Bloat is a condition in which food or gas stretches your dog’s stomach, causing abdominal
pain. While it is more common in large-breed or deep-chested dogs, any breed can develop
bloat. Depending on the severity, bloat can be fatal if not treated within an hour or two.  
The stomach is located in the upper abdomen and normally contains a small amount of gas,
food, liquid, and mucus. When a dog eats, food enters the stomach from the esophagus, then
is broken down by digestive enzymes. From the stomach, the food moves into the small
intestine and down the gastrointestinal tract. 
When bloat occurs, your dog’s stomach begins to expand, or distend, and cuts off blood flow
to the abdomen as well as the stomach itself. This may cause injury (even death) to the
stomach wall and, without treatment, eventually other organs. Bloat can also put pressure on
the diaphragm, a thin muscle that separates the chest from the abdomen, leading to trouble
breathing.  
In severe cases of bloat, a dog’s stomach twists and fills with gas. This is called gastric
dilatation and volvulus (GDV) and is considered one of the most painful, severe emergencies
in veterinary medicine. This degree of bloat cuts off blood flow to the stomach and the lower
half of the body, making it impossible for food to pass into the intestine. In extreme cases of
GDV, a dog’s stomach can rupture, and the spleen can also be injured. 
This is a very serious health emergency and, if untreated, a dog with GDV will die within
hours.

All cases of bloat require immediate medical attention to determine the severity. If bloat is
treated immediately, it is often curable.

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Simple bloat, where the dog’s stomach has not twisted, can sometimes be managed without
medication but may require fluids or other treatments.
Other degrees of bloat, including GDV, can also be curable if diagnosed in the early stages.
These conditions are usually treated with immediate surgery.

Bloat is a very uncomfortable, often painful, health crisis for dogs. As a result, a dog with bloat may: 

• Dry-heave (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.

• Have abdominal distention (this might not be visible in the early stages of bloat)
• Experience sudden anxiety, pacing, an inability to get comfortable, or constantly moving around the room/house.

• Be guarding their belly or looking back at their belly
• Position themselves in a downward-facing dog pose, where the dog’s back half is up and the upper half is down

• Pant and drool
• Collapse
• Have a racing heartbeat (tachycardia)
• Have pale gums

It’s unknown why bloat and GDV occur in dogs, but there are suspected risk factors that can increase the chance of bloat.  While bloat can occur in any dog, risks factors that increase the chances of bloat in dogs are:

• Ingesting large amounts of food or water too quickly
• Weighing more than 99 pounds increases the risk by about 20% 
• Age (Older dogs are at higher risk)
• Being deep-chested 
• Exercise immediately after eating. 
• Eating from an elevated food bowl
• Having a close relative that was diagnosed with bloat
• Eating dry food with fat or oil listed in the first 4 ingredients

A veterinarian may suspect bloat and/or GDV by simply seeing a dog’s distressed behavior
and physical appearance, but they typically also perform tests to confirm the diagnosis. 
Blood Test
The vet may perform a blood test to get a picture of your dog’s overall health.  
Abdominal X-rays
These are taken to confirm the diagnosis and to determine the severity of bloat. An x-ray can
indicate if a dog has simple bloat, where the stomach appears very distended and round and is
usually full of food or gas.  X-rays also show if bloat has progressed to GDV and the stomach
appears very distended and has what looks like a bubble on top of the already swollen
stomach.

Treatment of simple bloat can be quite straightforward. Dogs are usually hospitalized to
receive large amounts of intravenous fluids and sometimes medicine. They’re also walked
often to stimulate the movement of the gastrointestinal tract to help move the gas and food
quickly through the body.
A dog with GDV requires more intense care that typically includes: 
Intravenous fluids with electrolytes to aggressively treat shock and improve
circulation to vital organs.

• Pain medications and often antibiotics to treat discomfort, shock, and any death of
  tissues from the loss of circulation.
• A procedure to decompress the stomach by removing gas from the stomach to allow
  blood flow to the lower half of the body. In some instances, this helps untwist the
  stomach.  
• Electrocardiogram (ECG) to monitor for any heart abnormalities which are frequently
  due to toxins from decreased circulation. 
• Surgery is performed as soon as the dog is as stable as possible. Depending on the
  severity of bloat, a vet may have to untwist the dog’s stomach and/or spleen and
  remove any part of the stomach wall that may have died due to loss of blood flow.
  The vet will also stitch the stomach to the body wall in a procedure called gastropexy.
  This significantly reduces the risk of rotation of the stomach in the future.

Treatment of simple bloat can be quite straightforward. Dogs are usually hospitalized to
receive large amounts of intravenous fluids and sometimes medicine. They’re also walked
often to stimulate the movement of the gastrointestinal tract to help move the gas and food
quickly through the body.
A dog with GDV requires more intense care that typically includes: 
Intravenous fluids with electrolytes to aggressively treat shock and improve
circulation to vital organs.

• Pain medications and often antibiotics to treat discomfort, shock, and any death of
  tissues from the loss of circulation.
• A procedure to decompress the stomach by removing gas from the stomach to allow
  blood flow to the lower half of the body. In some instances, this helps untwist the
  stomach.  
• Electrocardiogram (ECG) to monitor for any heart abnormalities which are frequently
  due to toxins from decreased circulation. 
• • Feed small meals a few times throughout the day instead of 1 or 2 large meals
  • Avoid gorging on the water when drinking
  • Discuss preventative surgery with your veterinarian for breeds at higher risk of bloat.
    • Wait at least 1 hour after a meal or drink a large amount of water for any exercise orSurgery is performed as soon as the dog is as stable as possible. Depending on the
      severity of bloat, a vet may have to untwist the dog’s

      This can often be performed during your pet’s spay or neuter procedure. After proper diagnosis, dogs with simple bloat tend to bounce back into their normal lives and routines 1 to 2 days after receiving fluids and taking frequent walks. Following GDV surgery, a dog will remain in the hospital until the pain is controlled, blood tests indicate normal enzyme levels, and the dog is eating and drinking well on its own. The length of time in the hospital depends on the dog’s health history and severity of bloat and may be anywhere from 1 to 2 days, to up to 7 or more. Regardless of the type of bloat or treatment a dog experienced, vets suggest the same steps to lower the risk of bloat in the future:

      • 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) playtime. This can often be performed during your pet’s spay or neuter procedure. and/or spleen andremove any part of the stomach wall that may have died due to loss of blood flow.The vet will also stitch the stomach to the body wall in a procedure called gastropexy.This significantly reduces the risk of rotation of the stomach in the future.

There are no proven diets that cause food bloat in dogs. It is believed that diets, where fat or
oils are listed in the top 4 ingredients, put dogs at a higher risk of food bloat. More
importantly, large amounts of food or water in one sitting have been shown to substantially
increase bloat risk.

Symptoms of bloat usually occur without warning and progress quickly. A dog may pant,
pace or drool or appear to be dry-heaving (attempting to vomit) without being able to throw
up. Anxiety and abdominal distention are also common symptoms. In severe cases, dogs may
collapse or have an elevated heart rate and/or pale gums.

Dogs with simple bloat are generally hospitalized to receive intravenous fluids, medicine to
help the stomach empty, and frequent walks to stimulate bowel movements. Dogs with GDV
require surgery to untwist the stomach.

Dry food can cause bloat in dogs especially if eaten in large amounts at one time or if a dog
exercises quickly after eating. However, canned or human food can also cause bloat and
rotation of the stomach.

If a vet determines a dog with simple mild bloat can be treated at home, the owner will be
advised to withhold food for 12 to 24 hours, take the dog on frequent walks, and limit water
intake to small amounts several times daily.

Drinking large amounts of water at one time, especially if followed by exercise, is a risk
factor for bloat and GDV. It is best to offer small to moderate amounts of water and limit drinking to 30 minutes before any heavy exercise. Small bowls of water around the house can
curb a dog from guzzling too much water at once.