What age do dachshunds usually get bloat & how can I prevent it?

Yes, GSDs are prone to GDV (gastric dilatation volvus). This is because they are large breed, deep chested dogs, which research has shown have an increased risk for GDV. It has been reported in puppies, but risk increases with age. It is life threatening, and it requires immediate medical attention as the dog will die if not treated. That being said, because a GDV is so serious, there is still a risk of death even with being treated. The treatment is to decompress the stomach, and surgery to fix the stomach to the thoracic wall using the ribs to prevent it from happening again. As a preventative measure, you have have surgery done on Bruno to fix his stomach to his thoracic wall now, which would prevent GDV from happening. Yes, I have seen this in GSDs, and when it does occur, it is an emergency.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It can be frustrating getting different opinions on medical advice. On this app you are asking hundreds of veterinarians and one is going to give you their best answer. We are also trying to answer questions based on little information and without a physical exam. Questions about bloat are especially difficult because no vet knows why bloat happens. Because of this we have no way to predict which pet will need to be concerned about it. We have to use our experience to help answer. In my 18 years in this profession I have never seen a basset hound have bloat. But u have seen a dashound have it and I’m sure there are many vets that haven’t. We usually say any deep chested dog is at risk, but really any dog could be at risk. To be safe, I would recommend having the surgical procedure to prevent the stomach twisting but that would be a personal choice. I hope this helps! Kisses to Tsar!

You can have a preventative surgery called a gatropexy to prevent against bloat. This sutures the wall of the stomach to the wall of the thorax to prevent it from twisting. Don't use an elevated bowl to feed Mazikeen. Do not exercise until an hour after eating, and do not feed her for an hour after exercising. Feed her at least twice a day. As for joints, when she is a year old, you can start giving her supplement like Dausquin or Cosequin.

Hi there. Since Shelby is a Great Dane, yes - I would recommend having a gastropexy done at the time of her spay. This is generally a very safe procedure with no significant downsides, and is very effective at preventing gastric torsion later in life. Pros: nearly 100% effective at preventing gastric torsion Cons: a bit of added expense, a slightly longer spay incision and slightly increased anesthesia time I recommend that all giant-breed females have this procedure done at the time of their spay, since the benefits far outweigh the risks and bloat/gastric torsion is a significant problem in these breeds. I hope that helps! :)

Seven isn't too old for surgery, there are dogs who have successful surgery that are even older than Penny. You can have a gastopexy done on her. There are the typically risks of surgery such as infection, excessive bleeding, and in rare cases, death. Your vet can explain the risks to you. Before doing surgery, I strongly recommend having blood work and a urinalysis done to make sure that everything is functioning normally. I hope this helps!

Feed a few smaller meals during the day instead of one large dinner. Restrict his activity for an hour after he eats (no running). If you see his belly area begin to get bigger, and he is trying to vomit, rush him to an emergency vet clinic right away. This is a tru emergency where minutes count.

Unfortunately I'm not aware of anything preventative for osteosarcoma. It does seem to run in certain lines, so you could ask if your breeder knows if there are any dogs who have developed osteosarcoma in your potential puppy's line. A prophylactic gastropexy would be a good idea - I often recommend performing the procedure at the time of spay or neuter.