Is stomach tacking for bloat common during a Great Dane's spay?

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! :)

Hello, Ivan’s breed is highly predisposed to gastric dilatation volvulus or a twisted stomach which is life threatening. Tacking the stomach is a life saving prophylactic measure. I strongly support this recommendation.

Hello. It is nice that you are looking into the risks for Chiquita so you can make sure to decrease the risk chances as much as possible. Size itself is not a reason to not spay an animal. There is no increased risk due to her size, as the drugs and medications and equipment that vet clinics have can easily handle a Great Dane. In terms of carrying her head when they move her, this is a precaution that should be taken in EVERY breed, and one that I would expect most clinics to adhere by. When animals are under anaesthetic they do not have the muscle tone to protect their necks. It is unlikely that even if the head were to 'dangle' it would cause a problem, but the precaution is taken in every animal, more to ensure the tube that she will have to breathe doesn't get misplaced than for her neck. Some Great Danes can have "Wobbler's Disease" which is an instability in the vertebrae in their neck, so for this reason extra care is taken to not exacerbate this. To decrease her risk further I would discuss with your vet about pre-operative bloodwork, ensure she has IV fluids during surgery, and good monitoring (heart rate, blood pressure, SPO2, etc.). I would recommend spaying her as the risks of not-spaying her out-weigh the risks of anaesthetic complications.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Grace. Spaying her will prevent the possibility of a uterine infection and several types of cancer. Beforehand though, I recommend bloodwork and urine testing as well as possibly chest x-rays to ensure that she is healthy enough for anesthesia. You also want to have the surgery performed 2-3 months after a heat cycle. The surgery has the potential to be costly given her size. I hope this information helps!

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.

Oh dear! It would help to have more information about how she is acting, but one of the first things that all vets worry about in a giant breed dog with a swollen abdomen is called a GDV (gastric dilatation volvulus, or "bloat"). This is a very serious problem in which the stomach becomes filled with air or fluid and twists on itself. Affected dogs often have a visibly swollen abdomen, and may also act restless and uncomfortable, pant a lot, and try to vomit frequently. If you think that this could be consistent with how Rosie is acting, I would recommend taking her to an emergency vet immediately, since affected dogs will die in a matter of hours without treatment - GDV is a life-threatening emergency that requires immediate surgery to treat.

I would recommend taking Avery to an emergency veterinarian as soon as possible. It sounds like you could be describing an unproductive retch which is a sign of gastric dilation and volvulus (GDV) also known as bloat. GDV is very common in Great Danes and can quickly become fatal if not addressed right away. Of course it's also possible that she is simply gagging or coughing but in my opinion it is much better to be safe and have a veterinarian rule out GDV. They may recommend an x-ray to look at Avery's stomach position.