The most painful and life-threatening condition is bloating which affects directly our German Shepherds or other dog breeds. I hate this disease as I am the sufferer of this disease for my beloved pet that’s why I am sharing my experience with you. Even I was asked by my vet for a 50-50 chance of his survival. Are all German shepherds prone to bloating, whether you own one or another breed of dog? This is a topic that must cross your mind.
Not all but yes German Shepherds can bloat. If your German Shepherd is suffering from the issue of bloat the stomach twists and build-up up excess gas which puts pressure on its vital organs, damaging its internal organ, and in the worst case death is followed.
Your German Shepherds or other dog breeds may have bloat or GDV, which is a medical emergency. I hope you have never seen this disease in your dog but you must be aware of this issue and must learn about bloat in dogs.
The main purpose of writing this post is to do a detailed discussion about the issue of bloat in many dogs. Here in this post, you will learn what is bloat among German Shepherds, its causes, prevention, and of course treatment.
There is a lot to discuss, and a lot to discover, let’s dive into our topic and understand the issue of bloating among German Shepherds.
Table of Contents
What Is Bloat (OR GDV) In German Shepherd?
Bloat (or GDV) is also referred to as stomach torsion or dilatation. Bloat is a medical disorder in which a dog’s stomach is twisted or inverted. It can occur at any age, but because German Shepherds are large breeds, bloat is extremely harmful to them. Bloat can happen to any dog breed but at the same time, you must know what does bloat mean?
Bloat or Gastric dilatation-volvulus (GDV) is a medical condition where the stomach of your German Shepherd becomes overstretched and flipped by excessive gas content. Due to the excess of gas, their stomach starts swelling, putting pressure on other internal organs, and stopping blood from the hind legs and abdomen from returning to the heart. Blood pools at the back end of their body reduce blood volume and send your German Shepherd into shock as it will be life-threatening if not treated on time.
When the stomach fills with air, another condition known as bloat or GDV also occurs, resulting in a twisted stomach. In the worst condition, their stomach flips and drags the spleen and pancreas along with it which cuts off the blood flow. The pancreas of your German Shepherd then produces toxins that will affect adversely on the heart and stop its functions ultimately.
Deep-chested dogs like German Shepherds are particularly susceptible to this sort of disease since they are always in danger. Bloat among German Shepherds or other dogs is a serious medical emergency even if it can be life-threatening if not treated at right time.
Though it is a serious issue, a German Shepherd can go through successful treatment and seem to be out of danger. However, it is always going to be rare if dogs die due to bloat without treatment but this can happen only in the mildest case.
Why is My German Shepherd Bloating?
Bloat or GDV requires immediate medical attention for your German Shepherd because it directly affects its stomach and makes it restless. This disease provide a serious impact on the health of your GSD but do you wonder why is your German Shepherd bloating, What are its causes?
The main cause of bloat in German Shepherd is a disorganized feeding routine, eating food too fast, exercising just before or after meal, stress, and anxiety. Some other factor for developing bloat or GDV among our German Shepherd or other dog breed is increased age, having a deep and narrow chest, and too much water consumption in a short period before or after exercise.
However, some research also shows that genetic causes are also responsible for bloating among German Shepherds. You should also know that genetic mutation determines the level of bloat and is also popular among larger breeds. That’s why German Shepherd comes under the breed that is prone to this disease.
The cause of bloat will make your German Shepherd or another dog breed uncomfortable so you need to know the risk factors that can occur to your German Shepherd due to the issue of bloat or gastric torsion.
Here are some of the other causes that may raise a dog’s risk of bloating and you must know that I have listed below:
Gastrointestinal disease:
If your German Shepherd is suffering from any type of gastrointestinal disease then it is a sign of danger as bloat issues can affect them badly.
Dietary factors:
There is a general misconception in the mind of people to raise the food bowl of dogs when they eat but it increases the risk of bloat among them. Eating food only once a day or eating consistently with particles less than 30mm in size also increases the risk factors of GDV.
Some study also shows that eating dry food with neither grains, soy, or animal proteins also increase the risk of bloating among German Shepherds or other dog breeds. Foods with an increased amount of added oils or fats are also helpful in increasing the risk of bloat in your GSD.
Increased Age:
Increasing age is also an important factor behind the bloat of your German Shepherd as dogs who are seven years of age or more are at higher risk and this risk increase with increment in age.
Exercising before or after the meal:
Exercise before or after the meal can also increase the risk factor of bloat among German Shepherds as it may force them to swallow a lot of air and will have adverse effects on their stomach wall.
Too much water consumption:
Drinking too much water in short intervals of time before or after exercise can also affect your German Shepherd and lead to bloat in them.
Distress:
Of course, stress can also cause bloating among German Shepherd dogs because stressed-out dogs tend to overeat and spend a lot of time alone, both of which contribute to bloating.
What Are The Signs Of Bloat In A German Shepherd?
If you are a good owner of a pet then getting knowledge of all the departments is very important whether it is from health, grooming, feeding, or training. There are many health issues that our German Shepherd can go through and bloat is one of them. As it is a highly deadly disease and knowing its signs and symptoms will always be helpful. But how can we know about bloating in German Shepherds? What are their symptoms?
The main symptom of bloating among German Shepherds is a swollen stomach. Other possible symptoms may be distension of the abdomen, weakness, weakness, depression, difficulty breathing, hypersalivation, and retching. However, all the symptoms may depend on the severity of this disease.
Bloating is a medical emergency that you should understand and try to meet your vet as soon as possible if you observe any of the signs or symptoms.
Let’s take a quick look at some other symptoms of bloat among German Shepherds:
- Restlessness
- Swollen stomach
- Stomach Torsion
- Coughing
- Irritation
- Discomfort
- An unsuccessful attempt to vomit
- Drooling
- Weakness
- Pacing
- Whining
- Loss of appetite
- Breathing difficulty
- Foaming
How To Treat Bloat In My German Shepherd?
Today technology has become advanced so has become the medical field. I am very satisfied to say that almost all diseases are treatable nowadays and of course, bloat can also be treated.
Bloat in German Shepherds or other dog breeds is a medical emergency and is examined by vets where they treat stabilizing your dog by decompressing the stomach. In medical terms, your vets will treat by intravenous fluid therapy which is the combination of isotonic fluids or a colloidal solution. In severe cases, surgery is done.
Initially, the stomach of your German Shepherd is decompressed by passing a stomach tube to remove the gas. There is an alternate method also where trocars can be inserted directly into the stomach for reducing the chances of infection.
In the severe condition of bloat, emergency surgery is required where the stomach is placed back into its correct position and an examination of the abdomen is done for any devitalized tissue. If necessary partial gastrectomy is also done when necrosis of the abdominal wall occurs but this thing is only done by the vets.
When you see any of the above-mentioned signs of bloating among your German Shepherd, you should visit your veterinarian. Given the severity of this disease, you can take the first step, but it would be wise to do so. Never try surgery at home and consult your vets on an emergency basis.
How do I stop my German Shepherd from being bloated?
It is well said “precaution is better than cure” so why can’t we prevent bloat in our German Shepherds facing ill effects because of such a dangerous disease?
You only have to avoid large meals and feed a nutritious diet twice a day. Use a mix of dry and wet or cold-pressed if you are feeding dry food. Never exercise your German Shepherd before and after the meal.
However, for your better understanding, you can also follow these preventive measures to avoid bloat in your dog that I have listed below:
1. Feed Your German Shepherd twice or thrice a day. You should feed your GSD two or three meals a day and excessive eating should be prohibited.
2. Feed an energy-dense diet. This is referred to reduce volume but you should avoid a diet with high calories.
3. Feed your German Shepherd Fresh Food. Always try to feed your German Shepherd fresh food and avoid, genetically manipulated food or foods with preservatives, and citric acid.
4. Avoid moistening dry foods. You should avoid moistening dry foods rather you can mix dry as well as wet food.
5. Avoid raising the food bowl. The rising food bowl is not a great idea rather you should meet your vets if your German Shepherd is not eating. You can also follow our trending topic Why my German Shepherd doesn’t eat? Reasons, Precautions and Cure, A complete guide!!! for detailed ideas.
6. Avoid drinking too much water straight after a meal. Drinking too much water just after a meal is not good for them as it should be strictly prohibited.
7. Training your German Shepherd to eat slowly. You should train your GSD to eat slowly and gulp down its food so that its food is easily digested.
8. Try to keep your German Shepherd happy and minimize stressful events. You should always maintain a happy environment around your German Shepherd so that they couldn’t take any stress.
9. Restrict vigorous exercise before and after meals. Exercise should be done before and after the meal as it should be strictly avoided.
10. Regular checkups with your vets. Try to go for regular checkups with your vets if you observe any types of symptoms regarding bloat among German Shepherds for proper medical care.
Prevention for any disease is the best option to get rid of the upcoming problems in your dog’s life as it not only affects their health but it affects you also. If you ignore their health it will affect your pocket. So try visiting your vets at regular intervals and provide your pet with a healthy life.
Final Thoughts:
Bloat is generally caused in the larger breed and, sadly, German Shepherds are prone to this disease. You should not worry anymore and look out for the signs and symptoms of bloat.
You should go for extremely intensive treatment if you find any symptoms of bloating in your dog.
You should also be familiar with the preventive measures to avoid bloating among German Shepherds.
The best way to treat bloat is to meet your vet to get veterinary medicine at the emergency level. Don’t panic in any situation and try to provide them with a healthy life.
References:
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gastric_dilatation_volvulus
- https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/health/bloat-in-dogs/
- https://gsrne.org/gsrne-live/bloat/