Dog Has Overeaten Cat Food!

[Anna H]

Could strangle that dog of mine (not literally!) right now, we went out for dinner... only to come home to two very well fed dogs.

Both of them, more obviously Chelsea, had gotten into the dry cat food bin and stuffed themselves silly. The door to the cattery had accidently been left ajar!

So, what do I do know? Chelsea would have eaten till she could eat no more... Cougar would have eaten some, but he knows when to stop so I'm not too worried about him.

GSP's are a breed at risk of bloat, she seems fine right now, but how fast do symptoms come on if it is going to occur? I daresay she would have eaten at least a kilo of the stuff :rolleyes:

Hopefully she will just sleep it off as no doubt she is feeling majorly full right now.

[Anna H]

Anyone???

I'm starting to panic that all that food could be a real problem.

[StevieandSally]

Do you think shes had much water too ?

[StevieandSally]

HEY CM I found this article, but I will go look for some more !!!!!

..............

Gastric Torsion/Bloat in Dogs

with information taken from Carlson & Giffon

(This article is dedicated to Hershey, a chocolate Labrador who died of Gastric Torsion. If even one person learns about this disorder and takes precautions, his death will not be in vain.)

If you own a deep chested dog such as a Labrador Retriever, Doberman Pinscher, Akita or Great Dane you must be made aware of Gastric Torsion or commonly referred to as Bloat.

Bloat is caused by too much gas or fluid in the stomach. This gas can extend the stomach causing gastric dilation. If the stomach partially rotates its called gastric torsion. If it fully rotates its called gastric volvolus. Each can be a life threatening problem.

BLOAT FACTS:

Dogs with bloat nearly always are between four and seven years of age. Two-thirds are males.

It usually affects dogs of the larger, deeper-chested breeds: Great Danes, German Shepherds, St. Bernards, Labrador Retrievers, Irish Wolfhounds, Great Pyrenees, Boxers, Weimaraners, Old English Sheepdogs, Irish Setters, and others of large size (58 pounds was the average size in one study) It rarely occurs in small breeds.

Dogs who bloat tend to eat large quantities of dry kibble.

They exercise vigorously after eating and tend to drink water in large amounts after meals.

They may have a history of digestive upsets (gastritis).

There may be a familial association with other dogs who have bloated.

SIGNS OF GASTRIC DILATION

The signs are excessive salivation and drooling, extreme restlessness, attempts to vomit and defecate, evidence of abdominal pain (the dog whines and groans when you push on the stomach wall) and abdominal distention. Its important to know the history of the dog. Has it eaten recently? Drunk water? Has it been running or exercising within 2-3 hours of eating?

If the dog is able to burp or vomit you can usually rest assured that the gut is not twisted. This can be treated at home. Give Mylanta by mouth. Dosage for a small dog is 6 ounces; Medium dog is 8 ounces; large dog 12 ounces. Make sure you walk the dog after giving the Mylanta until the bloat is relieved or until you can contact a veterinarian. If the bloat is relieved at home, it would still be a good idea to contact your vet to let them know the dog bloated. IF YOU ARE UNSURE, RUSH THIS DOG TO THE VET IMMEDIATELY. THIS COULD BE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LIFE AND DEATH FOR YOUR DOG. Once a dog bloats, it will usually bloat again in the future.

SIGNS OF TORSION OR VOLVULUS

The initial signs are the same for Gastric Dilation except more severe. The distress is more evident. There could be rapid breathing, pale gums and the dog may collapse. The shock like symptoms are due to the strangulation of the blood supply to the stomach and spleen. RUSH THIS DOG TO THE VET IMMEDIATELY. Surgery is needed to relieve a torsion or volvulus. The chance of a recurrence is about 15 percent.

PREVENTION

Knowing of this problem is the first part of prevention. Feed several small meals throughout the day (at LEAST 2) instead of one big meal. Keep the dog quiet at LEAST one hour before and at LEAST 2 hours after a meal. This means no roughhousing or playing. If the dog usually gets rambuncious after a meal, crate this animal. Monitor and restrict the water intake of the dog before and especially after a meal. The dog should not drink after eating dry kibble. Therefore, it is best to thoroughly soak the kibble for at least 30 minutes before feeding this to the dog. Try not to feed a kibble which expands greatly when wet. Do the kibble test overnight. Put a cup of kibble in a bowl. Add water and let soak over night. What you see in the morning is the amount of swelling this food will do in your dog's stomach. If its excessive, change to another kibble which doesn't swell as much. Always keep Mylanta on hand.

These measures may prevent some cases of bloat but will not prevent all cases. Being aware might be the difference between life and death for your dog.

OTHER ARTICLES ONLINE:

Bloat First Aid

http://www.k9web.com/dog-faqs/medical/medi...ation_and_bloat

http://www.vet.purdue.edu/depts/vad/cae/bnaprwb.htm

http://www.vetinfo.com/dbloat.html#Gastric dilitation/volvulus

http://www.eclipse.net/~bobaloo/bloat.htm

http://www.animalclinic.com/bloat.htm

http://www.vethospital.com/gdv.htm

Dr. Carlson & Dr. Giffin's book "Dog Owner's Home Veterinary Handbook" is available through Amazon Online. http://www.amazon.com

© 1998 - LRM

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[Anna H]

There was only a small bowl left out for the both of them... it hasn't been finished. She is whining a bit to go outside... do I let her have water or not?

[StevieandSally]

Thats what Im trying to find out CM.. I would suspect not but we need some help here as Im no speed reader !!

BTW this is the link to above info if you need the page it maybe easier to read that way..

http://www.woodhavenlabs.com/bloat.html

[StevieandSally]

Symptoms !

Typical symptoms often include some (but not necessarily all) of the following, according to the links below. Unfortunately, from the onset of the first symptoms you have very little time (sometimes minutes, sometimes hours) to get immediate medical attention for your dog. Know your dog and know when it's not acting right.

Attempts to vomit (usually unsuccessful); may occur every 5-20 minutes

This seems to be one of the most common symptoms & has been referred to as the "hallmark symptom"

Doesn't act like usual self

Perhaps the earliest warning sign & may be the only sign that almost always occurs

Significant anxiety and restlessness

One of the earliest warning signs and seems fairly typical

"Hunched up" or "roached up" appearance

This seems to occur fairly frequently

Bloated abdomen that may feel tight (like a drum)

Despite the term "bloat," many times this symptom never occurs or is not apparent

Pale or off-color gums

Dark red in early stages, white or blue in later stages

Lack of normal gurgling and digestive sounds in the tummy

Many dog owners report this after putting their ear to their dog's tummy

Coughing

Unproductive gagging

Heavy salivating or drooling

Foamy mucous around the lips, or vomiting foamy mucous

Unproductive attempts to defecate

Whining

Pacing

Licking the air

Seeking a hiding place

Looking at their side or other evidence of abdominal pain or discomfort

May refuse to lie down or even sit down

May stand spread-legged

May attempt to eat small stones and twigs

Drinking excessively

Heavy or rapid panting

Shallow breathing

Cold mouth membranes

Apparent weakness; unable to stand or has a spread-legged stance

Especially in advanced stage

Accelerated heartbeat

Heart rate increases as bloating progresses

Weak pulse

Collapse

[Anna H]

She's whining a bit, pacing and wont settle....

She is also thirsty, but I haven't let her have more than a few licks of water.

[StevieandSally]

Cant find any more relevant info, seems like CM is gone now so hope every thing is ok, I also found a site on how to de bloat a goat and it said stuff about not giving water but if you need that one its here...

http://kinne.net/bloat.htm

let us know how you get on CM hope all is ok *hugs*

[Anna H]

As for the distended abdomen... I mean, she's eaten a fair bit... how far does the abdomen bloat out?

At the moment, she just looks like she's eaten too much.

[StevieandSally]

Hi CM Do you have any mylanta ?

Dont know much about bloat but I think it is more a condition that can happen to an 'particular' individual, not neccessarily just because of over eating,

Have you done a search & found any info CM?

edited to add Im wondering if she will need some type of oil given , I will try now and find that on search.

Edited October 20, 2005 by rdf17

[StevieandSally]

MORE...

What are the symptoms of Bloat?

GDV begins with a variety of symptoms. If you see any of these symptoms in your dog, you should be alert to the possibility of bloat and take appropriate action:

Gagging, unproductive attempts to vomit

Foamy/slimy mucous around mouth and lips (or vomiting this substance)

Distended (hard) abdomen that sounds hollow when thumped

Accelerated heartbeat and a weakened pulse

Anxiety or restlessness, whining

Pacing, refusal to lie down

Heavy panting, salivating or drooling

Discolored gums (very red in early stages, blue or white in late stages)

Weakness and collapse

When it comes to bloat, time is of the essence. Depending on a number of factors – most of which are out of your control – your dog could have as little as 30 to 45 minutes to live after you identify the symptoms.

What are the causes of Bloat?

The short answer is that nobody really knows what causes bloat. We used to hear that GDV is caused by vigorous exercise after a large meal. The rationale was that running and jumping causes an overly heavy, bulky stomach to twist around in the abdomen. Although this was once a commonly accepted explanation, there has been no scientific evidence to support the theory. In fact, most bloat victims do not have overly full stomachs, nor have they recently engaged in strenuous activities. More recent theories suggest that for reasons unknown, the stomach's contractions lose their regular rhythm. Food, air and gas is then trapped in the stomach, and this leads to torsion. But the bottom line is this: No definitive cause of bloat has yet been identified. (Personally, I would still prevent any dog from ingesting large amounts of food or water and I would restrict vigorous exercise for an hour or two after eating.)

The following factors may influence whether or not your dog experiences a bloat episode:

Rapid eating, or ingesting a large amount of food in one session

– Instead, feed smaller meals 2 or 3 times a day

Drinking too much water before or after eating

– Monitor or ration the amount of water ingested before and after a meal

Vigorous exercise before and after eating

– Monitor and limit your dog's activities before and after meals

Feeding a low quality dog food

– Feed a quality meat-based dog food with natural preservatives

– Consider adding probiotics or enzymes to your dog's diet

– Or feed a raw diet (B.A.R.F.)

Feeding gas-producing foods

– Avoid soybean products, brewer's yeast

Emotional Disposition (possessing an anxious or fearful temperament)

– Know your dog; a "sensitive" dog may be more vulnerable to bloat

Stress (changes in normal routine, travel, boarding, etc.)

– If your dog seems prone to stress, minimize stressful situations

Heredity (having a close relative that has bloated)

– Bloat seems more prevalent in some lines, indicating a genetic predisposition

Physical Build (large dog, deep narrow chest)

– Keep your Dane at a healthy weight, neither overweight nor underweight

Age

– Older dogs are more likely to bloat than younger dog

[StevieandSally]

Good Lordy, cant find anything about giving oil to dogs but in case you need it here is one for sheep...

http://lavenderfleece.com/bloat.html

I have to go now hope you have a peaceful night with no dramas !

[Anna H]

All is well that ends well....

Took Chelsea to the emergency vet, as I figured that it isn't worth taking a chance on.

The vet was quite concerned when she saw Chelsea, as her gums were a bit pale (in this case due to abdomen pain) and her belly was pretty bloated up.

She decided the first plan of attack would be to try and make Chels vomit (in which case it couldn't be bloat) - it worked! woo hoo!

But the vet did have to come out to the waiting room to get me to look at how much Chelsea had brought up! Honestly, I have NEVER seen so much in my life - and neither had the vet (which is really saying something). Gross... but interesting.

She even made me re-weigh Chels to see the difference!

Weight on arrival 24.9kgs

Weight on departure 22.7kgs :rolleyes: That is a LOT of catfood!

I'm off to get some sleep now... thanks to those who offered help

[Gone Grey]

Oh no, how scary! So glad to hear she's all right though. Would have no idea what to do either. :rolleyes:

Nearly 2kgs of cat food!

[knobbles]

I laughed when I read the bit about stuffed themselves silly!

This happened to my dog just recently. Glad everything is ok! :rolleyes:

My girl threw up tho so I was just a little bit less stressed... but she was still bloated and the next day she did a crap that- according to my OH- would have filled a shoe box- size 9!!!!!

Now I keep something on the lid so it can't accidently pop up!

Again, so good it's all worked out.

What a pig!!!!

[Anna H]

It was pretty scary...

The vet said that with the quantity of food that she had eaten, it was a good move for me to bring her down to the clinic... her symptoms were identical to those of a dog in the very early stages of bloat (paler gums, distended abdomen, restless, whining and just 'not right') and the vet definately felt it was better to get it all out rather than leave it in if at all possible.

Obviously in our case, it was just because she was feeling very uncomfortable (can't think why! :rolleyes: ) but it could have been bloat - especially with the quantity she had eaten

[persephone]

:rolleyes: having lost my Kieran to bloat a few years back (avatar)..

PLEASE contact a vet first in ANY case of overeating, or distension of abdomen,with restlessness etc....!!!!

Speed is important here.

keep DE-Gas capsules on hand..(simethicone) can help with bloat, by dispersing gas..will NOT work if torsion, tho....do NOT rely on them

,but have on hand to use after speaking with the vet.

We are too far from a vet.. !.5 hr drive....even if I got him there asap it would've been too late....

The vets were very supportive over the phone..and I had to send him over the bridge myself to avoid him suffering any more. he had the full torsion/bloat

I am so glad she was OK, Chelsea's Mum.....

[jemappelle]

My piggy dogs have raided both cat and dog biscuits on a couple of occasions. One day I came home to find them so bloated they could hardly walk. Fortunately the only ill-effects were what came out the other end :rolleyes: Now I have barrels with screw on lids!

[rugerfly]

Oh dear...sorry i missed your question last night Chelsea's mum....mine have each done it at least a dozen times....with no ill effects except very stinky regular farts....as long as you hear and smell gass being expelled.....monitor drinking...

i believe the danger is when they eat any amount of food even smal amount and exercise prior or after eating.

Amazing how fat they get after they have eaten, they walk around and winge like, oh my god, my tummy..... :rolleyes: