Bloat/GDV in Dogs

[MN_Bowhunter4]

This is more of a PSA than anything but is fresh on my mind as I am dealing with this now. I wanted to post my experience so that other dog owners can be aware of GDV and the chaos surrounding the condition.

On Tuesday evening noticed something was wrong with my Irish Setter; she was dry heaving, whining, and clearly in discomfort. She had drank some water about a half hour before this so I thought it was weird that nothing was coming up. After about 20 minutes i decided it wasn't normal and took her to our primary vet but was turned away as they were all booked up. We ended up a the emergency clinic some 15 minutes later where she was immediately rushed to the back. In short order, the vet on duty took me into a room and advised that she had gastric torsion. I had two options, euthanasia or emergency surgery, and approximately 10 minutes to decide. The vet let me know that he doesn't advise euthanasia lightly but it was a very real option for me in this scenario. He also advised that, depending on the condition of internal organs, she may not make it off the table if we elected surgery. My dog will be 10 this fall and has been otherwise healthy until this episode. While I am not naive to the fact that I will have to put her down eventually, I didn't want it to happen like this. Knowing all this, we decided to move forward with the surgery and left her overnight.

I picked her up yesterday morning and she was just coming off anesthesia and very groggy, but alive. The vet said the surgery went as well as he could have hoped and we caught it before any major damage could occur to her organs. I took her home and she has been resting ever since. While she is not out of the woods yet, she seemed a little more like her goofy self this morning. Her spirit is still strong, so I am hopeful that she can make a full recovery.

I was aware that the breed was susceptible to bloat but had never thought it could happen to me / her. I didn't know the signs (she displayed the classics) and had no idea what I was dealing with when I took her in.

Moral of the story: be aware and pay attention to your dog. This condition is not something that should be taken lightly and time is of the upmost importance. The quicker the dog is seen by a vet the higher the chances of survival. If you have a breed that is higher risk, take 10 minutes today to read up on GDV; it is more than worth the time.

 

[NoWiser]

Lost my best pal, a German Shepherd named Thunder, to this growing up. By the time we realized something was seriously wrong, he was dying in my sister's arms. Had we known this condition even existed, we could have probably saved him.

I'm glad your pup pulled through. Hopefully she makes a full recovery!

 

[teej89]

Our lab passed of the exact same thing, we didn't know what it was and her stomach had rotated on us an surgery wasn't an option.

Thanks for the heads up! I just went and did some googling and refreshed myself on it all, scary stuff for sure because it happens so fast.

Also as a side note, I'm looking at getting an Irish setter next spring to train for pheasants

Glad to hear she's doing well!

 

[406LIFE]

Thanks for the PSA, and sorry for your troubles. I applaud you for making a difficult decision in such little time. It's hard to do and I have been there myself. I have never regretted opting for the surgeries, despite the cost. I was into one dog $3k last year, and now am about $700 so far this year. She was a loyal hunting partner, never refused a bird. I owe her much more than what we have spent.

Keep us updated as she convalesces.

 

[Frenchy]

My first Golden Retriever had this as an 8yo. I noticed the same things, dry heaving, paniky, trying to poop but nothing coming out. I went and looked at him and noticed his belly was very tight. I immediately knew what it was and we too were off to the emergency vet for surgery. I got (3) more good years out of him after that.

That was back in my younger broke days, so the thought of a paying a vet typically weighed into my decisions. But I had read another one of these PSA's and looked into it. So when i saw it, it was a no brainier!

 

[TX_Eric]

I had my dogs stomach tacked for this very reason. Hes a goldendoodle and they are susceptible to it. We also have a food bowl that's kind of like a maze to help slow down his eating. I know that's not the only cause but we try to prevent it where we can. He did have some issues after the surgery but I feel better knowing hes less likely to have it now. I cant imagine having to go through that, I hope your pup gets better.

 

[Hunting Wife]

A hunting partner’s English Setter has this happen in the middle of a bird hunt. He recognized it immediately and I think that’s the only reason the dog survived. We were a couple miles from the truck but hauled ass back and then raced to the vet (normally a 45 minutes drive but we made it much faster). That dog was also 10, and that was about 5 years ago. Last I knew, the dog was still alive and well. At the time I honestly thought he was going to die before we made it to the vet.

Hope yours has a speedy recovery.

 

[7mm08mo]

Best lab I ever had died of this at age 7. It was rough.

 

[MN_Bowhunter4]

Update - she is back on her normal diet but still on exercise restrictions until Sunday, when her stitches and staples come out. Very happy she looks to be making a full and quick recovery!

 

[TheJason]

Thanks for sharing this. Glad your dog is recovering well.

 

[jrabq]

Thanks for posting this, it is good to remind/educate people on the matter. So glad your dog is recovering. I was totally unaware of this condition when my 10-1/2 year old Springer came down with it. He was gagging one morning but I thought he was chocking on something he ate, I went to work and told my wife to keep an eye on him. By the time she took him to the vet it was too late.