it is not corrected soon enough. This means that the dog can actually bleed to death. You should seek immediately care when you see blood in the urine, nose, or when they cough. This is a sure sign that something is indeed wrong.
There are ways to prevent this issue from occurring. This is good news for many dog owners. When you pay attention to your dog?s diet and exercise you can prevent the bloating from occurring. In other words your dog may overeat, eat to fast, or you may not be supplying the right food. These things can be changed. You can check with a vet for the right nutrition. You can also make sure to feed your dog three meals a day rather than leaving the bowl lying on the floor. This can help with the over eating. For eating too fast you may have to seek behavioral readjustment therapy. In this case the dog must be retrained for how to eat.
Treatment of the issue may involve surgery if the stomach has ruptured or will not return to the correct side on its own. There are also medications such as gas reduction meds that will help your dog digest the food better and alleviate the pressure build up.
Malcolm Francis has owned and worked with dogs for most of his life. If you would like to learn more please visit Malcolms store dog supplies. You can also find christmas dog toys at his website.
