Local vet is advocating a stomach tack for our 5 moth old standard poodle, to be done while he's getting neutered. What is it? And why would it be recommended?
I lost my first Standard to bloat/torsion many, many years ago and it is an absolutely awful thing to go through, both for the dog firstly, but also for you as an owner. She was 13 1/2 at the time and not a surgical candidate and she suffered terribly until I could get to the local ER in the middle of the night. Once determined she could not be saved, I just wanted her to be euthanized as soon as possible to end her pain.
Prophylactic gastropexies were not really discussed when I had my 2nd Standard, who I let go at 15 for different issues. But when I got my current older girl, my breeder discussed with me and I discussed with my vet and I chose to have her pexied when I spayed her (I don't spay my bitches until around 2 for various reasons, I let them have a heat, make sure their growth plates are closed, etc.). But also, at that age, their stomachs are fully grown, I would not want to pexy a dog that was not done growing. I also did a pexy on my younger dog when I got her from the same breeder.
While a dog with a gastropexy can still bloat, they should not torsion (possible, but not likely), and you will have precious extra time to get to the vet with a likely much more favorable outcome as bloat is still a medical emergency which requires immediate vet attention. And the treatment for a dog which bloats is a tack anyway. Some vets don't believe in tacking as they consider it unnecessary surgery. My vet was totally on board with doing the pexies, as she said, she would much rather do the surgery on a young healthy dog (obviously only on breeds at high risk for bloat) than one who comes in already compromised and in bloat. Considering Standards are in the top 5 breeds likely to bloat, I figure anything I can do to stack the odds in my favor is a good thing. I can't tell you how many times I have read posts from people that lost a Standard to bloat because they were too far gone to even do surgery on or who were not strong enough to make it through the surgery or recovery, who said they were unaware how prone the breed is to bloat and that such a thing as a prophylactic gastropexy is available for consideration.
Of course, everyone must weigh all factors and make their own decisions, but I am happy I made the choice I did for my girls.....