Bloat: Gastric Dilation and Volvulus (GDV) Bloat and Torsion   What is meant by the term "bloat" in dogs? This is a term that is synonymous with the more scientific term "gastric dilation/volvulus."  It is often called GDV.  Dilation means that the stomach is distended with gas, but is located in the abdomen in its correct place.  Volvulus means that the distension is associated with a twisting of the stomach on its longitudinal axis.   How or why does this occur? This condition in the dog has a sudden onset, usually within one to two hours of eating a meal.  It frequently occurs at night.  The dog is first short of breath and, if examined closely, the abdomen is larger than normal.  The dog will stand or lie still, sometimes with his/her front legs fully extended forward, or move only with caution.  There are often attempts at vomiting although these attempts are rarely successful.  In a period varying from one-half to three hours, the stomach becomes grossly distended, and there is severely labored breathing.  Many dogs will die within a couple of hours.   We really do not know the answer to how or why this occurs.  Original theories suggested that it occurred when a dog ate a large meal of dry food and then drank a lot of water.  The water caused the dry food to swell.  At the same time, the dog was supposed to be engaged in strenuous activity that included running and jumping.  That resulted in the dog's stomach twisting on itself as the heavy organ was jostled about in the abdomen.  Although that is the most common explanation given, there is no scientific evidence to support this theory.  In most dogs experiencing GDV, the stomach is not excessively full of dry food and the dog has not recently engaged in strenuous exercise.  The most current theory is that the stomach's contractions lose their regular rhythm and trap air in the stomach; this can cause the twisting event.  However, the sequence of events for most cases defies explanation.   How is it diagnosed? This condition almost always occurs in deep-chested, large breed dogs.  Some of the more commonly affected breeds include Great Danes, Irish Setters, Standard Poodles, German Shepherds, Weimaraners, and Afghan Hounds.  However, it is occasionally in smaller breeds and rarely in cats.   The next step is to establish that the stomach is distended with gas.  An enlarged stomach will cause the body wall to protrude prominently, especially on the dog's left side.  The swelling will be firm and obvious enough to see across a room.  Occasionally, this distension is not as apparent.  This occurs in dogs that have a large portion of the stomach up under the rib cage.  In most cases, however, the owner is able to detect the distension.   A dog that experiences significant pain will be very depressed.  He/she will have trouble breathing.  The presence of a rapidly developing distended abdomen in a large breed dog is enough evidence to make an assumption of GDV.  A radiograph (x-ray) can confirm the diagnosis.   What happens when the stomach is distended? The first major life-threatening event that occurs is shock.  This occurs because the distended stomach puts pressure on the large veins in the abdomen that carry blood back to the heart.  Without proper return, the output of blood from the heart is diminished and the tissues are deprived of blood and oxygen.  The reduced blood output from the heart and the high pressure within the cavity of the stomach cause the stomach wall to be deprived of adequate circulation.  If the blood supply is not restored quickly, the wall of the stomach begins to die.  The wall can also rupture.  If volvus occurs, the spleen's blood supply will also be impaired.  This organ is attached to the stomach wall and shares some large blood vessels.  When the stomach twists, the spleen is also rotated and its vessels are compressed.  When the stomach is distended, digestion stops.  This results in the accumulation of toxins that are normally removed from the intestinal tract.  These toxins activate several chemicals that cause inflammation, and the toxins are absorbed into circulation.  This causes problems with the blood clotting factors so that inappropriate clotting occurs within the blood vessels.  This is called disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) and can be fatal.   What is done to save the dog's life? This is one of the true emergencies in veterinary medicine, and treatment must be instituted IMMEDIATELY if the animal is to survive.  The dogs should be taken to the veterinarian as soon as possible.  It is NOT recommended that gas relieving agents such as simethicone (Gas-X) be given at home as this will not be helpful in relieving the large quantity of gas present and will delay life-saving care the dog requires. 1.    Shock must be treated with the administration of large quantities of intravenous (IV) fluids.  They must be given quickly; some dogs requie more than one intravenous line. 2.    Pressure must be removed from within the stomach.  This may be done with a tube that is passed from the mouth to the stomach.  However, it is not always possible to pass a tube because the stomach is twisted.  Another method is to insert a large bore needle through the skin into the stomach. 3.    The stomach must be returned to its proper position.  Most veterinarians advise immediate anesthesia and surgery to relieve the distension and the twist of the stomach.  If this is done soon enough it can save the dog's life. 4.    The stomach will be inspected for areas that have lost blood supply.  Although this is a bad prognostic sign, the devitalized area (s) of the stomach should be removed.  If a large area of the stomach wall is devitalized, euthanasia is usually recommended. 5.    The stomach is then attached to the abdominal wall (gastropexy) to prevent recurrence of GDV.  Although this is not always successful, this procedure greatly reduces the likelihood of recurrence. 6.    Abnormalities in the rhythm of the heart (arrhythmias) should be monitored and may require treatments.  Severe arrhythmias can become life-threatening at the time of surgery and for several days after surgery.  An electrocardiaogram (ECG) is the best way to monitor the heart's rhythm.   What is the survival rate? This is largely affected by the severity of the distension, the degree of shock, how quickly treatment is begun, and the presence of other diseases, especially those involving the heart.  Approximately 90% of dogs we have treated at this emergency clinic have survived when treatment was started reasonably soon after the onset of signs.   What can be done to prevent it from occurring? The most effective means of prevention is gastropexy, the surgical attachment of the stomach to the body wall.  This will not prevent dilation (bloat) but will prevent volvulus (twisting) in most cases.  The procedure can be performed prophylactically in high risk breeds when the dogs are spayed or neutered.  (Ask your vet!)  Although there are varying opinions in the prevention of GDV, it is generally agreed upon that the following precautions will help decrease the danger of this condition: 1.    Elevate the food bowl when feeding deep-chested, large breed dogs. 2.    Feed 2 to 3 small meals daily instead of one large meal.  This also helps the dog's metabolism and helps prevent obesity. 3.    Discourage your dog from eating rapidly. 4.    Discourage activity immediately after eating. 5.    Your dog should always have access to water to lessen the change he/she will drinking a large amount after eating.   All owners of deep-chested, large breed dogs should be aware of the warning signs of this potentially fatal occurrence and seek immediate veterinary medical attention if they note any of these symptoms in their dogs.   Symptoms Typical symptoms often include some (but not necessarily all) of the following, according to the links below. Unfortunately, from the onset of the first symptoms you have very little time (sometimes minutes, sometimes hours) to get immediate medical attention for your dog. Know your dog and know when it's not acting right. Attempts to vomit (usually unsuccessful); may occur every 5-20 minutes This seems to be one of the most common symptoms & has been referred to as the "hallmark symptom" Doesn't act like usual self Perhaps the earliest warning sign & may be the only sign that almost always occurs Significant anxiety and restlessness One of the earliest warning signs and seems fairly typical "Hunched up" or "roached up" appearance This seems to occur fairly frequently Bloated abdomen that may feel tight (like a drum) Despite the term "bloat," many times this symptom never occurs or is not apparent Pale or off-color gums Dark red in early stages, white or blue in later stages Lack of normal gurgling and digestive sounds in the tummy Many dog owners report this after putting their ear to their dog's tummy Coughing Unproductive gagging Heavy salivating or drooling Foamy mucous around the lips, or vomiting foamy mucous Unproductive attempts to defecate Whining Pacing Licking the air Seeking a hiding place Looking at their side or other evidence of abdominal pain or discomfort May refuse to lie down or even sit down May stand spread-legged May attempt to eat small stones and twigs Drinking excessively Heavy or rapid panting Shallow breathing Cold mouth membranes Apparent weakness; unable to stand or has a spread-legged stance Especially in advanced stage Accelerated heartbeat Heart rate increases as bloating progresses Weak pulse Collapse

DEMODEX by Cat Donnelly, Pet Nutritionist Demodex is not a genetic disease. Demodex mites feed on systemic yeast in the body, and the systemic yeast feed on the dietary yeast and/or sugar in the system (blood sugar).  As you will see, my method of dealing with demodex is to starve the mite by taking away it's food source, which is the yeastie beastie.  Without this food source, the demodex will easily die off without dipping or insecticides of any kind. Demodex mites take advantage of an immature or lowered immune system which is why the very young get it, and sometimes the very old or ill.  A dog's immune system is not fully mature until at least one year, sometimes longer.  This is only one reason why it is NOT advisable to breed dogs younger than 18 - 24 months minimum. Demodex mites are living in just about every dog, deep within the hair follicles.  When pups are nursing, the mites migrate from the mom to the pups.  This is why the most common areas to show demodex first are on the face, head and front paws, and then they migrate to every other area of the body. When the immune system is maturing but battling to keep the mites in balance, you can sometimes see hairless patches appearing and disappearing on different parts of the body.  It may even progress to the point where the mites colonize and erupt on the surface, making the skin look pimply or rashy.  Don't bother with Goodwinol ointment because it is worthless, in my experience.  You would get better results from dabbing lemon juice or apple cider vinegar on the spots.  The cider vinegar will keep the odor down from any secondary staph infection.  Yeasty ears will commonly be a problem during this battle. The reason why vets and others say that demodex is genetic is because 1) they must not understand the life of a demodectic mite.  Demodex is not in the genetic make-up in any way whatsoever. There is no genetic mutation that causes demodex.  The immune system is a living thing that can be raised or suppressed, it is not fixed.  The mite is a parasite only and can be eradicated completely. 2) they also do not understand how the body can be helped to fight demodex off on it's own, without toxins taken internally and applied externally which have long-lasting and detrimental effects. 3) they do not understand the role that diet has on the immune system and therefore the demodectic mite.  Generations of being fed kibble and overzealous vaccination programs wear down the immune system of each successive generation until today you hear about demodectic puppies all the time.  You can take a dam who has produced an entire litter of demodectic pups, put her on a grainless raw diet (a la Kymythy Schultze) with supplementation for a year, breed her again and she will not produce any demodex in the subsequent litter.  I know, because I've done it.  If it were genetic, or in the genes, it would not matter WHAT I fed her, at least a certain percentage of her pups would have it. So, if a breeder had fed BRAND X dog food and followed the old vaccination protocols for several generations, and her dogs have subclinically (no outward signs) been getting weaker immune systems, then to the naked eye it would logically look like the problem is genetic. This particular dam starts spontaneously producing litter after litter of demodex pups in a line that had previously been clear of it, but it's manageable so they keep breeding her anyway.  When her pups are bred, they produce all demodex pups, only worse cases.  Clearly this must be due to a "bad gene."  This logic is as good as seeing birds fly south in the winter and deducing that ALL birds fly south for the winter.  It might initially appear to be true, but further investigation tells you that it is not.  Mites are not a part of any gene, so that statement doesn't even make sense. The problem with their logic is that you can take this line and turn it completely around through upgrading their diet and modifying the vaccination schedule.  Switch to a better kibble.  Give healthy snacks like sliced melon or peeled apple slices that have live enzymes instead of biscuits which are a "dead" food.  Give good quality supplements.  The best possible scenario, in my opinion, would be to feed grainless BARF (biologically appropriate raw foods).  Home cooked is also a very good regimen to raise the health of our companions if it's a choice between that or any kibble. Okay, so now that we have established that demodex could not possibly be genetic, let me say that it is "congenital" in that a sub-standard immune system is passed on from the mother to the pups, and the mites migrate to the pups from the mom shortly after birth.  After generations of being fed kibbles, which are a "dead" food, the mom will have little immunity to pass on to her pups, and she will harbor plenty of demodectic mites in her pores ready to migrate to the pups.  That is the sum total of the relationship between demodectic  mites and how it is "inherited" from the mom by her pups. So, you HAVE demodex and don't know what to do about it?  Can it be treated naturally?  YES!  In fact, I would highly recommend it.  The conventional path is highly toxic (as evidenced if you've ever seen a dog after it's dipped) and can keep your pet's immune system weakened for life.  There is usually absolutely no reason for this, in my experience. Here is the holistic protocol: 1) Feed an anti-yeast diet (I will follow this short article up with a longer yeast article that will explain this).  Mites feed on the systemic yeast or yeast living in the body, and systemic yeast feed on nutritional yeast and sugars (carbohydrates). If you break the cycle, you weaken or starve the systemic yeast and then the mites cannot colonize in the pores, crowding and pushing out the hairs and migrating to other pores looking for food.  This is the reason for grainless diet (ESPECIALLY NO WHEAT OR NUTRITIONAL YEAST OF ANY KIND) with only meat, bones and low glycemic fruits and veggies (green leafy, not root veggies), or in other words, only foods that do not readily raise your pet's blood sugar.  Plain kefir is a wonderful anti-yeast food, in moderation.  Plain yogurt is a secondary substitute.  Acidophilus/lactobacillus (pro-biotics) supplementation is preferred because overall, dairy will feed yeast.  No cheese, no cottage cheese.  If grains have to be used, make sure they are whole grains and not refined.  No sweeteners of any kind, including molasses, honey, etc.  Many have reported good results from supplementing with bovine colostrum, which is a pro-biotic that works in the lower digestive tract. If feeding kibble, I would recommend Flint River Ranch Lamb/millet/rice kibble.  This can be ordered by contacting Amy @ amyzark@bellsouth.net.  It will come via UPS.  Be sure to have her send you the feeding guidelines since you feed so much less than most commercial foods.  The cost "as fed" should work out to be very close to most commercial kibbles, even though the cost per pound is more. 2) Make sure the pup gets LOTS of rest!  This is crucial.  If the pup is in a high traffic area, it is important to put a crate in a quiet room and give him frequent rest periods. 3) Fresh air and sunshine are very therapeutic.  Regular exercise and playtime is a must.  Think HEALTHY.  Do what the dog loves.  Channel his energies by training him, teaching him tricks.  Oxygenating the blood is an important part of an anti-yeast regimen.  Yeast thrive in moist, dark places with little to no oxygen. 4) NO STRESS.  If you are in a stressful relationship, make a choice, the partner or the pup must go for the good of the pup.  I am dead serious.  You may be faced with giving the pup up to a better home for his/her own good if you are not willing to give up the partner. The most stressful part of a female pup's life is being in heat.  If you cannot get this under control quickly, do not put her through the stress of being in heat.  The stress of the spay operation is far less than what you will see erupt during the heat cycle, believe me when I tell you that I speak from experience. 5) On top of a good diet, I highly recommend supplementing with anti-oxidants (Iy Oxyfresh Pet Anti-oxidants or K&R's Super OxyGreen), or you can supplement with separate anti-oxidant vitamins like Vit C and Vit E.  It's usually cheaper to go combo.  The recommended daily dosage is Vit C 250 - 1,000 milligrams depending on size, vitamin E 100 IU to 400 IU. Other supplements to consider are apple cider vinegar in the water (a scant tsp will do, it's very strong), and vitamin 'F' or essential fatty acids.  Essential fatty acids will help the skin heal quickly and the hair/fur to grow back.  An excellent line is from K&R Naturals called MaxiDerm.  For demodex, I highly recommend Nupro  -- a wonderful vitamin/mineral supplement in a liver flavored powder, which also contains pro-biotics AND essential fatty acids as well. It also contains lecithin with is great for the immune system and healing.  The manufacturer makes Nupro specially for us at Alternative Pets without any nutritional yeast .  Don't let the dosage scare you off, you can cut it in half after the first 8 weeks. Echinacea and Goldenseal can be used internally, and also externally on the affected skin (for secondary staph).  It is both an anti-fungal and also aids in healing. 6) Our most powerful anti-yeast tool by far is Yeast & Fungal detox which is a tincture your give 3x/day in water.  It can be given in food if you double the dosage.  This ensures that you are not only weakening the yeast, but really eradicating it.  Typically the dog will go through a "healing crisis" for a day or two, and then they will be phenomenally better.  The healing crisis may include fever, eye exudate, mucus from the nose, yeast ears (use Ear Wash & Dry), itchy skin eruptions (Aller'G Free, Dermaplex shampoo and Rejuva spray helps), and can even include a little diarrhea.  This is the only way the body can eradicate the yeast, and the mites that feed on the yeast.  Do not panic, it will get better.  Any acute symptoms are rare and should be immediately evaluated by a veterinarian. 7)  Zinc is also helpful during this treatment.  You can feed ground pumpkin seeds or 10 - 30 milligrams of chelated zinc tablets. 8)  Absolutely no vaccinations until the crisis is over and behind you for quite some time.  Tell your veterinarian that you want a health waiver until the pup is clear of demodex for at least 2 months or more.  It says on the vaccine vials that they should ONLY be given to healthy animals.  Since demodex is considered life threatening (usually only because it's mismanaged with suppressive and toxic therapies), you cannot damage the immune system further with vaccinations.  The key is that you need to enforce the immune system, not give it something ELSE to try to deal with.  That makes NO sense.  If your vet doesn't agree, find one who will.  It is essential.  Using cortisone on demodectic dogs will almost make treating the disease impossible. 9) Find ways to control parasites naturally.  Nature's Finest Herbal Wormer can be used monthly to keep tapeworm and other parasites under control.  It contains ground walnut hull which is what naturalists use to keep heartworm in check.  You can also use aromatherapy to keep fleas and mosquitos away.  Nematodes and lemon grasses in the yard.  There is a wealth of information out there to keep you away from putting poison in your dog each month (Heartworm preventative incidentally is only needed every 6 weeks but they think the general public is too stupid to grasp that and so make it monthly), plus another dab of toxin between the shoulder blades.  There are other ways to handle it.  It might take more work, but the end result is a healthier dog and a healthier you (you don't need those toxins in your environment either). 10) Dr. Pitcairn recommends the homeopathic Sulphur 6x  with daily doses over a period of 4 weeks.  At each treatment, place just one pellet or tablet on the tongue or down the throat.  Do not feed your pet 10 minutes before or after this treatment.  When the condition is obviously clearing up, taper off of the treatments by giving the doses further apart.  If there isn't a complete cure in 4 weeks, then you can continue the treatment for as long as it helps for a period of several months. 11) Dr. Pitcairn recommends a five day fast before starting the program if the dog is at a good weight and it's overall health is good.  A fast is something you ease into and ease out of, and he has complete instructions in Chapter 15 of his book.

How to Dremel Dog Nails (Once on the website, look for the topic on the left side and click)  Dawn Garrett is an experienced Doberman owner and has written a great article that details how to dremel dog nails.  Although Dawn is not a veterinarian, her information is 'right on'.

ASPCA - Animal Poison   -  Great Advice! This website was recommended by the vets at Steeplechase Veterinary Hospital.  It is an excellent source of information.  Once on the website, look at the left column, under 'Expert Advice' - Animal Poison Control.

Mast Cell Tumors by Karyn Oz (Karyn is finishing her PhD in vet pathology in Australia.) What do I know of Mast Cell Tumours (MCTs)? ... I can recognize them in sections down the microscope..... MCTs are a common tumor of dogs & the most common skin malignancy, usually occurring on or just under the skin. Any breed or mix can develop a MCT, but certain breeds are predisposed - bulldogs and related breeds (Boxers, Bostons), Labradors, Shar Peis, Weimaraners. Given there is a breed incidence, an underlying genetic basis has been theorized, but the cause is unknown. Because something is common does not mean it is necessarily genetic - for example, bowel cancer in people. Although genetic alterations have been found to be present in certain bowel cancers, most bowel tumors are not (yet) attributable to the inherited changes. Average age of dogs diagnosed with MCTs is 8-10 years, but dogs as young as 3 months & as old as 16 have been recorded. The normal role of mast cells in the body is to respond to allergic reactions where they release histamines, heparin and other products. For instance, when a bee stings you the area becomes red, swollen and itchy because of products released by mast cells. MCTs often have fingers of malignant cells spreading into surrounding tissue. This is the reason a margin of at least 3-5cms of normal tissue surrounding any visible tumor is removed - so the microscopic fingers are removed. Sometimes this is enough, and a wider excision is required before the histopathology report says the edge of tissue resected does not contain any tumor cells. Many owners think this 2-inch margin is over the top, yet if it were a malignant melanoma on a person, they would not flinch as they expect heaps of tissue to be removed for these. MCTs often spread to the lymph nodes, spleen, and the bone marrow. Recurrence or metastasis is difficult to predict. There are a couple of grading schemes used & I think what is grade I in one is reversed in the other. Bottom line is we really can't predict biologic behavior of these tumors very well at all - a fair % of dogs with really nasty looking tumors survive for many years, & other tumors look fairly bland, yet metastasise. Here in Aus, very few places offer any "treatment" other than excision. Two years ago Delphi had a MCT present as a lump on the skirt, or fold of flank. It was smaller than thumbnail size, and every now and then, she would lick at it. The Vet expected it would subside by itself, but advised if it should grow or alter to come back and see him. She kept licking it and I decided as it was annoying her, so "one day soon" I would organize to have it removed. A little while later "one day soon" was not soon enough, the lump blew up to about 8-10cms across, stayed that size for two days, and went down again. I was in the country nursing my mother at the time and decided the minute I was back in Melbourne, it was coming off! An aspirate of the lump was performed prior to her surgery and it was pronounced that Delphi had a MCT. Even though we knew what it was prior to surgery & they took enormous margins, the Pathology report found she had tumor cells to the edge of this excision, so about a month later further surgery was performed. This time they went down to the fascia over the muscles of the stomach wall. Luckily the new margins were clear of tumor. Two years on & no signs. Keep fingers crossed. Histiocytomas are completely different - they are derived from epidermal Langerhans (antigen presenting) cells. They usually spontaneously regress if left on an animal long enough, otherwise, excision is curative. Very common in young dogs.

[Home] [Rescues] [Contacts] [Fundraisers\Events] [Donate] [Photo Gallery] [Health Information] [Anecdotes] [Ask Turtle Jo] [Recommended Books] [HappyTails] [Rainbow Bridge]

Last modified: 08/10/08