[Dailydrool] bassets and bloat...

[Kristy A Meyers]

Shannon,
Find a new vet. Bassets absolutely do bloat.

I have had 2 sr dogs bloat. It is heart wrenching to see these dogs  
suffer from this condition. If caught early most dogs can have  
emergency surgery to correct the problem. Also..if a dog bloats...the  
chances of bloating again are very high so they recommend if you have  
the surgery to untwist the stoomach etc. to also have the docs "tack"  
the stomach during the surgery so it won't twist or flip again. It is  
a judgement call on the surgery. If bloating has been too  
long...tissue can die and no surgery can fix that.

This is what I have learned and been told by my vet and basset experts.
The causes are not known but bloat is associated with high activtiy  
levels after eating and or drinking. If dogs eat or drink really fast  
they can ingest a lot of air that can contribute to bloating. I wait  
at least an hour and a half to two hours before I walk my bassets  
after their dinner. It is common in large chested dogs like basset  
hounds and great danes.

Signs start early....vomiting, Excessive drooling, unable to get  
comfortable..lots of pacing, restlessness etc.  The stomach fills up  
and becomes very hard..like a basketball. It is a very painful  
condition..so if you even suspect bloat get them to the vet asap. They  
can do an X-Ray to determine if it has twisted or not.
Find a new vet...one that is familiar with recognizing and treating  
the condition. Find a vet with emergency hours for care. In both  
cases..my bloat was after standard hours.
Good luck,
Kristy