Any Experience With Bloat?

[Guest Latch]

Has anyone had any experience with bloat and greyhounds? I have read all of the precautions for preventing bloat and I try my best to make sure I follow them. The problem is that I get up at 6am for work. Latch (my grey.) gets up with me and I let him out to use the bathroom. He uses the bathroom and then wants to come inside and I feed him. Recently, after he eats, he goes and stands by the door wanting to go out again. I let him out and then moments later realized he was racing around the yard as fast as he could go. I freaked out because he had just eaten so when I left for work about 30 minutes later I told my husband to watch him and make sure he didn't show any discomfort. He was fine thank goodness. Since then, I haven't been letting him out a second time after he eats, but now he is racing around the yard before he eats. I hate to take away this running time since he generally won't run any other time of day, but I also want to feed him in the morning so he is content and will go back to sleep until my husband wakes up later on. What do you guys think? Should I feed him and monitor so he doesn't run, or should I let him run and not feed him until later (the time my husband wakes up varies with what he has going on that day 8-10am)?

 

[Guest ibeakila]

Has anyone had any experience with bloat and greyhounds? I have read all of the precautions for preventing bloat and I try my best to make sure I follow them. The problem is that I get up at 6am for work. Latch (my grey.) gets up with me and I let him out to use the bathroom. He uses the bathroom and then wants to come inside and I feed him. Recently, after he eats, he goes and stands by the door wanting to go out again. I let him out and then moments later realized he was racing around the yard as fast as he could go. I freaked out because he had just eaten so when I left for work about 30 minutes later I told my husband to watch him and make sure he didn't show any discomfort. He was fine thank goodness. Since then, I haven't been letting him out a second time after he eats, but now he is racing around the yard before he eats. I hate to take away this running time since he generally won't run any other time of day, but I also want to feed him in the morning so he is content and will go back to sleep until my husband wakes up later on. What do you guys think? Should I feed him and monitor so he doesn't run, or should I let him run and not feed him until later (the time my husband wakes up varies with what he has going on that day 8-10am)?

 

 

 

I have a 6 yr old grey, who had bloat two years ago, I had a half hour to get him to hospital. They kept him about 3 days, he had surgery, they removed stomach surgery, staples etc, put stomach back. He is doing great now. He does run a little after eating, bt this was a month after surgery. You can email me with any questions. Julie menatoni@comcast.net

[Guest laceyj]

I would let him has his run and have your hubby feed him when he gets up. JMHO

[Guest krisandzoo]

I've been reading up on this as well but still worry. Obviously no exercise to close to feeding time but what other precautions do you take? I met someone yeterday who lost his dog (not a grey) to bloat and it raised my concerns again. I know raised bowls aren't supposed to help. What about soaking the food so it is already expanded some? The other day my fiance forgot to feed the dogs before work (I usually do this but had to leave earlier than normal feeding time). We had to give the whole days worth of food in the evening. Even though I feed in portions I was still terrified. Then Bentley wanted to drink so much water I took it away for awhile.

I'm sure many nooobes are interested. Thanks!

[Guest SoulsMom]

For Soul, being outside in the back yard means RUN. So, I take him out on the leash when he needs to go and it's close to meal time (before or after) Easy enough, and I don't have to worry about bloat.

[Burpdog]

I would let him has his run and have your hubby feed him when he gets up. JMHO

 

Either that or leash walk him

[Guest TBSFlame]

Has anyone had any experience with bloat and greyhounds? I have read all of the precautions for preventing bloat and I try my best to make sure I follow them. The problem is that I get up at 6am for work. Latch (my grey.) gets up with me and I let him out to use the bathroom. He uses the bathroom and then wants to come inside and I feed him. Recently, after he eats, he goes and stands by the door wanting to go out again. I let him out and then moments later realized he was racing around the yard as fast as he could go. I freaked out because he had just eaten so when I left for work about 30 minutes later I told my husband to watch him and make sure he didn't show any discomfort. He was fine thank goodness. Since then, I haven't been letting him out a second time after he eats, but now he is racing around the yard before he eats. I hate to take away this running time since he generally won't run any other time of day, but I also want to feed him in the morning so he is content and will go back to sleep until my husband wakes up later on. What do you guys think? Should I feed him and monitor so he doesn't run, or should I let him run and not feed him until later (the time my husband wakes up varies with what he has going on that day 8-10am)?

 

 

I use to worry too. I would let mine out after they eat to potty and they would run. Now I have fenced a smaller area around the back door with a potty area of mulch. I don't allow them out in the big yard until I come home from work at 2. I close off the big yard before I feed the evening meal. I control when they are allow to run. It works great. Best thing I ever did. I also control the mud that way.

[Guest LolasMom]

I would let him has his run and have your hubby feed him when he gets up.

 

Either that or leash walk him

 

I'd definitely say one of those two options are your best bet. IMHO

[Guest HeatherDemps]

When I first got Dempsey, bloat was my biggest fear for the first couple of years. We have never had a fenced in yard though, so he's always been leashed walked. As others have already mentioned, I'd either feed later or leash walk.

[Guest gomiesmom]

Bloat is a great fear of mine, and funny, until we got the Hound, I had never heard of it. I believe Grey people and adoption groups do a great job informing of this horrible potential incident. I am very aware of eating/ exer. times. I do take out ON A LEASH if Gomie has to go at least 1 &1/2 hrs after eating and I don't feed until 1 hr after exer. It can sometimes not be the best 'fit" int my routine, again, bloat is a serious concern to me. I know there is a controversy regarding raised feeding. I also read not to wet kibble if it has citric acid in the ingredient list, don't allow too much water b/f or after feeding, as it dilutes digestive acids.... although this was on a great dane bloat info site.

 

 

[Guest Lilymoon]

My questions concern how much exercise and when. I just adopted a retired racer and have fallen into the rabbit hole of bloat anxiety. I did read that AKC greyhounds are more likely to bloat than NGA hounds. I understand that vigorous exercise an hour before and an hour after (I have also read two hours after) eating must be avoided.

 

What constitutes vigorous? Obviously running like mad, zoomies, jumping like a crazy dog, but what about trotting along on a leash walk?

Can I walk my hound at a leisurely pace? Or should she just rest?

 

I had corgis for 13 years before this and I always waited 30 minutes after eating before leash walking.

 

I'm one week in with my wonderful dog and I already want another retired racer. I'm planning on waiting, but I will say that these dogs are wonderfully sweet.

[Charlies_Dad]

We don't let Stewie out after eating for 90 minutes approx. He always goes out prior to eating and if he did any zoomies, his feeding is delayed until he stops panting. Perhaps all a bit extreme but that is our routine.

[GeorgeofNE]

We lost a dog to bloat (a Labrador) and we did NOTHING wrong. Sometimes bloat just happens.

 

To me, a fit healthy dog having a quick run around the yard is not "vigorous exercise." A competitive race would be. A long jog would be. The concern with exercise if if they get panting and sucking in large amounts of air (as in gasping for breath).

 

Your mileage may vary--

[racindog]

My soul mate Slim DIED from a bloat GDV incident. He was at the e-vet/surgery in plenty of time-its just a extremely very serious often fatal thing that sometimes cannot be fixed. I do not use raised feeders unless its medically indicated and I believe in restricting activity after they eat. If they exert themselves before eating I wait until they completely cool down before feeding. In my mind bloat is like a death sentence after what happenned with my beloved Slim. GeorgeofNE is right-sometimes despite all your precautions it just happens.

Edited March 20, 2015 by racindog

[Neighsayer]

You could always use a couple of ex pens to make a small potty area just outside the door. That way, you can let them out, but they will not run like crazy in a small pen. My dogs need to "go" right after they eat. One doesn't even wait for her treat! I don't stress about bloat. Sometimes it happens without any of the stated triggers. If one of my dogs is heaving and panting from running, I'll wait. Otherwise, I still feed after he foes a quick lap around the yard.

[a_daerr]

I just adopted a retired racer and have fallen into the rabbit hole of bloat anxiety.

 

So many new owners do this! Yes, bloat can happen in retired racers, but it's really not as common as you might think. Some people do all the "wrong" things, and it never happens. Other people do all the "right" things, and it does. I wouldn't walk on eggshells over it.

[RaineysMom]

both of our first hounds -- Rainey and Anubis -- had bloat. NEITHER excercised at all prior or after eating and it happened. I think it just happens (both had surgery and survived, thank God!).

[Jiffer]

Bloat is one of those things that they really can't pin down. Yes, you can take precautions, but it doesn't mean that it couldn't be spontaneously initiated.
I've known dogs to bloat over nothing. I saw a story on TV of a husky who bloated spontaneously (the people were at work all day and he was at home tied out; when she arrived, they suspect his excitement caused his stomach to flip because he would have been empty).

Beamish likes to do a run after he eats (or before sometimes). We just watch him closely and try to push his after-food potty out for a bit of time, depending on how badly he has to go. I prefer if he runs before a meal with a short cooldown before he eats. Beam is a funny kid.. sometimes he just REALLY has to poo after he's eaten.
If you're really worried, then I agree that leash walking is a good idea.

In terms of raised feeders that someone else brought up, I've heard from different vets that using a raised feeder can cause it and NOT using a raised feeder can cause it. So really who knows if it does or doesn't. My feeders are raised as it's easier for my 13 year old to eat (and the previous seniors), and since Mojito has a chronic neck/shoulder issue, it makes it more comfortable for her as well (for several months she could not bend her head near the floor).

[Guest Lilymoon]

I appreciate all of the replies. I grew up with big dogs, but have had Pembroke Welsh Corgis for the past 13 years so any big dog issue feels new to me. Lily is 1 1/2 yr. old retired racer (Turbo Great Task) and is amazingly calm. I leash walk her in the morning and save playing in the yard with her for after work. She can be in the yard and not run, but if I get out a toy or if my 13 yr. old corgi starts barking to "play," she starts doing laps. We are developing a routine and I am feeling more comfortable about time between food and exercise.

 

Now to figure out how to upload photos.