To be honest, before I stumbled upon this infographic, I didn’t even know bloat existed. No, not the kind of bloat that happens when you’re retaining water and your jeans won’t button quite right. Yet, it’s a serious problem and is the second highest killer of dogs (next to cancer). This kind of bloat is a serious disease that can affect any dog– and is extremely deadly. It happens when dogs have too much swallowed air in their stomach. As with any condition or disease, knowledge is power. Know the signs and immediately seek emergency care for your pet if he or she is exhibiting them:
-Dog retches or attempts to vomit and nothing comes out
-Dog becomes erractic and doesn’t act usual self
-Dog hunches up and adopts a “Sphinx” position
-Tummy swells up like a balloon, becomes tight “like a drum”, or hard
-Tries to defecate unsuccessfully
Information taken from this infographic on Pinterest, and this page at Global Span. Again, immediately take your pet to an emergency vet as bloat is deadly!