Gastric Torsion In Dogs, A Very Serious Problem
Gastric torsion in dogs is a very serious medical problem. This disease consists of distension of the stomach, with the possibility of twisting this organ from its axis. The condition seriously threatens the animal’s life.
What is gastric torsion in dogs?
Gastric torsion is the act of the dog’s stomach turning on itself and swelling (although it is not known for sure whether the swelling happens before or after the torsion).
The problem is that when it turns, the stomach closes off its entrance and its exit. This way, the pet cannot discharge the stomach contents.
Organ pressure increases and causes changes that can affect other organs and endanger the pet’s life. If the situation is not rectified quickly, he will go into shock and die.
Symptoms of gastric torsion are abdominal pain, stomach bloating, excessive salivation, nervousness, and an urge to vomit.
In addition, it can cause internal problems in the dog such as weakness in the contraction of the stomach muscles or overactivity of hormones.
As soon as the first symptoms appear, it is necessary to take the dog to the veterinarian so that the stomach pressure is relieved and the patient is stabilized. For this, it is even likely that a surgical procedure should be performed to correct the torsion.
The clinical treatment of this disease is one of the most complicated. So, when it comes to this condition, it is always better to be safe than sorry.
Causes of gastric torsion in dogs
The exact causes of gastric torsion in dogs are unknown. It is believed that it may be a disease with genetic motivations, however, studies are not conclusive yet.
What is known is that the condition happens due to poor fixation of the ligaments that hold the stomach, and this often happens in animals that belong to the same owner.
That is why it is not ruled out that the disease is motivated by the environmental conditions to which your pet is exposed.
It is also not ruled out that it is due to excessive intake of food or water, since if a dog overeats it will end up straining the already weakened ligaments.
We have to take into account that it was man and not nature that led to the formation of different dog breeds.
This “artificial” selection was made so that the breed has very specific characteristics, which are usually determined by aesthetics (size, volume, color, hair type, etc.), but can also be character-based (special abilities, temperament, etc.). ).
How many breeds of dogs were selected by the hand of man; to put it another way, nature did not have the time to make the necessary changes in the organism of animals and the evolution of races was incomplete.
And that means that nowadays dogs weighing more than 3 kg are ideal candidates to suffer from this condition.
Who can suffer gastric torsion?
There are some dog breeds that are more likely to suffer from this ailment than others, such as the large, deep-breasted ones such as the German Shepherd, St. Bernard, Borzoi and Irish Setter.
However, the disease has also been observed in smaller dogs such as the Basset Hound, Dachshund and Small.
Recommendations to avoid gastric torsion
As the exact causes of gastric torsion are not known precisely, it is best to try to reduce the risk of its manifestation with proper nutrition.
To avoid this disease in dogs, it is best to divide the ration that is given daily into two or three servings of food throughout the day, taking them to exercise at least one hour before and two hours after meals.
In addition, breeds with a predisposition to this disease must feed in a calm environment, to avoid ingesting excessive air with the food.
