Dog stomach bloats. Is gastropexy safe for older dogs? What are risks?

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! :)

Just as in people, anesthetic procedures are not without risk. However, if she is deemed healthy and will be adequately monitored during the procedure, the risk is minimized. She should have a full blood panel performed beforehand to make sure she is healthy to undergo the procedure. Your vet should also do a good physical exam to ensure she does not have a heart murmur or other health concerns. Wishing you both the best!

You can ask all the questions you want! Bloat commonly occurs between the age of 7-12, but younger dogs can get it. You can prevent it by having a surgery done called a gastropexy, which is where the outer layer of the stomach is stitched onto the rib cage, preventing it from ever rotating. Check out this article from PetCoach on bloat for information on how to prevent it: https://www.petcoach.co/article/bloat-gastric-dilatation-and-volvulus-in-dogs/

For some reason the x-ray did not post to your question. Bloat with volvulus (turning of the stomach) causes massive vomiting, decreased appetite, lack of proper stool, and also shows up pretty clearly on an x-ray, so please try to repost this to verify. In some cases the pets stomach can be untwisted without surgery. However, I would still consider having the surgery to tack her stomach in the near future to prevent her stomach from twisting again. We look forward to hearing back from you soon! Take care.

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Jack. I am so glad he survived his stomach turning! This can often be fatal, and you did a great job getting him into a vet right away for surgery. Yes, you would now if his gastropexy has failed. He would be in pain, he would be lethargic, and he would not be eating or drinking. From your description, it sounds like he is doing well. I hope this helps!

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.

While any anesthesia carries a risk, spaying is generally a very safe procedure. The risks of anesthesia increase as a dog ages (I'm specifically referencing senior dogs like 10 years and older), but there are few risks for a young and healthy puppy. Your vet is right she could be ill in the future if you don't spay her. Not spaying her leaves her at risk of developing a pyometra in the future. This is an infection of the uterus that is fatal without treatment, and spaying the dog is part of the treatment of a pyometra. That surgery is high risk due to the severity of the illness in the dog from the infection, and it costs thousands to perform. In addition, dogs who are spayed are at an increased risk of developing mammary tumors. Of these mammary tumors, 50% of them are malignant. For her health, it is best to spay her now. I would speak with your vet about getting it done. I hope this helps!