12 Jan Dog Stomach Swelling (Part 1)

Most veterinarians hate dog gastrointestinal disease, and some call it the “mother of all dog emergencies.” One of them says that 30 years ago, the probability of surviving a dog that didn’t have very severe swelling and could walk wasn’t more than 50%. Despite advances in treatment, about 30 percent of dogs with this condition die. Getting to know this problem and having enough information about why it occurs, what its symptoms are, how it’s treated, and what is suitable for treating it in an adult puppy or dog may one day help you and save your dog’s life. So if you have a dog or are interested in them, rest assured, stay tuned to learn more.

Dog stomach swelling definition.

Flatulence occurs when an animal’s stomach fills with gas, food, or liquids. When the belly expands, it puts pressure on the surrounding limbs and arteries and prevents blood from flowing from the hind legs and abdomen to the heart and other parts of the body. As a result, it may cause dangerous problems, such as:

• Difficulty breathing
• Rupture of the abdominal wall
• Decreased blood flow to the stomach and heart. Blood gathers in the lower part of the body, blood volume decreases, and the animal goes into shock.

In some cases, the dog’s stomach spins or twists called gastric dilatation-volvulus (GDV) or twisting or gastric volvulus. Even in the mildest cases of swelling (which is very rare and usually severe), an untreated dog may die. These events are dangerous enough, but something worse can happen that is very upsetting: when the stomach rotates, the spleen and pancreas also rotate, and blood flow to these two crucial organs is cut off. When oxygen doesn’t reach the pancreas with the blood, several very toxic hormones are released, one of which paralyzes the heart. You may successfully treat the dog swelling, and the danger may seem gone entirely, but the animal suddenly dies of heart failure.

Symptoms

Signs of this problem can appear very quickly. Swelling is excruciating for puppies or adult dogs, and at first, the dog may show signs of stomach pain. Early symptoms of this disease in dogs can include:

• Enlargement and bloating
• Abdominal stiffness
• Excessive salivation
• The dog feels pain and may moan if you touch or squeeze his abdomen.
• Suffering such as shortness of breath and restlessness
• Looking at his belly
• Constant walking
• Looking anxious
• Vomiting (the dog tries to vomit, but nothing comes up)
• He lies down so that the front of his body is facing down and the back is facing up

As the situation worsens, the following may occur:

• Pale gums
• Accelerated pulse and heart rate of the puppy
• Shortness of breath
• Weakness
• faint

If you don’t treat your dog, he will probably be in shock after an hour or two. The heart rate rises and the pulse becomes weaker, and eventually, the dog dies. Some other gastrointestinal problems such as peritonitis, intestinal obstruction, tumours and cancer or internal bleeding, and such problems as Cushing’s syndrome (hyperadrenocorticism), ascites or severe parasitic worm, can also cause swelling in dogs.

Swelling in different breeds

Any dog ​​can get swelling, but this problem is more common in some breeds. The risk of this problem in dogs or puppies is related to the structure of their chest. Dogs with a deep, narrow chest and a large body (i.e., very tall, not vide and elongated) are usually more swollen. In addition to Great Dane, giant dog breeds such as St. Bernard, Weimaraner, Irish Setter and Gordon Setter, and giant breeds such as the Akita, Boxer, Basset Hound, German Shepherd, Labrador, Standard Poodle and Doberman Pinscher are also at higher risk. In general, dogs weighing more than 45 kg have a 20% risk of bloating. This problem is much less likely in small dogs, but it can still happen.

Male swelling is twice as likely as females, and spaying doesn’t affect the risk. Older age also plays a role, and dogs between the ages of 7 and 12 are more at risk. On the other hand, overweight dogs are also at greater risk of bloating.

Causes

Experts are still unsure about the cause of this disease, but some cases increase the likelihood of this problem, including:

• Eating only one heavy meal during the day
• Eating fast
• Excessive physical activity (such as running or playing) after eating
• Inheritance (there was a history of swelling among the animal’s close relatives)
• Overeating food or fluids
• Stress