My dog's stomach looks big after drinking water. Bloat or normal?

8 week old puppies, even large breed ones, have pretty tiny stomachs, and they also have poor abdominal musculature development at this stage. Those 2 factors can cause you to really be able to see their abdomen bulging when the stomach is full or water or food. So that might be one reason you're seeing this. The other reason could be that Mishka has intestinal parasites. They are very common in young puppies, so if she hasn't been dewormed, this should be done, at least twice (3 - 4 weeks apart). It's also a good idea to have your vet check a stool sample. You can buy dewormer over the counter in most pet stores; follow the directions on the package.

The most common signs of bloat are retching without bringing up any material and restlessness. Bloat is a broad term for both a simple gas or food distension of the stomach or a GDV (gastric dilation volvulus) where the stomach gets filled with air and twists on itself so that the stomach contents cannot be emptied. I highly doubt that your 6 week old puppy is experiencing a bloat at such a young age. More common causes of a round and more firm abdomen include a parasite infestation or simply a full stomach after eating. Drinking excessive amounts of water can indicate urinary tract diseases (infection, crystals, etc.), or could be a variation of normal as she is growing. If she also begins urinating large volumes frequently or you observe any blood in her urine, take her to the vet for an exam and urinalysis. If your puppy is lethargic or trying to vomit or retch, certainly speak with her vet immediately. Otherwise, determine how much food she should be eating by examining the chart on her bag of dog food and divide this quantity into 4 smaller meals throughout the day so she is less likely to overeat at any point. Speak with your vet about having a stool sample analyzed for the presence of parasites. Make sure she has been dewormed several times. Products, such as Panacur, are available over the counter from most pet stores and provide broad spectrum deworming, even in puppies as young as 2 weeks old.

If Faithlynn had bloat, you would not only see an enlarged belly, but you would also see pacing, restlessness, anxiety, excessive drooling, and trying to vomit but cannot. A bigger belly only simply could be due to a big meal.

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.

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

I personally would return for an x-ray and/or ultrasound. Bloating like that is not normal. I'm glad it is not a GDV but there could be an abdominal mass or an enlarged organ (spleen, liver) that may be pushing the side of the abdomen out. They are often not overly ill with an abdominal mass unless it gets to the point of pushing on the stomach or colon causing discomfort and pain. It is better to be safe than sorry. If this was just gas it should have subsided by now on it's own. If you don't want to take him back that is completely up to you. All you can do then is just monitor him for any worsening signs.

If she is acting normal otherwise than it might just be that her stomach is full from the feeding. She could also have a parasite causing her stomach to be enlarged. Have a vet take a look at her to determine if she needs treatment. She may need to be dewormed with a broad spectrum dewormer.