My dog drinks a lot of water after eating. Is it too much? Bloat?

There are actually no studies that cite drinking water after exercise as a cause of bloat. Star's chances of developing bloat at this point are unchanged. There are a lot of unknowns regarding the exact causation of bloat in dogs and research is ongoing. Don't worry! :-)

Yes with large breed dogs that eat a large meal and run around afterwards they think that does contributes to bloat which can quickly become life threatening. I would confine your dog while eating in the house for a half hour or so, or take him for a leash walk after eating so he gets rid of some energy in a controlled fashion. Feeding twice daily is better than one large meal also. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Cooper.

Hi and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! A light walk probably won't hurt but yes you are right about Bloat. It's very serious and any exercise after eating can be a problem. But it's usually vigorous activity like running, playing, fetching. Light walks should not be a problem and I don't see that as a big risk factor. Lots of owners do the same thing that you did. Also don't let her drink a big bowl of water around the time of vigorous activity. Small sips are ok but not huge gulps of water. So it's good to be careful and vigilant. The signs of Bloat include dry heaves (trying to vomit but nothing comes up), restlessness, not able to get comfortable, crying or moaning in discomfort, pacing, not wanting to lay down. I think you did the right thing walking her and I like the fact that you are aware of Bloat. Good job educating yourself on this important topic.

Hi there. If they drank a lot of water at one time, it's certainly possible that their stomachs might be slightly larger for a short time. As long as they are acting normal, this shouldn't be anything to worry about. Signs of "bloat" (gastric dilatation and volvulus, or GDV) include repeated attempts to vomit, pacing and panting, acting restless or uncomfortable, pale gums, and weakness or collapse. If your dogs are showing these symptoms, then you need to take them to a vet right away. But if they're acting normal and you just feel that their stomachs look a bit larger after drinking water, this is not bloat and is nothing to be concerned about.

Even if it's the first time, there is always the chance she could get bloated. I would monitor her for the signs of bloat, such as a swollen abdomen, looking at the abdomen, labored breathing, excessive drooling, vomiting, and paleness of the nose and mouth. If you see any of those signs, you need to take Hope into your vet immediately.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Some notes about bloat: -most common in Great Danes, standard poodles, mastiffs, and mixes of these breeds. Very rare in small breed dogs. - while eating and drinking large amounts of water can pre-dispose, it is only one factor of many. I don’t know if there is research about the timing but in my experience in emergency practice it’s usually within an hour of eating/drinking. - dogs with bloat will vomit (or attempt to vomit) REPEATEDLY and will stand uncomfortably or pace - they will not sleep or rest comfortably Keeping all the above in mind, if Maple is sleeping happily, you have nothing to worry about! Get some rest! PS- since Maple is female, talk to your vet about doing a prophylactic (preventative) gastropexy during her spay if you are choosing to spay. If you are not spaying Maple, some places can do the gastropexy laparoscopically to avoid the big incision. I hope this helps! Get some sleep and feel free to reach out again if you have further concerns. - Dr. Kurth

Thank you very much for your question. Because she is a deep chested dog, we do worry about bloating or other gastrointestinal stomach disease when there is an alteration in drinking or eating. You can fix the airbag problem by doing a few different things. First, you can elevate all of your water bowls so that she may not vomit as often. Second, you can give her a watering system that is constantly moving water that mimics a sink. These are available on many of the commercial retail online sites. Lastly, you can give her 1/4 or half of the amount of water that you normally give her when you are there. By this I mean you won’t give half of the normal water she drinks. But only give half if she is in a shaded, cool, or inside air-conditioned place. If she continues to vomit her water or food often, you can ask your veterinarian to put you on a daily anti-vomiting medication. Thanks a lot for your question. I hope I have helped.