My puppy's stomach is bloated and hard after eating. Is it GDV?

Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Enlarged, hard belly often results from eating too much and too quickly. In this case, the belly all of the sudden gets big, about 20-40 minutes after eating. As long as your Ziggy is comfortable, not crying and his energy level is normal you just need to monitor him at home. The mild bloat should get better in 4-6 hrs time. Chronic abdominal distention in puppies in most cases is related to gastrointestinal worms. If Ziggy has not been de-wormed yet, please do it as soon as possible. You can buy worming medications at the vets but also in pet shops and online - you can get them over-the-counter.

Awww, she’s a cutie!! If she’s still acting normally... seems comfortable, is energetic and ready to play if prompted, and hasn’t seemed nauseated or like she’s trying to vomit, I would just give her some time. She may have eaten really quickly and have some gas buildup or something of that nature. If she starts retching like she wants to vomit, or if she seems very dumpy and lethargic, take her to the vet. You can check her heart rate as well. Her heart rate at rest should not be faster than 130 beats per minute. If it is faster than that when she seems calm, take her in. Thanks for asking Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Hello, thank you for using PetCoach. It is pretty typical for puppies abdomens to look distended after eating whether they eat fast or not. It is more to do with the amount they are eating more than than the speed. Puppies abdomens can also be distended due to worms. If he has not been dewormed that should be done as soon as possible. Puppies should be dewormed every 3-4 weeks until they are 4 months old, then once monthly. That being said, eating fast is not good for them for other reasons. They can swallow a bunch of air which can cause bloat. So, I recommend you either feed him smaller, more frequent meals or get him a special bowl that will slow down his eating (see link). ( https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/search?query=slow%20feeder ) Hope this helps. Best wishes.

If your puppy is in a lot of [pain](https://www.petcoach.co/article/7-subtle-signs-your-dog-is-in-pain) and is struggling to walk or is having breathing problems, you should take her to your vet without delay. If the belly is swollen but the puppy is not in discomfort, you may monitor her for a few hours to see how she goes. Consider smaller, more frequent [amounts of food ](https://www.petcoach.co/article/how-much-to-feed-a-dog-to-meet-his-energy-needs)for the next few days instead of larger meals.

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Harley. I'm sorry she is excessively gulping and vomiting. If she was playing too soon after eating, that could be causing the problem. You should always wait at least an hour after feeding to play, and an hour after exercise to feed. One thing that could cause the gulping and pacing is bloat. Bloat is a very serious medical condition that is fatal without treatment. Keep a very close eye on her. If this gulping and pacing continues over the next 20-30 minutes, she starts drooling excessively, her abdomen becomes bloated, and/or she tries to vomit but can't, have her seen by a vet immediately. Should these symptoms calm down, monitor overnight and hopefully she will be back to normal in the morning. I hope this helps!

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! The symptoms you are describing sound like an emergency. The description of heavy breathing, retching, and contracting abdomen sound like the symptoms of a gastric dilatation/volvulus, or bloat. This happens when the stomach is filled with air and can even twist on itself and is more common in large breed dogs. The condition is extremely uncomfortable, and requires immediate stabilization and possibly surgery. This can be life-threatening and requires immediate veterinary care, especially if there is torsion. I recommend getting your dog to the vet as soon as possible. There are 24-hour emergency clinics in most cities that are open overnight and will be able to stabilize your dog.

Because Scuttle ate a big meal, that's probably why his stomach is large and firm. If he was truly bloated, you would see pacing, restlessness, anxiety, excessive drooling, and trying to vomit but being unable to vomit. Since you are seeing those signs, I don't think he's bloated. I hope this helps.