[Bella's Momma]

Is bloat genetic? I saw reference to this in another thread. I assumed it was something that Standards were prone to because of the anatomy, but I hadn't thought about it being genetic.

And along those lines, what do you think of prophylactic tacking of the stomach, say while the vet is in there to spay anyhow?

 

[wishpoo]

This is my understanding :
Bloat's first and foremost cause is a "deep chest" which is more pronounced
with large breeds (Danes for example and many other ...). Since chest "deepness" is also more or less pronounced in any individual puppy - than if some particular father/mother had a very deep chest and had a bloat problem, than pups could inherit that "proneness" .

Breeders have different opinions regarding prophylactic surgery. As with anything , I guess...

I wish you the best of luck with whatever you decide to do : ) !

 

[cbrand]

All deep/narrow chested dogs are prone to bloat (Danes, Dobies, Weims etc). Being particularly large for your breed or having a nervous disposition also seem to be factors.

However, Bloat absolutely has a genetic component. Many old time Poodle breeders say that Bloat was relatively unknown until about 30 yrs ago. Some people point to the bottle neck of the Wycliffe dogs but that is just speculation. The truth is, you can see Bloat run in lines. Having a parent or sibling who bloated greatly increases an individual's risk of Bloat.

With my own bitch, I have now discovered that three of her siblings have bloated. Clearly genetic.

Bloat used to be an older Poodle disorder. You wouldn't see it until a dog was 9+ yrs old. This can make it difficult to get out of a line because a breeder may have multiple generations on the ground before they realize that they have a problem. Unfortunately we are now seeing bloat in Poodles as young as 4 yrs old.

 

[puppylove]

And so what does a person look for (or ask about) to minimize the risk to their future pet?

 

[Bella's Momma]

All deep/narrow chested dogs are prone to bloat (Danes, Dobies, Weims etc). Being particularly large for your breed or having a nervous disposition also seem to be factors.

However, Bloat absolutely has a genetic component. Many old time Poodle breeders say that Bloat was relatively unknown until about 30 yrs ago. Some people point to the bottle neck of the Wycliffe dogs but that is just speculation. The truth is, you can see Bloat run in lines. Having a parent or sibling who bloated greatly increases an individual's risk of Bloat.

With my own bitch, I have now discovered that three of her siblings have bloated. Clearly genetic.

Bloat used to be an older Poodle disorder. You wouldn't see it until a dog was 9+ yrs old. This can make it difficult to get out of a line because a breeder may have multiple generations on the ground before they realize that they have a problem. Unfortunately we are now seeing bloat in Poodles as young as 4 yrs old.

Interesting, thank you. I also had no idea a puppy was not prone. I've been very careful about her activity levels after eating, etc. Nearly paranoid about it!

Anyone have any opinions, themselves, about the surgery?

 

[cbrand]

And so what does a person look for (or ask about) to minimize the risk to their future pet?

Looking on www.poodlehealthregistry.com is good.

I also think it is helpful to ask breeders about Bloat and let them start talking. See what they know about the disorder and if they know where it occured in their line. If they don't seem to know much about it, chances are that it was not on their radar when they were breeding.

As far as the surgery goes..... get it done!

 

[MoJoMama]

Interesting, thank you. I also had no idea a puppy was not prone. I've been very careful about her activity levels after eating, etc. Nearly paranoid about it!

Anyone have any opinions, themselves, about the surgery?

I found an awesome site explaining bloat, what it is, and how it could affect you. Watch the little demo on the first page next to the pink stomach... there's a green "play" button.
http://www.michvet.com/library/surgery_gdv.asp

See, I had NO idea that this was what bloat was!! (I thought the tummy just got "bloated" because the kibble expanded too much) :doh:

Next, make sure you look down at the bottom where you can calculate your dog’s risk to develop GDV to see if you should have the preventative surgery performed. OH and it says that one of the contributing risks is having a RAISED feeding dish!!! See, I thought having a raised dish HELPED with digestion! Who knew??!! Is this right??

Very interesting!!

 

[Bella's Momma]

Thanks MoJo. Our vet said they used to believe raised dish was beneficial for bloat but no longer feel that way. I'd always thought the raised dish I saw with labs was to be easier on their hips and had no idea it was thought to help with bloat.

I wonder why advanced age increases risk? Bella is definitely an fast-eater. I put toys in her bowl to try to slow her down but it pretty much extends a 30 second meal to a 60 second meal. She does eat thrice daily, though eventually we will go to twice.