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Dogs > Medical > Digestive Problems > Bloat Bloat Digg this article Gastric Torsions: Deadly for Your Dog We all know how uncomfortable it is to have any type of intestinal woe. Imagine the agony, then, of a gastric torsion, in which the stomach and spleen can literally twist and kink. The condition is excruciatingly painful, and, if ignored, is invariably fatal.Gastric torsion cases occur most often in large-breed, deep-chested dogs, such as the Bloodhound, Labrador Retriever, Doberman Pinscher, Akita or Great Dane. This is a condition that is not connected to a dog's age or gender. In fact, cases can spontaneously occur in healthy dogs of all breeds, usually shortly after a meal. [...] Comments Email to a Friend Digg this article Bloating: Minor-Sounding Condition Causes Major Health Crises In human beings, bloating may sound like a fairly mild problem, brought on by a too-large meal or perhaps water retention.In dogs, however, bloat is only one name for a life-threatening condition that's also known as gastric dilation-volvulus (GDV), stomach torsion or twisted stomach. Affected dogs will die within several hours if left untreated, and even with treatment more than a quarter of dogs with GDV die.Bloat is a two-fold illness with several causes. First, for a variety of reasons, the stomach can fill up with air, putting pressure on nearby internal organs, on the large veins in the abdomen and the diaphragm. This in turn makes it difficult for the dog to breathe and prevents blood from returning to the heart. [...] Comments Email to a Friend Digg this article Digestive Disorders Dogs, like people, can have sensitive stomachs that are easily upset or they can literally be able to eat anything without having any troubles at all. Some breeds are known for having problems with digestion and if you have a dog that does seem to be very sensitive to changes in foods or with problems with vomiting or diarrhea it is important to talk to your vet immediately to determine if this is just a simple food related problem or if it may be the signs of problems such as worms or more serious health conditions.Most puppies and dogs will have some problems when types, amounts and even brands of foods are being changed or adjusted. Typically these conditions include food refusal, diarrhea and excessive flatulence. While unpleasant, there is little that can be done to correct these issues until the dog's digestive system has adjusted to the new food, which can take as little as two or three days or as long as a week or more. One way to minimize the chance of these conditions occurring is to very gradually change foods, rather than just suddenly feeding a new food or brand. [...] Comments Email to a Friend