Mary Allen
A gastric torsion in a dog is an absolute emergency and the animal needs immediate veterinary help! Read here how to recognize the torsion of the stomach.
Sometimes things happen very quickly: the dog gets a torsion in the stomach and has to go to the vet immediately.
Torsion of the stomach is a life-threatening situation and thus an urgent emergency. The dog needs help immediately. Often just a few hours make the difference between the life and death of your four-legged friend!
That is why it is so important to know about this disease and the associated risk. Because only those who know the symptoms can act quickly. The time of day and night is irrelevant. If you suspect a torsion in the stomach, it is best to go to a veterinary clinic immediately, because the dog could already be dead by the next morning.
The vet uses an X-ray machine to make the diagnosis. If the bad suspicion proves true, then usually only an emergency operation can save the four-legged friend. The quicker the surgery, the more likely it is to survive.
Many dogs are lucky these days because a few decades ago it was still completely normal for about every second animal not to survive the treatment. Often the stomach was almost completely dead and the vet had to release the dog during the operation. The anesthetic also carried a high risk. The prognosis is now much better, but there are still deaths.
What is gastric torsion in dogs?
The dog’s stomach hangs relatively loosely between the duodenum and the esophagus in the upper abdomen. If it rotates around its own axis, blood vessels and also the entrance and exit of the stomach are constricted. The gases can no longer escape and as a result, the stomach inflates like a balloon.
Often, the torsion of the stomach affects other organs, such as the pancreas and spleen. The result is a slow death of these important organs.
In the worst case, toxins get into the bloodstream due to insufficient blood flow in the stomach wall, which damages the kidneys, liver, heart, and spleen and sometimes leads to multi-organ failure.
Finally, blood no longer flows from the back of the body to the heart. As a result, the four-legged friends suffer a circulatory shock. Without a vet and professional help, the dog dies an agonizing death.
Recognize gastric torsion in dogs: what are the symptoms?
Symptoms of canine gastric torsion include:
- nervous walking around
- restlessness
- hunched posture, hanging head
- attempt to vomit
- heavy salivation
- bloated, hard abdomen
- panting
- apathy
- pale oral mucosa
In most cases, the dog’s stomach does not immediately turn completely, but there is increasing gas build-up. The symptoms are therefore rather unspecific at the beginning. You notice a nervous pacing and an increased restlessness in the dog.
The dog’s posture also changes. The back is usually arched and the animal hangs its head low. Many four-legged friends change their position particularly frequently. They stand, walk or lie in constant change.
Some animals try to vomit. However, this is not possible due to the constricted entrance to the stomach. That’s why they only choke up foam. The inability to swallow the spit into the stomach creates a sometimes violent flow of saliva.
The stomach stretches more and more, gets a rounded shape, and finally feels hard. The general condition of the dog is deteriorating rapidly.
In addition to restlessness, gagging, and panting, there is weakness and apathy. The mucous membrane of the mouth has a poor blood supply and is pale and light in color. In the later course, the dog no longer straightens up, but lies on its side and dies of circulatory shock.
Why Do Dogs Get Torsion?
The exact causes of torsion in the stomach have not yet been sufficiently clarified and often no direct reason can be determined.
On the one hand, however, eating the food too hastily and romping around with a full stomach are considered dangerous, and on the other hand, the dog’s anatomy also plays a major role.
There are also other risk factors because even four-legged friends with an empty stomach can be affected by gastric torsion in dogs. Severe stress, choking on air, and abnormal stomach movements are also believed to be causes of gastric torsion. Also, some dogs naturally have looser gastric bands, which makes the twisting movement easier.
Gastric torsion in the dog after surgery
After treatment by the vet, there is still a great danger. Unfortunately, the positioning of the stomach alone is often not enough during the operation. In around 80 percent of all operated dogs, the stomach would twist again. Therefore, it is now common practice to fix the stomach to the front part of the abdominal wall.
Unfortunately, despite all efforts, some of the four-legged friends still die after the operation. It’s not the fault of another turn – cardiac arrhythmia, general circulatory weakness, or excessive organ damage are often the cause of death.
Gastric torsion in dogs after eating
As observations show, dogs that have eaten spoiled and fermented food or too much food at once are particularly often affected. In such a case, the stomach is probably overloaded or the stomach is overexpanded due to gas, and the stomach twists as a result.
A full stomach turns more easily than an empty one. Movement promotes this process, which is why your dog should rest for one to two hours after eating before romping around in the meadows again, playing with other dogs, or fetching. Even four-legged friends who devour their food too hastily are more likely to get stomach problems. The intake of very large amounts of water is also critical.
Which dogs get a torsion particularly often?
When it comes to the frequency of stomach torsion in dogs, two factors are particularly important:
- the size of the dog
- age
Large and medium-sized dogs with deep chests are usually affected by gastric torsion. The risk is particularly high in breeds such as the Newfoundland, Irish Wolfhound, Great Dane, Bernese Mountain Dog, St. Bernard, Doberman Pinscher, German Shepherd Dog, Boxer, Rottweiler, Weimaraner, Standard Poodle, and Irish Setter.
The probability of such an emergency is about 39 percent for the Great Dane. All other breeds have to live with a risk of around six percent. Clusters within the line of descent are striking.
Age is also important. Gastric torsion in dogs under one-year-old is extremely rare. An old dog is much more likely to suffer from torsion in the stomach. Animals aged five years and over are particularly at risk. In the case of very large breeds, caution is required from around three years of age.
Do Small Dogs Get Upset Stomach More Often?
No, it is mainly the large four-legged friends that suffer from a torsion of the stomach in dogs. While it is generally possible for your little darling to twist his or her stomach, the likelihood is much lower.
However, even with small dogs, make sure that they do not gulp down their food too quickly and eat several small portions throughout the day.
Already knew? These are the 5 smallest dog breeds in the world
There are special anti-sling bowls for small breeds on the market. Stressful situations can also lead to unwanted symptoms.
How fast does a dog’s stomach torsion occur?
Gastric torsion is an acute and sudden health problem. There are hardly any signs. Animals that just seemed healthy and alert suddenly feel miserable and need immediate help. When the first symptoms appear, it is high time to visit a veterinary clinic. The condition deteriorates rapidly within a few hours, so every minute counts!
Treatment: What helps with gastric torsion in dogs?
A gastric torsion in the dog is a case for immediate surgery. The vet inserts a vein into one of the front legs and gives the animal an IV to counteract the shock.
If the stomach is extremely tense, the doctor pricks the stomach with a thin needle so that the digestive gases leave the sensitive area. The four-legged friend often feels better again as a result.
During the operation, the vet opens the abdomen and returns the stomach to its original position. Using a tube, he empties and flushes the stomach. If some sections of the stomach wall have already died, the doctor turns them inside out and sews them up or he removes the dead tissue. In some cases, it is necessary to remove the dead spleen.
Since the risk of a recurring stomach torsion in the dog is high after the operation, the doctor attaches parts of the stomach to the abdominal wall. This is called gastropexy in technical jargon.
Since some animals suffer from cardiac arrhythmia after the operation, they usually remain in the veterinary clinic for a few days. The four-legged friends are only allowed to go home the next day if everything goes well.
What are the costs of gastric torsion in a dog?
If your dog needs an operation for torsion of the stomach, the veterinarian will charge around 1,200 euros for this. Treatment at night or on Sundays and public holidays is even more expensive. If the operation is performed as an emergency service, costs of over 2,000 euros may arise. These costs must be borne by the owner without appropriate dog insurance.
How can you prevent torsion in the dog’s stomach?
Gastropexy is the only way to reliably prevent rotation of the stomach. The vet fixes the stomach to the front abdominal wall. Some veterinarians recommend this operation prophylactically for animals with a high hereditary risk.
To minimize the risk, please do not let your four-legged friend roll, play, and romp with a full stomach. Nevertheless, there are also cases in which dogs show noticeable symptoms when they are on an empty stomach.
Most stomach torsion happens at night or in the evening after the four-legged friends have eaten their food. Therefore, keep a close eye on the dog after eating. The faithful four-legged friend best spends the nights close to you, so that you can immediately notice the onset of restlessness. It is no coincidence that kennel dogs that are left unsupervised in particular die.
In addition, there are advantages in giving the animal several small portions of food, while adhering to an approximate schedule. Giving food from a high bowl is believed to be detrimental to sensitive dogs. Anti-sling bowls placed on the floor are ideal.
We wish you and your dog all the best! Stay healthy both of you!