Stomach Torsion
The purpose of this article is to bring awareness to first time Great Dane owners of Stomach Torsion, which is the number one killer of Great Danes. We are sure that you probably have many questions about this problem, and this article attempts to answer the most frequently asked questions.
What exactly is stomach torsion?
Stomach Torsion, or "twisted stomach", is exactly that. The stomach twists and turns, and in fact flips over. Most commonly preceded by bloat which is an expansion of gas in the stomach. Bloat gases cause the stomach to rise. In some dog breeds, this rising causes the stomach to twist over and over cutting off inlet, outlet and blood circulation to the stomach. If left uncorrected, the stomach literally dies. This is fatal to the dog.
What causes stomach torsion?
The precise cause of stomach torsion is bloat. What cause bloat is still unidentified by the AVMA. There are many different factors, and many different schools of thought as to what causes this emergency. Contributing factors may include genetics, stress or anxiety, large feedings, and exercise following feeding.
What are the symptoms of stomach torsion?
The most obvious symptom is distended stomach, obvious pain, the dogs refusal to lie down. Most often these symptoms are late in the progression of the stomach twist. Earlier symptoms can include repeated retching or trying to throw up without anything coming up, excessive salivating, a hiccup‑like movement of the head (this may be a difficulty swallowing, and should be differentiated from puppy hiccups).
What do I do if I think my Dane is having this problem?
TAKE YOUR DANE TO A VETERIANARIAN IMMEDIATELY. Stomach torsion have been known to kill in as little as 45 minutes. There is no time to waste. It is very important for Dane owners to know exactly where your closest Animal Emergency Clinic is, and know how to get in touch with your own vet.
How can I prevent this from happening to my Dane?
There are many ways to cut down the chances of this happening to your dog, including the following:
1. Feed your dog several small meals a day, instead of one large one.
2. Crate your dog or ensure that the dog's activity is restricted for at least 60‑90 minutes following each meal.
3. Always elevate the dane's food to shoulder height.
4.Optional: Put a couple of simethicone tablets in your dogs food with each meal. This is the active anti‑gas ingredient in, DiGel, and Phazyme. Walmart sells a generic anti‑gas gel tab that is straight simethicone (80 mg) Again, this is optional and some owners chose to do it while others see no need and only keep the medication on hand for emergencies.
5. The most effective way to prevent this from happening to your Dane is to have its stomach surgically tacked into place. The procedure is called a circumcostal gastropexy, and actually takes part of the stomach and attaches it around the last rib. After surgery, the healing process allows the muscle to actually grow in this permanent position. Once this occurs, even if your Dane would happen to bloat, there is not a risk of the stomach twisting and thereby killing the dog.
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