Prophylactic Gastropexy?

[Sophie]

Hello everyone!

I'm new here and I apologize if I'm posting in the wrong spot :)

I'm curious if any of you chose to do the Prophylactic Gastropexy at the time of spaying or neutering.

My boy's mom is a Goldendoodle and his dad a Standard Poodle. And I've read that Standard Poodle is one of the breeds more susceptible to bloat and torsion. And I'm super afraid that it would happen one day when we're not home and . . .

Regarding risk factors:

-- He eats pretty fast (though he's slowed down a lot) and gulps water so much he sometimes he regurgitates.

-- And I don't think you'd say he has an anxious temperament in general (maybe a bit), but he does get separation anxiety (not always but often).

Is there anyone that chose to do the prophylactic gastropexy? Any thoughts or advice? And if there's anyone in Toronto who did it, where did you go? My vet doesn't perform it very often, so I don't think I'd feel comfortable doing it there.

For anyone that's interested, this site seems to have a lot of info on risk factors and stuff you can do to help lower the chances.

http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?A=672

Thanks!

[Brittney & Cally]

I am not sure about the surgery but my older dog just recently went through bloat and it was very scary. I do have to say for the eating fast, I would try a slow bowl. Here is a link to a review I recently did about a slow bowl and they are actually having a give away on this site! http://www.doodlekisses.com/forum/topics/do-you-have-a-fast-eater?g...

Also other things to help prevent, no playing before or after meals for at least a half hour. I sometimes crate if things are getting to wild after meals. You could also try a slow bowl for the water as well. Some say do not use raised feeders, but my vet and the emergency clinic doctors do not agree with that.  Having been through it with my older dog I still did not do the preventative surgery with Cally who was just recently spayed. I will be interested to see what others say.

[Sophie]

Brittney & Cally, I'm sorry to hear your older dog recently went through bloat. That sounds terrifying.

I didn't realize there was a slow bowl for water. That's fantastic. Thanks for the info.

[F, Calla & Luca]

Both my dogs had early spay and neuter so of course this was not done. Still, medically, it seems like the risk/benefits here is weighed on the side of risk for the surgery. For neutering I would think that the abdominal cavity is not even entered and that doing so, in order to get way up to the stomach, would greatly increase the risks associated with the neuter procedure. It would be somewhat less for spaying since there is an abdominal incision anyway. I don't know the statistics for bloat deaths in doodles but I don't think they are sufficiently common to consider this.

[Sophie]

F. Calla & Luca, that was one of my concerns as well. I don't want to make the procedure riskier than it needs to be. I read some vets offer scopic-assisted surgery so it's minimally invasive. Not sure though, I have to look into that more.

[Debb, Lucy & Oscar]

This was something that was strongly advised when Oscar had to undergo intestinal obstruction surgery last year. We agreed to it, but while Oscar was under anesthesia his blood pressure dropped and they didn't want to take the chance of extending the surgery the additional 10 minutes to perform the gastropexy. So, it was never done. The vet who had suggested it said she felt so strongly in favor of the procedure that she'd had her dog's gastropexy done solely for that purpose, in the absence of a need for any other intestinal surgery. But I'm sure she sees bloat cases frequently and has a special respect/fear of the condition. I've also read that gastropexy isn't a sure-fire preventative for bloat. It may help, but doesn't guarantee anything.

[Sophie]

I also read that it doesn't always prevent bloat, but it does most of the time prevent the stomach from twisting, which cuts off blood supply and becomes dangerous super fast.

[Laurie, Wally & Charlotte]

Two years ago, when I had Wally at an overnight, emergency vet's office for a gastro-intestinal issue, she suggested that if he ever needed abdominal surgery, that I have the surgeon tack his stomach to prevent future gastric torsion. She felt that this was advised, given the depth and narrowness of his chest. This recommendation came without any inquiry on my part, but from her experience with bloat and her observation of his build. Thankfully, he's been alright and hasn't been in need of any surgical procedure.  Interesting, though.

[Sophie]

Interesting.

Is Wally a large doodle? How much does he weigh?

My old vet (who admitted he barely every performs this surgery) said he doesn't think Charlie needs it cause he's a medium doodle (he's almost 60 pounds). But regardless to me he seems to have a deep, narrow chest and that's what got me thinking about it.

[Laurie, Wally & Charlotte]

He weights 50 pounds -- a small standard, I guess. I just measured the width of his chest (with my unofficial two-finger measuring tool), and it's not more than three-inches wide. I might be over-cautious, but I don't allow him, or smaller Charlotte for that matter, to exercise an hour before or after eating a meal. I'd rather be safe than sorry. 

[Sophie]

Definitely better to be safe than sorry. I also don't let Charlie exercise before and after a meal. They also say feeding two or more times a day (versus once) helps.

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

This crosses my mind all the time. Somewhere on DK is a discussion on how to make an emergency bloat kit.
In another forum, I talked about needing some tubing to complete my kit, when a local vet ( not mine- but a good vet) warned me against making any kit.
Her argument: If you are that concerned that your dog is a high risk, have the surgery. She went on to explain that most vets no longer tube first then on to surgery. It has been researched and not successful.
I explained to her that I live 30 mins from my own vet and that even the closers vets or the nearest emergency clinic/hospital are at least 20 minutes away.
So I fight with this same question a lot.
I still don't have the tubing but I think I should. She still argues- surgery only and get them I into surgery in moments!!! That is the only way.
I never got my tubing and it worries me often.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I think it's in the health group. I know Andy is the one who posted it.