There are emergencies, and then there are pet emergencies. Bloat in dogs is one of those situations that take precedence to almost any other urgent situation in an animal emergency room. Untreated, it is deadly. Even with aggressive care, many dogs who suffer from this condition will not have a good outcome.

The key to beating bloat is recognizing and treating it quickly. So do you know what bloat in dogs looks like and what you should do if you thought your pet was in trouble?

It’s easy to appreciate that veterinary diagnostics can highlight the source of an ailment – and when revealed in time, treatments are more effective. From determining the cause of illness to ruling out certain diseases, testing illuminates what is truly going on with your pet. It makes sense to rely on testing for a sick pet, but why concede to certain tests when your pet is the embodiment of health?

When I was an emergency veterinarian, I would see 2-3 patients every shift who had medical records that I needed but couldn't get.  And I'm not talking about vaccine dates or prescription refills....I mean relevant, potentially life-saving information like X-Rays, labwork results, drug doses, or even something as simple as physical exam findings.  Some of this is due to the nature of emergency medicine: we're here when your veterinarian is closed.  But try telling that to a pet owner who just spent $500 on a workup not 6 hours ago that now has to be repeated, all because those records are not available.      

Photo by Dana L. Jackson