Bloat

[Deborah Shafer]

I was reading about dogs gulping their food Is this what causes bloat? Sorry but I had never heard of it until joining board. New Doodle owner

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Bloat (Gastric Dilatation-Volvulus ("GDV") is a very serious condition with a high fatality rate. There is no one cause of bloat; many factors contribute to it. Taking in a lot of air while eating (which occurs with gulping) is one factor. There are many others, which were detailed in a 6 year study at Purdue University. It occurs most often in dogs with deep narrow chests, and certain breeds are predisposed, including Standard Poodles. Dogs who are at high risk often have their stomachs tacked during spay/neuter surgery, which prevents bloat from ever happening. This article has some good info: http://www.globalspan.net/bloat.htm

[Deborah Shafer]

Thanks Karen we have a small dog in family before getting Clyde .I am going to try slo feeder bowl. I was very uneducated about Clyde s gulping food and how serious it could be.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

As I mentioned, there are many other risk factors. Please read the link I posted (I changed it since first posted, lol). It has some good info. 

[Deborah Shafer]

Thanks again. I learn so much here!