I'm so angry that I did not know this. Bloat is the 2nd most common killer of dogs after cancer. I know that age, his breed, and stress were the biggest factors in my Rush's death, but there are many things listed on the site below that I was doing and had no idea they were wrong! My vet spoke to me about hip dysplasia and skin disorders. The breeder spoke about skin and stomach problems in Airedales, but NO ONE ever said a thing about bloat! I'm so upset! If you own a large breed listed on the linked website, please be forewarned so you can change some feeding practices that might save your pet's life. I wish I had known these things and if I ever get another dog (which of course will be a large breed, 'cause I love them) I'll know alot more about this than I did with Rush.

I hope it helps someone avoid my pain.

http://www.globalspan.net/bloat.htm

Dear Rushie's Mom,

Thanks so much for posting this website. Since's Shiloh's passing I've since adopted (actually he adopted me) a German Shepherd cross. I've heard so much about bloat, but I've only heard a few things about how to prevent it. One of the things I heard was that an elevated food bowl would help to avoid bloat....but that's one of the causes!

Thanks again,
Kathleen

Kathleen,
I hope this information helps you and your furbaby. The elevated bowl my dog ate from for most of his life was recommended by all those pet catalogs as being better for large breed dogs! I'm starting my own personal letter writing campaign to those catalogs. I'm also going to have to have a talk with my vet. I think it's ridiculous that vets spend more time talking about the importance of teeth brushing and nail clipping during a new patient visit and yearly check ups than this quick and instant killer which may not be completely preventable, but certainly should be warned about! Since my Rush died, I've heard stories of 3 other dogs who died this way and their owners had no idea of the signs that would have possibly gotten them to the hospital faster and possibly into a life saving operation. Please pass the information on to any large breed owners you may know. Although the risk is there for all dogs (especially if they over eat or eat too quickly), it's especially high for these larger breeds.

Many thoughts,
Rush's Mom

I just finished reading several articles from the site that you posted. I did know about not feeding them before or immediately after excercise but I didn't know any of the other things. I was actually thinking about buying an elevated dish for Snoopy. He's a Shep/lab mix but after the info...I won't bother. You're absolutely right...why don't vets tell their clients about bloat. It's a life or death situation...one in which people need to know the symptoms to watch for so they can act immediately. Thank you.

Lisa...NOAH'S ARK