Bloating in an Irish Setter pre and post gastropexy

RE: Bloating in an Irish Setter pre and post gastropexy

Andrew Kent — Tue, 05 Jun 2018 19:29:01 GMT

I’m sure some foods are worse from that respect but I think more to do with fermentation due to delayed gastric emptying plus failure to move on or eructate the gas that is swallowed when eating.

But consistency of food can be important with some dogs finding wet food preferable.

Andy

RE: Bloating in an Irish Setter pre and post gastropexy

Anthony Todd — Tue, 05 Jun 2018 18:39:44 GMT

[quote user="Andrew Kent"]But as the dog was bloating before the pexy it seems more likely this was a pre-existing problem.[/quote]

Sorry for my ignorance but I assume the "bloat" is gas in the stomach [mainly] which would be from certain "gas-producing" food, unless the dog is a "wind sucker" which is unlikely.

Am I correct and, if I am, wouldn't certain foods be more gas-producing than others?

RE: Bloating in an Irish Setter pre and post gastropexy

Andrew Kent — Tue, 05 Jun 2018 12:00:52 GMT

[quote user="janine redman"]They have been on sensitivity control for some time. Motions firm to normal , steroids apparently made things worse especially the dyschezia. no melaena .[/quote]

I would likely trial a novel protein hydrolysed diet such as Purina HA or RC Anallergenic.

[quote user="janine redman"]i also wonder about position of pexie as we also had one that needed revision surgery to be comfortable and normal. How do you tell?[/quote]

You can try to assess with ultrasound or consider doing a barium study, or, as David says, assess at surgery.

But as the dog was bloating before the pexy it seems more likely this was a pre-existing problem.

Andy

RE: Bloating in an Irish Setter pre and post gastropexy

David Mills — Mon, 04 Jun 2018 23:40:33 GMT

[quote user="janine redman"]i also wonder about position of pexie as we also had one that needed revision surgery to be comfortable and normal. How do you tell?[/quote]

Difficult.

Anecdote. I've seen a few that have had weird pexies. Small intestine, fundus, left sided, some broken down, others seemingly not pexied at all.

Pexy won't prevent bloat per se, but volvulus. However there may be some mechincal advantage to have the stomach pulled across as I imagine that it can prevent as great a bloat, if that makes sense.

If you're going to biopsy then you can inspect the Pexy. However, I'd probably exhaust medical options first. Buscopan can be useful for bloat and spasm.

RE: Bloating in an Irish Setter pre and post gastropexy

janine redman — Mon, 04 Jun 2018 23:17:32 GMT

They have been on sensitivity control for some time. Motions firm to normal , steroids apparently made things worse especially the dyschezia. no melaena .

not sure of dose for simeticone ?

i also wonder about position of pexie as we also had one that needed revision surgery to be comfortable and normal. How do you tell?

RE: Bloating in an Irish Setter pre and post gastropexy

Andrew Kent — Mon, 04 Jun 2018 20:18:10 GMT

[quote user="Anthony Todd"]

I'd examine the diet, both known and unknown.....

Then do diet trials, one thing at a time.

[/quote]

Agreed.

The theory in many dogs that get GDV is that they have an underlying motility disorder, sometimes we don't define what causes it but in some dogs it can be associated with underlying GI disease (most commonly inflammatory). That is supported by your low folate.

So I would typically start with a diet trial, ideally based on dietary history and potentially hydrolysed. If that doesn't help then GI biopsy might be helpful.

The other supportive treatments suggested could certainly be helpful as well.

Sometimes it can also be worth reviewing the location of the gastropexy - we have occasionally seen cases that were not pexied in quite the right location which can cause kinking of the gastric outflow tract.

Andy

RE: Bloating in an Irish Setter pre and post gastropexy

Jill Butterworth — Mon, 04 Jun 2018 18:22:04 GMT

Simeticone?

RE: Bloating in an Irish Setter pre and post gastropexy

Anthony Todd — Mon, 04 Jun 2018 16:04:48 GMT

I'd examine the diet, both known and unknown.....

Then do diet trials, one thing at a time.

RE: Bloating in an Irish Setter pre and post gastropexy

Judith Archbold — Mon, 04 Jun 2018 13:37:22 GMT

I had one of these cases in a flat coat retriever a few years ago. Had to maintain it on metoclopramide and Zantac. had to occasional mild bloat episode but mostly ok on that combination. Never found a cause for it so presumably just a neurolomuscular quirk in some dogs? NB. The dog never developped a full blown GDV but I pexied him just in case.

RE: Bloating in an Irish Setter pre and post gastropexy

Mark Hedberg — Mon, 04 Jun 2018 13:30:26 GMT

Campylobacter?

RE: Bloating in an Irish Setter pre and post gastropexy

Thomas Johnson — Mon, 04 Jun 2018 13:25:38 GMT

[quote user="janine redman"]developed full blown GDV July 2017 and went to surgery and was pexied. Surgery appeared successful but the dog continues to have issues with frequent abdominal distension in the evening , flatulence and belching and also some borborygmi. She has not really gained weight and is a poor doer with BCS 3/9 . Distension can even occur after drinking water.[/quote]

I had heard that erythromycin works better than metoclopramide as a pro-kinetic after GDVs.