Bloat Scare, But all is OK

[Bonne Bouche]

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At about noon today BB started acting a little funny. He came up to me and did a little lick-ey face thing, which isn't really typical, and the first sign of bloat. He had breakfast around 10, and aside from a quick potty break or two (nice firm poop, and normal pee), there was no major activity to instigate a bloat occurrence. I didn't think much of it till he had some weird coughing and attempted retching, nothing came up. I kept an eye on him, but didn't really think it was bloat. Then he started doing a very odd thing that he'd never done before. He was walking around my whole house licking the floor where it met the walls. He kept licking around all corners of my house licking up dirt particles, spider webs, and whatever he could find, and coughing occasionally. I tried to correct him and pull him away, but back he went, licking the walls and anything he could. It was so very strange.

We just moved, so we don't have a regular vet here. I called the one we hoped to take him to and they said the recommended we take him to another clinic as they had no openings today to take him in. So we had to go to the emergency clinic instead. Upon arriving at the clinic, BB quickly forgot all his symptoms, and was his typical " I LOVE PEOPLE, I LOVE STRANGERS"-self. While I'm standing there panicking he's going to die, he's loving up anyone and everyone in the waiting room. And I feel so silly thinking that he's going to die when he's just being the biggest sweetheart to all of the staff and jumping up and greeting everyone (still can't get him to stop jumping up).

 

After we get settled into our exam room, the Vet comes in and says that even though he is acting fine, he still could have bloat. He palpated his stomach and did a quick once over, said his stomach was not too big, but not small either. He said with signs of the two major bloat symptoms he recommended X-rays.

So off BB went to get his belly x-rayed. When he came back with the X-rays, diganoses showed no bloat (YAYYYY!) but instead that BB was "bloated" as in gassy. Yes. Gas. Vet said that he's not surprised he was showing symptoms of distress due to the gas, as apparently his entire small intestine was filled with gas.

(I guess all the black "holes" or spots on the x-ray are gas trapped in the intestines)

Rx? An enema and some Metoclopramide. Enema to help clear out the system to clear the gas, and metoclopramide to help speed up his digestion as a gut stimulant.

 

A half of a day of worry, $300, and all he is is gassy. I feel so silly, but I guess at the end of the day, we're better off safe than sorry.

[Melody & Bruin]

Thanks for sharing, very educational.  Glad that is all it was, sorry about the 300 bucks.

[Kyoko]

Thank God that BB is OK and did not have Bloat!!

[Lisa and Summer]

I was reading the ways to help prevent bloat and it said not to elevate food bowls. I just elevated Summers bowls a few months ago because she looked uncomfortable eating with her head hanging so far down. Does anyone else elevate food bowls? Now i am worried I should put them back on the floor.

[F, Calla & Luca]

We've had discussions and debates on this. Seems unclear what's best. I don't elevate bowls. Luca seems fine, Calla lies down.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

As F said, it's not clear what is best. I do use elevated bowls, JD seems more comfortable eating that way.

[Michael Gurley]

I use an elevated bowl for Sunny only because my other dog, a dachshund, can't reach Sunny's food in the elevated bowl.

 

If the bowl is on the floor, Sunny just lies down to eat.

[Dori & Rua]

Glad it was ONLY gas!  I wouldn't have done the same thing!

[Michael Gurley]

I've been getting grossed out by Sunny's loud burping after each snack or meal, but now I'm grateful that she's getting that gas out somehow!

[Sue, Murphy and Bella ()*o*()]

What a scare!  It's so hard when they are not acting like themselves. I probably wouldn't even know that those were symptoms of bloat. I do tend to wait quite awhile before going to the vet and I hope that never backfires for me, especially when it comes to bloat. My two are always eating stones and twigs. Daily. So they would have to really be acting wierd for me to even think of bloat, but it does really scare me. You were smart to question this and take him to the vet

[Camilla and Darwin]

Definitely better safe than sorry!

[Jennifer,Chloe & Myla]

YEAH! Glad he's ok. Glad you went right away! We all learned something from your post so thanks! We use the plastic slow feed bowls now because they were gulping the food too fast.

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

You absolutely did the right thing.  Better safe than sorry.