Gastric torsion – lower risk with PLATINUM

The definition of gastric torsion

Gastric torsion or gastric torsion complex is a life-threatening, often dramatic disease that, if left untreated, usually leads to death. Not only large dog breeds are affected but also medium-sized and small dogs.

With gastric torsion, the dog’s stomach turns on its own axis. Due to that, blood vessels, the stomach inlet and outlet are cut off. That leads to an interruption of blood supply and the dog’s stomach bloats. This can quickly lead to blood congestion in the abdominal organs and subsequently to circulatory collapse.

Symptoms

The typical symptoms appear a few hours after feeding:

• massively ‘bloated’, hard belly, is striking. 
• restless at first, later usually apathetic.
• panting and retching 
• increased salivation and strained breathing 

The survival rate after surgery is depending on how quickly the gastric torsion is recognised and treated surgically. 

How you should respond

If you notice typical symptoms, you should not wait to see if the condition of your dog improves. Now every minute counts but own emergency measures are not an option! Anyone who owns a dog with an increased risk of gastric distress should find two vets in their area who are available at all times of the day and night. In case of the emergency, it is also important that the vet can perform an appropriate surgical intervention.

What does the vet do in case of gastric torsion?

Usually, an x-ray is taken for diagnosis. A confirmed suspicion can lead to an attempt to release excess gases. Sometimes, under certain circumstances, the stomach is able to turn back on its own during this process. If this is not the case, a complex operation is necessary. If the stomach has been twisted for a long time, there is a high likelihood that parts of the stomach and spleen have already been injured and need to be removed.

Risk factors

A combination of several risk factors is thought to favour a gastric torsion. The size of the dog is considered a risk factor, due to a significantly higher affection in large and giants breeds. There are also studies that associate increasing age with higher risk.

Gastric torsion can also be caused by fermenting dog food.  This process can lead to stomach bloating. Even eating one large meal can lead to an increasing risk of disease. Furthermore, playing and jumping shortly after eating should be avoided, as this is also a risk factor.

Prevention

As there is no single trigger, but rather a combination of many factors, here are some recommendations to mitigate the risk. These tips are a recommendation, but not a 100% guarantee:

• For preventive purposes, dogs at risk should be fed 2-3 times per day at regular feeding times. Especially in the evening, only a small amount of food should be given. 
• You should give your dog enough time to rest after eating and try to minimise stress factors.
• Avoid or reduce hasty food intake and the related swallowing of air (e.g. with the help of an anti-gulp bowl).

What food should my dog eat after gastric torsion?

Conventional dry food often contains a high proportion of hard-to-digest cereals. Due to this ingredient and the extruder production, a starch layer forms around the croquettes. This layer first has to be broken down in the stomach. As a consequence, the dog food swells in the dog’s stomach several times. Therefore, the food is digested more slowly and can cause flatulence. You can test it for yourself by pouring warm water over conventional dry food.

In contrast to conventional dry food, PLATINUM dry dog food does not swell up in the stomach. Thanks to the special method of FSG (Fleischsaftgarung) your dog does not get a bloated belly after eating. The gastrointestinal passage is much faster which relieves the stomach. The risk of a gastric torsion is significantly reduced and even the resting time after eating can also be much shorter. The full and detailed article on gastric torsion and how to minimise the risks can be found here.