Bloat Again!

When I got back from training tonight, I noticed Jack was acting odd, ( he had stayed at home, he doesn't like training in a hall). I always feed my dogs on a Friday night after training, Jack had his tea, the same as everyone else, and the same as always, I watch that they don't start chasing each other around.

He started doing the same thing as he did last time, hiding in the bushes and trying to be sick, but just making this awful noise. I checked his tummy and it was tight, so I rang the vets, ( yep, my luck! I get the same emergency vets as last time!)

11:30 we get to the vets, and he tells me my options, some medication, ( as he is not as bad as the first time, but still 50/50 chance of working), a tube or to be put down.

I have gone for the medication, he gave Jack a antibiotic, a spazm controller? something like that, and three syringe fulls of something that looked like galveston? I did ask if that was it was but he just said not quite.
Anyway, he told me it would all take about an hour to work. We got home just after midnight, and until half one I almost called the vet out again, as Jack would not settle and was obviously in pain, and it was breaking my heart. The last half hour though he has started to relax, the crying is only occasional now, which is a relief!

I shall be staying up all night, so I can keep watch over him, and will be taking him to see my vets in the morning, ( I'm praying he dosent get worse and makes it to the morning ok).

He is resting now, so I'm hopeful.

It was only 6 weeks ago that he got this the first time, and I have been told that the more often it happens the more often it will.
I don't want to loose him, but I feel if he is going to suffer so badly should I ? ( sorry, I can't say it).
He is just over 9 years old, and this bloat is the only time he has ever been ill.
I'm now worried that I'm being selfish, am I?

What would you do in this situation?

I`m so sorry you and Jack are going through the mill with Bloat, it`s a dreadful condition

In your place, I would be talking to the vet about Tacking, a relatively simple but effective operation which prevents the stomach from twisting. Its now I believe routinely done as a preventative measure for all Military dogs in the US and from what I understand of it, a very positive step in beating the condition for susceptible dogs

Thank you for that patch, the vet I saw said it wasn't twisted, but blocked? with what I have no idea, last time they said his food was furmenting and there was no way out, is this different from twisted then? I think I need to ask my vet to explain it all a bit better to me. He is fed on a raw diet, though the vet I saw tonight wasn't impressed with this and said I should put him on a 'special' diet. The food I feed is freshly defrosted daily all under cover, I personally do not think it's the diet thats the problem, though I may be wrong.
I will see what my vet says in the morning, and ask about the tacking too.
Thank you

I feel for you, Karen, I really do.

I decided to put my great dane to sleep after her second bout of bloat. She was 9. I had never heard of tacking at the time, and my vet didn't suggest anything other than the full surgery, which Suki (dane) may not have come out of anyway.

I believe the vet was "guiding" me towards PTS, and to be honest, I was in total agreement.

Hope your poor boy is feeling better this morning, and you don't have to consider this route.

Hugs to you xxx

Oh what an awful thing for you and poor Jack.

Three years ago my Irish Setter Alfie started acting strangely, I recognised the signs and rushed him to the emergency vet as his father had died of bloat the year before. When I got him there they couldn't find anything wrong with him but kept him in as a precaution.

It took me 15 minutes to get back home and as I came through the door they were ringing to tell me he had bloated and they were operating immediately.Thankfully he hadn't twisted so his organs were safe, they stitched him and, although it was touch and go whether he would pull round (he went into a deep depression as he was away from me), he eventually made a full recovery.

I would chat to your vet about it,they warned me that he could bloat again, although he hasn't, but the stomach being stitched should prevent the gut twisting and therefore buying more time to get him safely to the vets for treatment.

I do hope you manage to get him treated, it will be a weight off your mind. xx

Big hugs and lots of them. I do hope he's okay this morning. I think you need a good chat with your vet. Write down all your questions and ask them to be totally honest. I know one of my vets adores her dogs and if I have a life and death question I like to ask her what she'd do if it was one of her dogs. I won't base my opinion entirely on her answer but it helps.
Bloat is such a scary, scary illness. It is one of my greatest fears with Cosmo as his mum had bloat and died twice on the operating table, but thankfully made it through.
Lots of hugs for you and your boy, please keep us posted. xxx

Hope everything works out for your Jack.

We went through all this last year with Breagh who was just a pup at the time so couldn't be tacked as she had a lot of growing still to do.

In a bit of a rush so I can't write too much but Breagh sends you good vibes.............

So sorry to hear this, I have a dog whose breed is susceptible to bloat as most of the large deep chested dogs are. He is fed on a raw diet as all the breeders dogs are she has been lucky and not suffered this with her dogs, so I think the diet is not the reason.
I have read somewhere stress can cause it, but our breeder feels if a dog is going to get it, it will she told us to keep a bottle of Gaviscon liquid in the cupboard and if he was showing signs give him a teaspoon as it can buy vital minutes while on the way to the vets.
Never had to use it so far so can't tell you if it works or not, but it is one of the things I worry about.
I hope Jack is feeling better soon.

I am very sorry to hear that Jack is suffering with this again. I hope he is much better this morning.

Thank you for all your kind thoughts,
I'm afraid I lost Jack at 6;45 this morning

RIP my wonderful big boy, you will be greatly missed