Gastric dilatation and volvulus is a medical emergency! You must rush your dog to a vet!

Gastric dilatation and volvulus is commonly referred to as bloat. With this condition, food and/or gas causes your dog’s stomach to be stretched multiple times beyond its normal size. This bloating, technically called gastric dilatation, will cause your dog severe abdominal pain. The bloated stomach also has a tendency to rotate or twist on itself. The rotation is technically known as volvulus. When the stomach twists on itself, it traps the gas within it and cuts off its blood supply.

A dog with this condition will die in a matter of hours unless emergency action is taken.

Your dog will have an enlarged and painful abdomen. If you were to very gently thump the abdomen, it would make a noise similar to what you would hear if you were to thump a fully inflated basketball. Your dog may also try unsuccessfully to vomit, be lethargic or be restless and anxious.

Dogs with deep chests are generally more susceptible to this condition. Examples of deep-chested dogs include Bloodhounds, Great Danes, Irish Setters, Mastiffs and Weimaraners.

Although it is not exactly known why a dog may develop gastric dilatation and volvulus, it is generally thought that if a deep-chested dog eats very quickly and then exercises, the dog will be at a greater risk for developing this condition. There are also other characteristics and factors, besides being a deep-chested dog and eating too quickly, that may be linked to developing gastric dilatation and volvulus: feeding your dog only once a day and having a dog who is underweight or is generally fearful or aggressive. Dogs over seven years of age are at higher risk for this condition, and male dogs are more likely to bloat than female dogs.

Your vet will immediately X-ray your dog to check for bloat.

A dog suffering from signs related to gastric dilatation and volvulus should be taken immediately to a veterinary hospital. Your dog will have to stabilized at once and then a surgery called gastropexy will be performed. A gastropexy is the affixing of your dog’s stomach into a normal position. If a gastropexy is not performed, there is a high risk that your dog will develop gastric dilatation and volvulus again. During the gastropexy procedure, your vet will also get a chance to look inside your dog and assess if there is any other damage to your dog’s stomach or related body parts.

Since it is not known how gastric dilatation and volvulus is caused, there is no definitive prevention method. However, the following are some suggestions that might decrease your dog’s chances of developing gastric dilatation and volvulus: moistening your dog’s dry food or mixing dry food with wet food, elevating your dog’s food bowl to near his head level, feeding your dog multiple small meals instead of one big meal each day, and preventing your dog from exercising for at least one hour after eating.

No, you cannot get gastric dilatation and volvulus from your dog.