Can playing with another dog indoors cause bloat near feeding?

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.

Great question! Yes, it does matter when you feed him as feeding him too soon after exercise can lead to bloat (a fatal condition), while walking him too soon after eating can also lead to bloat. I would recommend walking him, and then waiting to feed him for at least 30 minutes to an hour. If you wanted to feed him first, you will need to wait at least an hour before walking him. I hope this helps :-)

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.

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!

No this wouldn't cause bloat. Bloat honestly is a spontaneous flipping of the stomach that happens randomly and typically occurs in large breed deep chested dogs such as Great Danes. It often occurs after running or excessive play. And it causes your pet to not be able to stand (lateral recumbency), excessive panting, excessive vomiting, and labored breathing, so if Kita is acting normal then she is fine. I hope that things work out well for your pet Kita moving forward. Take care : )

Symptoms of bloat usually appear within 2 hours of eating, however they can appear as long as 24 hours later in very rare situations. As long as you keep them quiet from this point on, I doubt that you're going to have any problems. There are a lot of things we don't understand about bloat, but certainly a full stomach followed quickly by rambunctious play seems to predispose them. Keep them quiet for the rest of the evening, watch for excessive stretching, the inability to get comfortable, and for sure trying to vomit without bringing anything up. I think it's very likely that everything will be fine.

This amount of water does not seem abnormal. The best thing that you can do to prevent bloat aside from feeding two smaller meals a day, which you are already doing, is to avoid heavy exercise for two hours after meal time. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.