Bloat

[JoeV]

Anyone out there have opinions or experiences with raised food dishes and them causing bloat? I've been feeding Lucky out of an 18" raised dish probably since she was around 4 months old. I just read that some experts feel raised dishes actually can contribute to bloat (and after watching Marley and Me) we don't want that to happen to us. Any advise on this? Should we switch back to just eating from floor height? (ps we wait to give her water at least 20 mintues after eating and never try to excite her or play rough with her after eating either - any other steps to reduce the risk)? thanks!

[KeeperBoy]

I would never choose to feed out of a raised dish. I've switched Keepers back over to raw, in part because I am worried about him bloating on kibble.

[Spyglass Sally]

We had a Great Dane who got bloat and almost died from it when she was about 5 years old. We were actually on our way out of state and going to drop the dogs off at a friend when I noticed that she seemed to be salivating a lot and pacing. I thought something's not right here and took her right to the vet. Fortunately he was very comfortable with large animals - also worked a lot with farm animals - and did emergency surgery on her.

She ate from raised dishes, and had food available all the time so she didn't wolf it down. The vet said it just happens sometimes. He put some stitches inside (to tuck up her intestines?) to help prevent it from happening again. She lived to be over 10 years old and never had any other problems.

I wish I could tell you something I learned from all that as far as preventing it, but it didn't sound like it was anything related to her dish height or food. The only possible thing that comes to mind is the reason we were leaving the state was because of a friend who was critically injured - maybe she picked up on the stress?

Sally

[JoeV]

thanks for sharing your story Sally. Glad you had such a good instinct to see that something was wrong, especially just before going away, etc.

I think to be safe I'll put the raised dish away and keep her bowl on the floor. I don't let her eat all day though (I think she'd blow) so we stick to feeding her twice a day and that's always worked well for us. but yeah, I guess I can't argue with a Purdue study about the raised dishes.

[bruinsBoxers]

I think there are too many factor that can contribute to bloat .So just one thing like feeding in a raised feeder will not in itself cause bloat .

Large and xtra large breeds with deep chests seem to more affected . ( boxers are a medium breed )

Other things like gulping too much air while eating and drinking ,exercise before or after eating , not wetting food that is preserved with citric acid are something that can be avoided to help reduce the chances of blost .

But just like other diseases some things just can not be prevented .

[JoeV]

thanks Missi, that's great info.

[JoeV]

i just found an opinion on raised dishes relating to the Purdue study - she makes an interesting argument. (it is taken from a great dane web site).

About Elevated Dishes Anyone that has owned these dogs, knows that every single book written about Great Dane or giants, regardless of how old the book is, states we need to elevate the dishes. That means, the majority of giant breeds in this country are fed from elevated dishes and in fact, it was Vet schools such as Purdue that taught us to elevate the dishes years ago. Even without that information from breeders, books or veterinarians, it is obvious to an owner, the dogs are more comfortable with their dishes elevated so they do not have to strain to eat. This information about elevated dishes is taught by breeders to buyers, by vets to clients, by books on the breed to the new puppy buyer who is trying to educate themselves.
The majority of dogs involved in this study, were owned by Great Dane breeders or dogs purchased from Dane breeders, and that is where the owners received the information about the bloat study. With that information in mind, it is logical that the majority, if not ALL of the dogs that came in to Dr. Glickman's survey, have been fed with an elevated dish. This is simply how he came to his "opinion" that elevated dishes cause bloat. Also you need to know most of the dogs that were viewed in this study were seen-chest measured, while they were at a Great Dane Specialty show or at the Great Dane week long National Specialty which means all the dogs tested were actually owned by professional breeders. Virtually 99% all the dogs measured would have been raised with elevated dishes, hence the high numbers in the study.

(in my opinion, that is the same logic as if you see a pregnant woman with pierced ears, that means every woman with pierced ears is pregnant ).

http://www.greatdanelady.com/article...loat_study.htm

[KeeperBoy]

I just don't see enough benefit from a raised feeder to use one, even if there is just a tiny teeny little change it could cause or relate to bloat. I agree that it is a very unpredictable thing but I like to think I do what I can to minimize our risk. While Keepers is a small boxer he has a freakishly huge chest, I'm not going to test out any bloat theories on him.

I've met way too many people at agility trials that have lost dogs to bloat, it really is surprising, I've talked to at least three just this year. None of the dogs were giant breeds. I've even heard of tiny doxies bloating. I think knowing any and all possible risk factors and recognizing the symptoms quickly is the best any one could do.

[JoeV]

yeah i agree with that. just know the signs and be ready if something happens.