http://www.canadasguidetodogs.com/health/bloat_article.htm

thanks for that link, i am going to keep reading it as i am so scared of that happening to my dog,thanks x

This is the most awful thing any doglover can go through, we lost our GSD Lardo to this in May last year, as long as i live i will never ever forget that day, i remember every minute of it.
He had been fed at 8am all happy, we didnt take the dogs out that day as it was boiling hot so just let him chill, wé had planned a family bbq that day so we were preparing the food around 3.30pm, Lardo was sat in his run all happy and watching us busying about, his run was covered and in the shade, 4pm spotted he was foaming at the mouth, called my hubby who called Lardo out of his run, he walked out and OMG the size of him, i knew immediateley it was bloat/torsion, called our vet who is 2 minutes away from our house, put Lardo in the van he was fading fast then, got to the vet she was shaking her head and saying this doesnt look good, we were hysterical by this point, she got him into theatre and before she even got to put a tube in his stomach to release the gases he was unconcious, she said the kindest thing now was to put him to sleep, as the poisons from the gases would have given him brain damage, before she had even got the medication to do this ready he had gone, so quick so cruel. 20 minutes from spotting him he was gone. I really thought because we had got him there so quick we would come home with him, im in tears writing this its like it happened yesterday, sorry guys just had to share this cruel cruel condition.

We had done everything by the book, 2 small meals a day, not too much water, no excercise before and after meals, he was a big powerful dog which the vet said this is more common to get torsion, plus our breed torsion can be common with.
I hope no one has to go through this, thank God Moses was saved, some are, many not so lucky.

This so so sad to read :( I am very sorry for your loss, I can't imagine this happening... I always worry about it with my DDB...

What a nightmare to go through.  In my wildest dreams I couldn't think of any more cruel way to lose a loved dog.  So very, very sorry, that even with excellent care and knowledge you still lost your boy. {{{{  HUGS  }}}}

my dog has this back in April he started with some symptoms on the sunday morning (restlessness, licking his nose) , took him to vet she said it was his spleen not bloat.  Spent Sunday night retching we assumed it was a blockage, back to vets early Monday morning, on the way he started to bloat a little.  They were unable to release the gasses by tube so they had to operate, he had a full twist. I really thought we were going to lose him (and I was 8 months pregnant at the time so not good !!) but he pulled through and now 8 months on he is back on normal food (although fully soaked .. I do this for both of mine now) 2 meals a day back at agility and doing everything he used to do. 

Again we did everything as you are supposed to, he never bolts his food, never exercised before/after food. 

I do thank my lucky stars everyday that I still have my boy, he is only 5.  He really does get away with anything now, if he acts the fool at an agility show I just dont care anymore, I just think to myself that he really shouldnt be here at all.

Thats a lovely ending ClaireyS, thank God the vet managed to save your boy, our boy was only 5 and a half, far too young. it has made me paranoid with the others now.

This is my biggest fear with my two breeds, and i have experienced it once with my rottie girl, as soon as i see her belly i knew what it was and rushed her straight to the emergency, the vets when i said i thought it was bloat were not convinced but after an xray it was confirmed she was full of gas, he wasnt sure if her stomach had twisted and so was just about to give her a ga for surgery and literally as he took her leg to inject she vomited all over him, i have never been so relieved to see a dog be sick! She was kept in on fluids for the shock and came home that evening. I must say reading your experience is heartbreaking and i am so greatful that we still have our beautiful girl here today as i know how fast and cruel this condition can be.
So sorry about Lardo that really is just tragic and so sad

i am so sorry annastasia, i am in tears reading it, what are people meant to do, you do everything by the book and it still happens,i read conflicting advice on raised bowls and dont raise the bowl,soak dry food and dont soak it, i am so scared it will happen to my dog (the newfoundland i am getting on sat)not so much with the pug, i can only do what i hope is right and all will be well, thanks for reliving that terrible event,hope he is up there running free poss with my little pug who died over a year ago aged 4
xxxxxxx

I feel so bad for you Annastasia, 5 and a half is way too young, I know I wouldnt have been able to accept it if I had lost Fagan, some how when they are older it is easier as they have lived their lives.

Thank you everyone for your kind comments and sharing your stories, i often wondered when talking to friends etc, how would you spot torsion, you do, even though you may never have seen it, you just know what it is.

I haven't read the whole article but in the prevention bit it mentions tacking the stomach and this is something mentioned regularly on a rottie forum I go on.  Is this something done in the UK as a prevention?  I have never heard of it in the uk before.

I understand how you feel Annatasia I lost my fcr to bloat 3 years ago. She had an  major operation for  cancer in her jaw and then 24hrs after returning home died from a torsion

I've only ever heard of 'tacking' the stomach after the dog has bloated once to 'prevent' it happening again.
Never ever heard of a vet doing this on a dog that has never bloated before.

We lost our oldie aged 11yo last June she did bloat, Misty survived her op, but sadly died 12 hours after :(
Even though we knew that her chances were slim we felt she deserved every chance and bless her
she very nearly did pull it off.

Still miss her like mad, and am still feeling guilty that I left her to go to work that day (I always come home at lunch for them)
I didn't feel well (had tonsilitis) and very nearly didn't go as felt naff. But forced myself to go in and ended up coming home
sick at lunch to find her down and in trouble. :(
Don't know how I managed to lift her that day into the car and into the vets, it took 3 of the vet staff to move her into the x-ray room.

Her routine hadn't changed nor had her food and she was given at least an hour between being fed and exercised.
Plus fed in a raised feed stand. I felt we had done all we could to prevent this.

But she did seem to be a bit more sensitive with age and did get herself upset 'worried' about being sick.
So not sure if she stressed herself out that she'd been sick and that's what caused her to bloat that day.

> I've only ever heard of 'tacking' the stomach after the dog has bloated once to 'prevent' it happening again.
> Never ever heard of a vet doing this on a dog that has never bloated before.
>

Have heard of the above being done as a precaution in dogs that are considered to be prone to gastric torsion - think that it started in the USA - maybe someone here has more information.  

One thought would one consider having it done in breeds that are known to have an incidence of gastric torsion, or would one not consider this in a dog that had never shown any signs towards gastric torsion.

Believe that some are now researching DNA regarding seeing if it is genetic.

Yes i have heard of them tacking the stomach as a prevention in the police force, i dont know if this is true or not though?

Wonder if it is genetic or just unlucky? we only had Lardo 2 years (imported from Germany) but God we fell in love with him so much, he was a cheeky big baby, a super dog with a loving nature and a temperament second to none, im so sorry for you all that has gone through torsion and lost your best friends.

Do not know if it is genetic, I believe that BC are being looked into.

Had the first case of it in one of my dogs last year, aged 7 + - it is a long story, however, I just happened to check the dogs before I went to bed, and knew immediately what was wrong.   Fortunately, the vet is 2mins away, even though it was a weekend evening they met me there.   She was operated on immediately, and although the stomach had twisted when they untwisted it the colour returned immediately and other than stitching the stomach down to prevent a re-occurence no other surgery was required.   She was a very lucky girl and bounced back with no ill effects.   it has now made me paranoid regarding feeding and exercise, though we always feed the dogs 3 times a day, and no exercise allowed before or after.   If I have to go out for an hour or so and no-one is here I worry all the time.   Apparently there is only a small window of opportunity to get them to the vet as quickly as possible, before other organs are affected.  A true veterinary emergency.

Yes she was a very lucky girl, our vet like yours is only 2 minutes away and she actually lives on the premises, we wernt so lucky, i am paranoid also when we go to shows always have mother in law looking after them, im just glad we found Lardo and did all we could, i couldnt have coped if i had found him dead, at least we were able to kiss him goodbye and hold him, the vet herself was in tears, she did her best, it was his turn to go. Im just so sad we didnt keep any progeny off him, we thought there was plenty time to keep a puppy from him, happily there are a few puppies out there by him, ready to hit the showring, he would be so proud as we will too.

Sorry to hear your story about Lardo - cannot imagine what you went through, a terrible time.  Hope that your puppies by him do you proud, but just to see them must give you great satisfaction.