Canine Bloating: When Your Dog Overeats

When gas builds up in the stomach and is not being released, it is called bloating. This build up consists of the accumulation of food, fluids, and air in the digestive tract. However, humans are not the only suffers of bloating, dogs are also. When a dog is experience bloating along with other conditions, this can be fatal. Bloating is the second leading cause of death in dogs each year.

Nobody knows for sure exactly what causes canine bloating, however some feel there is a connection between the time of eating, drinking and exercise. When a dog over eats and then drinks, followed by activity, it is though that this combinations equal canine bloating. There is a condition where a dog's stomach will actually twist. When this twisting also occurs, blood supply is cut off and death of the stomach will result. When bloating along with stomach twisting occurs this is a very serious situation.

If you dog is under stress, or has a large profound chest he is at higher risk for developing canine bloat. Some breeds fit into this profile and they include, Rottweilers, Boxers, Golden Retrievers, Irish Setters, Standard Poodles, Bloodhounds, Great Danes, Great Pyrenees, Dobermans, Labrador Retrievers, and Saint Bernards to name a few.

Even though many large breeds of dogs are at increased risk for canine bloating, there are a few small breed dogs as well. These include, Bassett Hounds, Dachshunds, and Airedale Terriers.

There are some things one can do to help to prevent canine bloating from occurring. It is best to feed a dog three meal a day, which are small instead of one big meal. Most dry food will swell when it becomes wet. Therefore by putting water on the dog food before your dog eats it, this expansion will already have occurred preventing expansion from taken place in the stomach of the dog.