« Bloat happens...A victory story about bloat recovery
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BLOAT HAPPENS...
A victory story about bloat recovery dedicated to all canines prone to bloat and to their owners
Bloat happens...
Yeah...really just like another common expression that might have come to your mind, bloat happens unexpectedly and invades your dog's and your life with negativity, pain, sadness, panic and despair. However, this article is not about spreading this kind of negativity or fear. This world is already full of it and we're not going add to it. So, on the contrary, this article is about the power of love, hope and a positive attitude in the face of danger and has a happy ending. I am not a vet, so this article is not a scientific one. It's about sharing first hand experience about bloat.
What's bloat anyway?
Let me refer to an article, "Canine Bloat" by Dr. John J. Rutherford III, D.V.M. to explain what bloat is. Dr. Rutherford states in his article:
"(...) Bloat is a serious, life threatening disease in dogs. Bloat is actually two conditions that come under the heading of one syndrome. First there is "simple" bloat or gastric dilatation; second is bloat with twisting of the stomach or gastric dilatation and volvulus. Veterinarians use the abbreviations GD and GDV to describe these clinically. I usually think of these as two syndromes in which one becomes the other; gastric dilatation becoming gastric dilatation and volvulus. So the line between the two is not exactly clear."
And further, Dr. Rutherford says in his article: “Clinically, bloat is when the stomach fills with gas and becomes distended, but the dog cannot burp or relieve the pressure exerted by the gas. Bloat with twisting or GDV is when the dog's stomach fills with gas (and often fluid) and twists 180 to 360 degrees on it's axis between the esophagus and duodenum or the entrance and exit parts of the stomach. When "simple bloat" or gastric dilatation occurs and the stomach swells, a great deal of pressure is put upon the surrounding organs including the liver and lungs interfering with the dog's ability to breath, and the blood supply to the stomach wall is decreased. |
This is very painful for the dog and quickly becomes a medical emergency. When bloat is complicated by twisting, gastric dilatation, and volvulus, the situation worsens rapidly. In addition to the pressure exerted by the gas distending the stomach, the twisting stops the blood supply to the stomach wall and the tissues themselves begin to die.” |
Shakti the Survivor
"Courage, it would seem, is nothing less than the power to overcome danger, misfortune, fear, injustice, while continuing to affirm inwardly that life with all its sorrows is good; that everything is meaningful even if in a sense beyond our understanding; and that there is always tomorrow." ~ Dorothy Thompson
My dog Shakti went through a very hard time and I do not wish that any dog and any dog owners EVER have to go through it, but maybe the reason that it happened to our beloved girl was because she has the physical and inner strength that made it possible for her to endure all the pain. She's a real survivor who went through the whole painful experience with amazing dignity, calmness and acceptance. She is my role model for enjoying all the wonderful things that life brings and accepting the negative aspects without letting them overshadow those wonderful things.
The most obedient dog
Shakti is a very well trained and very well mannered dog. When you train a dog you never know what commands might come in really handy sometime and which ones might even save a dog’s life…The day that Shakti’s health and life were in great danger I gave her a command that I really believed she would obey like she always does. It wasn’t an emergency recall…I gave Shakti the “Stay” command. I told Shakti to stay and hopefully it’s going to be a very long stay…I’m not releasing her from that one…At least not for a very, very long time…There’s a whole life ahead of her.
Good dog! Stay!
“Obedience is the mother of success and is wedded to safety.” ~ Aeschylus
The power of SHAKTI
A lot of people ask about the meaning of Shakti’s name. I guess we chose a name that Shakti really grew into and that matches Shakti’s personality perfectly, as it means “power” and “divine woman”. Although not a woman, Shakti is a powerful being in canine form and there’s this special something about her that people remark about frequently…It’s something divine, regal, gentle, beautiful, touching…Something that has touched the hearts and spirits of many and continues to shed bright light into a lot of peoples’ lives…
“From antiquity, people have recognized the connection between naming and power.” ~ Casey Miller and Kate Swift
Now Shakti’s experience can hopefully teach others to understand the symptoms of bloat, ways to prevent it and, in case of emergency, how to act fast and successfully to save their dog’s life…Shakti can use her victory over bloat to teach others that a misfortune like this doesn’t have to end in tragedy.
Symptoms of bloat: comparison of the most common bloat symptoms and the symptoms Shakti experienced
The most commonly seen bloat symptoms might include: [ii]
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Symptoms that Shakti had: |
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She had dry heaves and attempted to vomit every few minutes with no success. |
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She actually did go to the bathroom outside in our backyard and relieved herself. This part looked very normal. |
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Very visible and drastic changes in her behavior occurred. She acted unnaturally and that was one of the things that made me very concerned. |
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She was VERY restless and anxious. She couldn’t find herself a spot and also she started following me or trying to get as close as she could to me. |
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I’m not sure about this. It may have occurred but I didn't notice it if it did. |
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Yes, she had a dripping nose and was salivating. |
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Yes, the gums were white when we were looking at them in the emergency clinic. |
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No |
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Yes |
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No |
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Yes – heavy panting |
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She was able to walk at home, but she started to get weaker in the emergency clinic. She didn’t collapse at home. |
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Yes, that was another thing that was a sign to me. She’s always very obedient and one of the things she always does is to sit down at the door before I open it and let her out to the yard. She refused to do that. She couldn’t sit down or lie down. |
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No |
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No |
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Yes |
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Yes |
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Yes |
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Yes |
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No |
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No |
“Do not anticipate trouble, or worry about what may never happen. Keep in the sunlight.” ~ Benjamin Franklin
Shakti’s bloat experience diary
February 26, 2009 (Thursday)
Shakti’s a very active dog that loves working on her training skills and learning new things. However, the day she bloated was one of her quiet days. I had some work to do on the computer and Shakti was lounging about. Then I needed to water some plants in our yard and Shakti accompanied me. She sat next to me enjoying the nice day outside while I watered our plants. After I was done we went back inside and had a training session. It was afternoon. We practiced some canine tricks that didn’t involve any jumping, running or any kind of intense exercising. She cleaned up her toys by placing toys I put on the ground in the toy box. She brought the car keys on command and placed them on my lap. Her tail was wagging the whole time and she had her usual goofy and happy attitude. She enjoyed the mental stimulation she was getting as she always does. The whole session was gentle and short and then Shakti had some time to rest even though she wasn’t really tired. I gave Shakti her regular food, which is natural moist canned meat and vegetables. Again, there was nothing unusual. She isn’t an extremely fast eater and ate at a moderate speed. She doesn’t drink a lot of water in general and didn't this time. I took Shakti outside so she could go to the bathroom and she did her business. Everything was fine and she was acting normal and happy. We came back home and she had her usual “siesta” and some quiet time again. She followed a rule we’ve followed since we got her, which is to not do any running, jumping or playing before or after eating. I went back to do some more work on the computer and Shakti had a few quiet hours of sleep.The first symptoms began in the evening, fast and out of the blue. I can’t remember all the symptoms chronologically, but I know that they were coming and going. |
Therefore, when she started acting as if she was trying to hide from an “invisible monster” and trying to get as close to me as possible, it did get my attention, although I still didn’t know what was going on. My husband was working in the evening that day and he called me a few minutes after 7:00 PM to tell me that he was on his way back home. It was going to take him about an hour or so to get home. I told him about what was going on and he confirmed my thoughts and said that it sounded like Shakti had bloat. I told him I’d call him back and I ran to our bedroom to pull out a document we had printed out long ago in case of bloat emergency. It was a page with the emergency clinic’s phone number and the directions to get there. We now feel so happy that we had thought about that a long time ago, because there was no time to waste looking in a phone book or looking for directions to the clinic. |
“In the midst of movement and chaos, keep stillness inside of you.” ~ Dr Deepak Chopra
Shakti had the surgery done late in the evening and it lasted a few hours, ending sometime after 2:00 AM on February 27. The surgery went well. Shakti had gastroplexy (stomach stapling) done to prevent her stomach from twisting again.
February 27, 2009 (Friday)
We came to pick Shakti up at about 7:00 AM and the very first thing she did when she saw us was to greet us by wagging her tail with a slow and broad movement. She was walking on her own only a few hours after the operation. She was still groggy from anesthesia and had fever. |
Both the emergency clinic staff and Shakti's vets and vet techs in Fort Myers, FL did an absolutely wonderful job and provided our girl with lots of TLC. We can't even express how grateful we are to them for saving our beloved Shakti's life. |
February 28, 2009 (Saturday)
We came to pick Shakti up on Saturday morning at about 8:00 AM and we were more than happy to see a big, positive change in her. Her fever was gone and she looked MUCH better. She was happy to see us. We took her back to her vet again for more hospitalization and observation. Shakti was amazing in this whole situation. She was very patient, agreeable and trusted that we were doing what was best for her.
March 1, 2009 (Sunday)
Shakti’s recovery process at home continued. It also happened that it was Shakti’s “papa’s” birthday that day and in his words, “It is the best gift to have Shakti back home and to be seeing her getting better.”
March, 13, 2009 (Friday)
Friday the 13th was a VERY happy and LUCKY day for Shakti and her pack for a few reasons!
Shakti had a vet appointment during which all 30 stitches were removed! She was very brave and patient. She understood that we were helping her. She really likes her vet and gave her lots of kisses. Her vets did a FANTASTIC job during the whole hospitalization and healing process. Also, Shakti's heart sounded healthy and she had no fever. Shakti's general health condition was really good and improving every day. She still needed a lot of rest but we started practicing some tricks that didn't require a lot of movement and were easy on her body. The mental stimulation cheered Shakti up and brightened her up.
Shakti's vet told us that Shakti could start taking short walks again! YAY!!! Shakti had been so good about staying home and not being able to be active the way she usually is. She had lost some weight and we had made sure that she didn't get too much exercise too soon. Short walks were now ok though. Shakti was also able to start chewing her bones (with our supervision as always).
The vet said that in about a month or so Shakti would be able to go back to her normal routine and lead a NORMAL life! We were told that Shakti could go back to doing agility as well!
Also on this day, the Lexi and Shakti team received another trick dog performance title, The Intermediate Trick Dog Title, from the Trick Dog Trainers Association and Kyra Sundance! So Shakti officially became an Intermediate Trick Dog!
Note: We had applied for the intermediate trick title before Shakti's bloat incident.
View our movie showing the intermediate level tricks in our movie gallery.
April, 2009
Shakti was almost back to normal. She was back to her normal routine and she had started exercising again. We had started doing agility training again as well. The first time we went to the training facility she was SO happy to be there and to be able to do her training with Lexi. Shakti was healed.
Our prior knowledge about bloat and preventive measures we took
Many times it is only when a dog has bloat that the dog's owners become aware of the possibility of such a condition. It wasn’t like that for us. Both Mike and I were very aware of what bloat is and we had read about it years ago before Shakti had come into our lives. However, we had never experienced bloat first hand with any dogs that we had had in the past. When we were looking for a dog and found out about Shiloh Shepherds, we felt that this breed would fit our lifestyle and our personalities perfectly. We were very right about that. We also read about all the possible health issues that this breed is prone to. Bloat was on that list and we read a lot about it. |
We followed the rules of bloat prevention to the best of our knowledge from the time Shakti came to live with us. The rules about not exercising a dog right before and after feeding time were always followed rigorously. We created a schedule that was based on those principles. You might be thinking now that if we did everything to prevent bloat then it shouldn’t have happened. Well, the scientists and vets are not 100% sure about what causes bloat. So are all big-chested dogs and dog breeds prone to bloat and potentially doomed? From reading our story you might think that preventative measures are pointless because even though we tried to prevent bloat it did happen to our dog. |
Pack leadership in critical situations
"He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true, to the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion." ~ Unknown
Pack leadership is something all dogs need in order to lead balanced and happy lives, and all dogs need a benevolent leader who guides them in their lives. It is built into the canine DNA. Shakti’s always been a follower in our human-canine pack and we have provided her with pack leadership since the very first day she entered our lives and became a pack member. When our pack was struck by Shakti’s bloat, the pack leadership rules that we had lived by Shakti’s whole life became even more important than usual, because in the life threatening condition Shakti found herself in, pack leadership skills were life saving…“How can pack leadership help in a situation like canine bloat?”, you might wonder…In a canine-human relationship when a human is the pack leader, the dog follows the leader with a lot of respect and trust. Our lifetime-long strong bond with Shakti and her complete trust that we would always be there to help and protect her aided in saving her life. A pack leader always protects the pack and projects calm and assertive energy. In a critical situation it’s not an easy thing to do at all. Witnessing canine bloat is very scary and the atmosphere can become one of fear and panic. When I saw Shakti trying to vomit over and over again with no success, when I saw the desperation in her eyes when she came to me panting heavily and curled by my feet as if saying “Please, save me!”, and when I saw her crawling under my desk next to my feet as if trying to hide from an invisible enemy, it was obvious to me that there was something terribly wrong. It was also obvious that in her time of terror, my dog turned to me, her pack leader, for help and protection. I had two choices: panic with her or pull myself together and help her. The choice was very easy and it had to be made immediately.
Pack leadership is a full time job that lasts or at least should last for the whole life of a dog. Pack leaders lead and guide the pack followers and they also protect them from dangers and threats. Good leaders are consistent, clear and predictable. Being unpredictable or inconsistent with your dog brings a lot of confusion, stress and frustration to the dog. On the other hand, being very clear and consistent with your dog makes the dog feel trusting, secure and balanced.
Pack leadership is a state of mind and a way of living that shouldn’t change no matter what happens. Your dog needs it at all times. Our canine followers and companions put their trust and their lives in our hands. We owe it to them to be worthy of that trust.
I don’t know what caused Shakti’s bloat, and there were a lot things that could have gone really wrong that would have made it impossible to save Shakti’s life…There are so many “what ifs” that I have asked myself…"What if I hadn't been home?”, “What if we hadn’t know about bloat?”, “What if I hadn’t known who to call and where to go…?”
However, I have also thought about all the good things that happened that helped in saving Shakti’s life: great professionals that made sure that the surgery was successful and that helped to ease Shakti’s pain, Shakti’s vets that watched over her and gave her the kind of care that speeded up her recovery process, people who shared their knowledge and experience about bloat with us long before it happened and whose influence on us made it possible for us to be prepared for the emergency situation.
The tips
“Don't fear tomorrow just focus on the present and take it from there...” ~ Mettrie L.
• Educate yourself about bloat. Read as much as you can about it. |
• Know your dog, listen to him/her, be empathic and keep in mind that your dog’s awkward behavior, for example refusing to do something that you tell them to do, MIGHT not be because the dog is defiant but because he or she is UNABLE to comply because of physical and emotional distress and pain. Keep your mind open to those possibilities. |
Healing process
Just like in any situation after surgery, healing takes time. In Shakti’s case she had to stay at the vet for two days so that she could be monitored at all times, and was given fluids, antibiotics and pain killers. A dog that has gone through bloat needs time to get back to a normal diet and a normal routine. The body needs to heal both outside and internally. The dog needs a lot of peace and quiet to rest and sleep. It has to be monitored to make sure that it doesn’t lick the wound or try to pull out the staples. The wound has to be checked frequently to make sure that there is no infection or abnormal bruises (which can be a sign of some serious complications). Also, when the dog is ready to start going for walks, it is important to start the exercising routine slowly so that the dog’s muscles regain strength and so that the exercise is a positive experience for the dog.
Healing in heeling
I’ve always believed in the many benefits of training dogs no matter what their size, age or breed and no matter whether a dog is a working dog or just a family pet. The benefits are numerous and come from providing your dog with both physical and mental stimulation.
“Iron rusts from disuse; water loses its purity from stagnation ... even so does inaction sap the vigour of the mind.” ~ Leonardo da Vinci
A dog that is in good physical condition has more stamina to go through emergency situations like bloat. Shakti’s overall health condition is great thanks to the consistent physical exercise and mental challenges she’s been given all her life. Lifelong training has made her a strong dog both physically and psychologically. After the surgery when she came back home and was ready to become more active again, very short training sessions gave her a huge lift and made her feel positive. There’s healing in heeling…
Shakti gained a lot of positive energy from slowly getting back into the training routine that she knows so well. Training is a very familiar thing to her and familiar things bring peace and a feeling of being safe. Training is consistency and can create a calm state in a dog’s mind that replaces confusion or chaos. Training fosters serenity. It pays off in situations that you wouldn’t even think of…When Shakti was on a special diet she obeyed when I told her to “eat it”. She followed our directions in the car when we had to take her for regular vet check up visits and told her to "wait" so that we could safely remove her from the car in our arms. She couldn’t safely jump out and, because she knew how to wait, we didn’t have to worry about her hurting herself every time we transported her to the vet. She would lie down calmly when we told her to “settle” and she would not lick her wound when we told her to “leave it”. She lay down and waited patiently while all 30 stitches were removed as well.
“The main reason for healing is love.” ~ Paracelsus
A balanced life consisting of physical and mental stimulation, training and sharing affection at the right time is the best gift you can give to your dog. It may even save your dog’s life...
Life after bloat
Yes, there is LIFE after bloat and it can be quite normal, provided that you’re cautious… Even though Shakti had a gastroplexy, which is a surgical procedure in which the stomach gets attached to the body cavity, there’s still a possibility of bloat happening again.
“Life is about balance too much excess is chaos.” ~ Mettrie L.
Some of you might think that because that we were so lucky (and yes – we were lucky indeed) and Shakti’s life was saved, it would be natural for us to spoil and pamper her every day…Well…not really…We love her dearly and that is why we have never spoiled her. I believe that there’s a huge difference between spoiling and loving. Love enriches, whereas spoiling diminishes…Spoiling is detrimental, as opposed to loving, which always encourages growth and blossoming. If we started spoiling Shakti now it would be a very new and unknown situation to her which would confuse her and create chaos instead of balance and harmony in her life.
Therefore, besides obvious preventative measures that we continue to take to avoid bloat, we believe that Shakti should live her life to the fullest, continuing the routines, discipline, training sessions, physical exercise and mental stimulation that made her strong in the first place.
“An animal hasn’t lost its oneness with the totality.
It is not burdened by a continuous stream of thinking.
It is deeply rooted in Being.
It does not create a world of problems.
It is one with life.”
~ Eckhart Tolle
Shakti’s enjoying her various training sessions again: agility, obedience, retrieving, and trick training, and she smiles every time we go to work together. Not only does she continue to lead a balanced, joyful and happy life, she also shares her wonderful, powerful spirit with other canines in need. Shakti fully participates in rehabilitating fellow canines that we foster, rehabilitate and train. She’s never jealous of these dogs from shelters and rescue organizations who have suffered physical, psychological and emotional traumas. By sharing her positive attitude, her pack and her gentleness, she helps them heal and move on with their lives. She knows very well what pain is. Now she helps other dogs to overcome their own difficulties in life and free themselves from past traumatic experiences they had been through. She brings hope for a better tomorrow while being focused on all the great things that the present holds.
Good dog…S-t-a-a-a-a-a-a-y!
“No longer forward nor behind
I look in hope and fear;
But grateful take the good I find,
The best of now and here.”
~ John G. Whittier
Written by Aleksandra “Lexi" Hayden
Fine-tuned Canines Owner/Founder/Trainer
Lexi Hayden is a proud Member of the International Association of Canine Professionals: www.canineprofessionals.com
Copyright © 2009-2010 All rights reserved.
[i] Rutherford III, John J. D.V.M. “Canine Bloat”.
Internet source: www.mastiffassociation.com/assets/notes/caninebloat.pdf
[ii] Internet Source: www.globalspan.net/bloat.htm#Symptoms
Reader Comments (1)
Thanks again!
Dan and Ulric