Canine Health Foundation reports on bloat study
Stomach bloat is a major disease for deep-chested dogs, especially those with
a family history of the disease or behaviors such as gulping food, drinking
lots of water after eating, or over-exercising after eating. Bloat can trigger
gastric torsion, a life-threatening twisting of the stomach that needs immediate
veterinary care to save the dog.
The American Kennel Club Canine Health Foundation, the Morris Animal Foundation,
and various breed clubs have contributed to a bloat study at Purdue University
since 1994. The initial work by Dr. Larry Glickman included Great Danes, Irish
Setters, Saint Bernards, and Standard Poodles. A year later, Akitas, Collies,
Irish Wolfhounds, Newfoundlands, Rottweilers, and Weimaraners were added. Scientists
collected data on these breeds by visiting national specialties and measuring
dogs to gather data on the relationship between height, depth and width of chest,
and bloat incidence. Data collection ended March 31, 1999, and was then analyzed
by computer at the university. More than 1900 dogs were enrolled in the program;
complex analysis is expected to take several years and result in publication
of at least five papers on the study.
The aim of the research is to measure the age-specific incidence of bloat in
the highest-risk dog breeds; to test the hypothesis generated from previous
studies that the risk of bloat is increased in dogs with a deep and narrow chest
or abdomen when compared with other dogs of the same breed; and to determine
whether the interventions currently being used by dog owners to prevent bloat
are effective.
Risk factors for bloat can be divided into those relating to the dog (body
shape, personality, etc.) and those relating to the environment or management.
The study confirmed that bloat risk increased with advancing age, larger breed
size, greater chest depth, and a close family history of bloat. The study also
found that some strategies used by owners to prevent bloat either had the opposite
effect or no effect at all. Particularly, raising the food bowl more than doubled
bloat risk and restricting water and food before and after exercise may not
have any effect.
The first paper arising from this study was published in the January Journal
of the American Veterinary Medical Association.
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