My Bernese dog is gassy, restless, and has stomach pain. Is it bloat?

Hello, sorry to hear about Ferris. In dogs that develop and bloat, they will show signs of open mouth breathing, non-productive retching as if trying to vomit, severe abdominal pain, and bloated/distended abdomen. These signs don't generally subside without emergency intervention that requires surgery. If Ferris is now comfortable and sleeping then its likely she does not have a bloat especially after drinking water and keeping it down. However, it cannot be determined without getting her evaluated, so if Ferris continues to have the signs you saw initially, then I would indeed get her evaluated soon. Hope this helps and best of luck.

She is probably suffering from a severe bloat, you MUST take her to the emergencies URGENTLY as GDV is one of the main options and it is a condition that will kill your dog within 2-4 hours if it is left untreated.

As long as she is acting ok you could monitor her for additional signs. If she starts retching, seems uncomfortable, starts drooling, is painful, or the distension persists then she should be examined by a vet. Your vet can take an X-ray to evaluate her abdomen and determine the exact cause of her problem.

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.

Poor pup! From your description, it sounds like something is seriously wrong. Trouble walking could be caused by arthritis, a neurologic problem like a stroke or herniated disc in the spine, or generalized weakness due to a severe illness of some kind. A bloated abdomen can be caused by GDV (gastric dilatation volvulus, or "bloat"), which is a life-threatening condition where the stomach fills with air and twists on itself; other possible causes would include congestive heart failure, an abdominal tumor, liver failure, or internal bleeding. These signs are indicative of a severe, possibly life-threatening problem that needs immediate veterinary care, so I would recommend taking your dog to an emergency vet right away. He/she can do blood work and x-rays if needed to help diagnose the problem and see what can be done to help her.

If Abbey is bloated, that is a medical emergency because it will kill her without treatment. She has to see a vet immediately. Please take her into an ER vet clinic; if there isn't one in your area, there will be a vet on call for emergencies. The information to reach that vet is found on a clinic's answering machine or website.

Hello there! I'm sorry to hear that Tahki isn't feeling well. I highly recommend that you take her to see the vet as soon as possible. While the cause of her stiff stomach may not be bloat, there are other conditions that can cause this symptom, like pain, an obstruction, or internal bleeding. I certainly hope that this isn't the case, but the fact that she's not eating, acting painful, and has a firm stomach suggests that something is seriously wrong. At the vet, they will give her a physical, and most likely they will want to take x-rays of her stomach. They may also recommend bloodwork, depending on how her physical exam and x-rays look. This could be a life-threatening situation, so I strongly suggest that Takhi sees a vet quickly. Here is a local 24-hour veterinarian: Happy Tails Veterinary Emergency Clinic 2936 Battleground Ave, Greensboro, NC 27408 (336) 288-2688 Good luck, and I hope that Takhi gets better soon!