msjpk Posted June 29, 2009 Share Posted June 29, 2009 For those of you who didn't read my previous post. I was visiting with my sister this weekend and her 10 yr. old lab, Chaney, ate his dinner and started to make these gutwrenching sounds that I knew were not good. Off to a vet and diagnosed with bloat. Surgery performed pronto. Chaney came home the next night and is as good as new, thank God. Vet said that raised feeders are a big NO- they could increase the chance of bloat!!! Ok so let me hear from you experts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anne Posted June 29, 2009 Share Posted June 29, 2009 I do since all mine are seniors and it's easier for them. I think your doctor is probably correct though, that's the latest that I had heard as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaliforniaGreys Posted June 29, 2009 Share Posted June 29, 2009 I've always used raised feeders, less strain on their necks. I would think as far as bloat is concerned, if the feeder is too high that would make sense to me, but most of the ones I've seen are not. Quote Missing my little Misty who took a huge piece of my heart with her on 5/2/09, and Ekko, on 6/28/12 For the sick, the lost, and the homeless Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Energy11 Posted June 29, 2009 Share Posted June 29, 2009 I will always feed raised. Makes a lot more sense. GOOD question, though, and good one for more researching! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turbodogs Posted June 29, 2009 Share Posted June 29, 2009 It's raised feeders here too! Liz Quote HARLEY'S FUND The House of Earl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seeh2o Posted June 29, 2009 Share Posted June 29, 2009 Raised feeders, here, too. Quote Sunsands Doodles: Doodles aka Claire, Bella Run Softly: Softy aka Bowie (the Diamond Dog) Missing my beautiful boy Sunsands Carl 2.25.2003 - 4.1.2014 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Greytluv Posted June 29, 2009 Share Posted June 29, 2009 I used raised, as well. Why would raised cause bloat? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Becky__R Posted June 29, 2009 Share Posted June 29, 2009 I've always heard that raised feeders reduces neck strain and digestive problems. I've always used them, without problem. Well, I mean my greyhound has. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trudy Posted June 29, 2009 Share Posted June 29, 2009 And if you ask a different vet, they will say to use them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest CaleenD Posted June 29, 2009 Share Posted June 29, 2009 We use raised, but I was recently reading in a greyhound magazine that they actually DO increase the risk of bloat. Raised feeders makes eating easier for dogs and therefore they can eat faster, which makes them more likely to get bloat. We got 'portion pacers' for our boys. They are big weighted balls that roll around in the bowl and force them to slow down. A length of heavy chain will work too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreyTzu Posted June 29, 2009 Share Posted June 29, 2009 Raised feeder and water here. There is data both for raised feeders and against them. It's a personal choice as to what works best for your dogs. Quote Wendy and The Whole Wherd. American by birth, Southern by choice. "Do not meddle in the affairs of dragons, for you are crunchy and taste good with ketchup!" ****OxyFresh Vendor ID is 180672239.**** Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Elaine Posted June 29, 2009 Share Posted June 29, 2009 (edited) Raised feeders have been shown to increase the incidence of bloat. Raised feeders allow the dogs to gulp air when they are eating. I've had two cases of post-surgical bloat & torsion here. I'd rather deal with just about any other illness in a dog than this killer. My greyhounds eat out of their bowls on the floor. Elaine @ DM Greyhounds http://www.dmgreyhounds.net Edited June 29, 2009 by Elaine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KF_in_Georgia Posted June 29, 2009 Share Posted June 29, 2009 My guys eat from bowls on the floor. Water bowls are on the floor, too. Every once in a while, Sam gets down in his "Sphinx" pose to eat. My guys eat fast, but don't get gassy. Sam's been eating from not-raised bowls for nearly 7 years; Jacey, for more than 3 years. Quote Kathy and Q (CRT Qadeer from Fuzzy's Cannon and CRT Bonnie) and Jane (WW's Aunt Jane from Trent Lee and Aunt M); photos to come. Missing Silver (5.19.2005-10.27.2016), Tigger (4.5.2007-3.18.2016), darling Sam (5.10.2000-8.8.2013), Jacey-Kasey (5.19.2003-8.22.2011), and Oreo (1997-3.30.2006) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Greytluv Posted June 29, 2009 Share Posted June 29, 2009 (edited) How scary. I've never dealt with bloat and don't ever want to. It's hard to know what to do. Edited June 29, 2009 by Greytluv Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ahicks51 Posted June 29, 2009 Share Posted June 29, 2009 We use raised, but I was recently reading in a greyhound magazine that they actually DO increase the risk of bloat. More correctly, the only study data on the subject has shown that raised feeders are associated with a higher incidence of bloat in dogs that have been under study. However, greyhounds were not included in the study- other large- and giant-breed dogs were studied. Risk was 2.17 (117% higher) in the large breed dogs fed from raised feeders, and 1.99 (99% higher) in the giant breed dogs. (Non-dietary risk factors for gastric dilatation-volvulus in large and giant breed dogs. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 2000;217(10):1492-9.) Exercise restriction: 1.62 in the large breed dogs NOT exercised before and after feeding, and 0.94 (slightly lower) in the giant breed dogs. Water restriction: 2.31 in large breed dogs where water was withheld before and after feeding, 2.02 in the giant breed dogs. Dry food: moistened dry food was 2.80 times the risk in large breed dogs, and 0.96 in the giant breed dogs. With many of these risks come the behavior of those superstitious of such actions, i.e.: if you have a dog whose breeder tells you there is a risk of bloat, you'll probably feed them from raised feeders, restrict exercise, withhold water, and wet their dry food. That could be responsible for much of the differences seen in the study. Or, heck- maybe those things actually do raise risk. It's tough to tell from an epidemiological study. Quote Coco (Maze Cocodrillo) Minerva (Kid's Snipper) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest RocketDog Posted June 29, 2009 Share Posted June 29, 2009 When we fed kibble we did have a raised feeder, but now we feed raw and don't use the feeder. The dogs are given their portion and allowed to eat it wherever they want (we feed in the yard) and when we feed ground/squidgy stuff it's offered out of tubs placed in the grass. Their water tower is placed directly on the floor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
msjpk Posted June 29, 2009 Author Share Posted June 29, 2009 Wow!!! this is confusing. I am concerned as most grey adoptors are told to provide raised feeders. I think more data is needed as well as more experiences from you experts!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
racindog Posted June 29, 2009 Share Posted June 29, 2009 My soulmate Slim was being fed from one at the direction of a vet due to a neck problem. I knew about the greatly increased risk of bloat but trusted that the vet had weighed all the factors and made the correct decision. I was wrong. He died agonizingly after 2 coded revivals and surgery for GDV involving the spleen which resulted in DIC. He was only six years old. I cannot justify their use after this. I will not have to suffer from the guilt of it happening again to one of my beloved houndies when I obviously should know better after losing my heartdog Slim to it. So they're out of the question for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest KennelMom Posted June 29, 2009 Share Posted June 29, 2009 Our dogs eat their ground meat meal from raised feeders and their rmb meal from the floor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gazehund Posted June 29, 2009 Share Posted June 29, 2009 Raised feeder and water here. There is data both for raised feeders and against them. It's a personal choice as to what works best for your dogs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest lanielovesgreys Posted June 29, 2009 Share Posted June 29, 2009 Raised feeder and water here. There is data both for raised feeders and against them. It's a personal choice as to what works best for your dogs. I agree with this. Sol will sometimes drink out of a bowl on the ground at the dog park. He has to reach and his legs shake. I do it simply because it's more comfortable for him. I do, however, watch both dogs very closely for bloat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lflaherty45 Posted June 29, 2009 Share Posted June 29, 2009 I've been using raised feeders for 7 yrs with no problems, hopefully it will stay that way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
msjpk Posted June 29, 2009 Author Share Posted June 29, 2009 I have decided that I am going to purchase the portion control feeding bowl. It makes sense to slow the feeding down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom2four Posted June 29, 2009 Share Posted June 29, 2009 (edited) We use raised feeders too. When they try to drink from the Lab's water bowl (not raised) it looks so uncomfortable for them. Edited June 29, 2009 by mom2four Quote Tin and Michael and Lucas, Picasso, Hero, Oasis, Galina, Neizan, Enzo, Salvo and Noor the Galgos. Remembering Bridge Angel Greyhounds: Tosca, Jamey, Master, Diego, and Ambi; plus Angel Galgos Jules, Marco and Baltasar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Energy11 Posted June 29, 2009 Share Posted June 29, 2009 Oh, .... I even raise their water too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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