questions about bloat

[Adrianne Matzkin]

I didn't want to start this discussion on Kari's about her experience and her loss of Ari.
I read what was written on what not to do. My question is about the raised bowls. Charli is 28" tall at her shoulder. For her to have a bowl on the floor she was to spread her front legs so wide it hurts me to watch her. The other 2 aren't as tall but for them to have their bowls on the floor doesn't make eating easy.
My doodles chew their food, will go over and get a little water and come back to finish their dinner

I appreciate your suggestions.

[Adrianne Matzkin]

was searching where to purchase a kit and came across this from the Great Dane links directory:

What are the symptoms of Bloat?
GDV begins with a variety of symptoms. If you see any of these symptoms in your dog, you should be alert to the possibility of bloat and take appropriate action:

• Gagging, unproductive attempts to vomit
• Foamy/slimy mucous around mouth and lips (or vomiting this substance)
• Distended (hard) abdomen that sounds hollow when thumped
• Accelerated heartbeat and a weakened pulse
• Anxiety or restlessness, whining
• Pacing, refusal to lie down
• Heavy panting, salivating or drooling
• Discolored gums (very red in early stages, blue or white in late stages)
• Weakness and collapse

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

So now on to another question that I just can't figure out; free feeding ( leaving small amounts in the bowl all the time) vs. Set meal times. What method is best?
Especially for the active, play hard, dogs.
And water. Spud doesn't hoard food, but he certainly slams down water after fetch, goes back out, fetch some more, then slams down another gallon

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I would limit the amount of water in the bowl at any given time; that way he can have a drink if he's thirsty, but he can't get too much at once.

I wouldn't think the set meals versus free feeding plays as great a role as the amount they eat at one time. For dogs who "graze", I think a small amount of food in the bowl at all times is fine, but not for chow hounds. JD would have that bowl empty all the time, lol. That's the prednisone, but I know there are some dogs who are that way naturally, F's Calla for one, I think.

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

I take it back- he does hoard / slam food but that is every few days. As of today, he hasn't eaten much of the small amount left for him Sat night. It's Monday afternoon.
I will provide a smaller water dish now... Good grief, these pups are all so different.

[J and Riley (and Luna)]

Luna too ><  She only gets about 1/2 to 3/4 of a cup of food at a sitting though.

[F, Calla & Luca]

I really can't imagine how much Calla would eat if she could : )

[Bonnie and Kona]

I could not free-feed if I wanted to. My guys scarf their food even with "slow-feed" bowls. It's like nothing I've ever seen before. I have to stop Kona when drinking because he belches it out after a big drink.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

You know, I never would have thought there could ever be anything positive about JD's having this diabolical IBD, but if it wasn't for that, he wouldn't be getting four smaller meals per day instead of two larger ones, and he wouldn't be getting homecooked food for half of each meal. Talk about "blessings in disguise", lol.

[Cheryl and Finnegan]

:-)

[Cheryl and Finnegan]

Finn gets fed twice a day.  Dry mixed with a bit of canned -- Blue Wilderness -- or home cooked chicken, fish, vegetables,  and once in a while we'll share a bit of organic beef.  Oh that's a real treat for him. His favorite.  But he eats when the spirit moves him.  He doesn't graze -- he eats it all at once, but not until he's ready.  Some days, like Spud he doesn't eat at all.  If he hasn't eaten his breakfast though, it doesn't mean he gets more for supper.  I've never wanted him to eat huge amounts of food at once because of bloat.  Plus, we have to be really careful with his weight because of his HD.  

But here's something interesting... I left his stainless steel food bowl in VA, so I pulled out a white china bowl that fits in his food stand and since I've been feeding him in THAT bowl, he politely cleans the bowl each and every time he's been fed so far.  Do you think there's some metallic taste to the stainless steel that he doesn't like?  Has anybody else had this happen? 

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I have noticed that if I don't do a really good job of rinsing and drying JD's stainless bowls, there is sometimes a metallic smell to them. Maybe that's part of it?

[Cheryl and Finnegan]

Maybe that's it. I'm going to continue the "china experiment" for awhile.