IT’S A VET’S LIFE! December 2021
A veterinary EMERGENCY
It’s essential that a dog owner is aware of bloat because that awareness could save their dog’s life, as Vicky Payne explains.
It makes sense to feed after exercise, but wait until your dog has recovered if he’s been running around and is hot and tired.
ABOUT VICKY Holistic vet Vicky Payne BVetMed MRCVS is based in East Sussex, and qualified from the Royal Veterinary College in 2001. She uses a range of complementary therapies alongside conventional medicine and surgery.
Iam on a trip down memory lane this month because, thankfully, the condition we’re focusing on is one I haven’t seen for some time; the condition is bloat and its more serious consequence, gastric dilatation and volvulus (also called GDV or torsion).
It is vital that all dog owners are aware of the signs of bloat and GDV, because emergency action is required to save the dog’s life. Symptoms include signs of abdominal discomfort such as pacing and stretching. Dogs may try to vomit but bring up nothing, or copious amounts of foam.