62 Saber Tails Spring 2016

Petit Basset Griffon Vendéen Club of America

2015 AKC Canine Health Foundation Conference

by Laura Liscum on behalf of the PBGVCA Health Committee

In August, the AKC Canine Health Foundation (CHF) 

sponsored the 2015 National Parent Club Canine Health 

Conference in St. Louis, MO. Linda Murray and I attended 

the conference on behalf of the PBGVCA and the PBGV 

Health and Rescue Foundation, respectively. We both 

thought that it was a fabulous experience, with excellent 

talks, abundant opportunities to interact with the speak-

ers, and lots of free dog chow! Here is the second of two 

Saber Tails articles describing the presentations that we 

heard at the conference.

Gastric Dilatation-Volvulus

Big Problems for Big Dogs

Gastric Dilatation-Volvulus (GDV), or bloat, is a rapidly 

progressive condition that can threaten the life of your 

dog. Both inherited and environmental factors cause 

dogs to be susceptible to GDV. GDV typically occurs in 

large or giant breed dogs after a large meal, when the 

stomach dilates because of food and gas. Increased pres-

sure within the stomach may interfere with blood flow, 

cause rupture of the stomach wall, and press upon the 

diaphragm, which limits normal breathing. Even worse, 

the dilated stomach can rotate in the abdomen, which 

is called volvulus, leading to blockage of blood flow to 

the stomach and spleen. A dog experiencing GDV may 

initially be restless and unable to settle. The dog will 

pace, hunch over, attempt to vomit, and may be unable 

to stand. Left untreated, the condition can rapidly lead to 

shock and death.

Dr. Laura Nelson, from Michigan State University, ex-

plained that the large or giant deep-chested breeds are 

at even higher risk if they have a first degree relative 

(parent, sibling, offspring) who has been afflicted with 

GDV, or if they are fed one large meal per day. Dogs who 

are fearful or nervous also have a higher risk of develop-

ing GDV. Once it was thought that raising the dog’s water 

bowl could lower the risk of GDV, but that is no longer 

thought to be the case. There are no clear-cut guidelines 

for preventing GDV (with one exception, below) because 

the causes are unknown. Does the increased pressure in 

the stomach come from gulped air or bacterial fermenta-

tion? Does the stomach bloat before it flips or flip before 

it bloats? Do susceptible dogs have altered gastric motil-

ity? Dr. Nelson is testing the hypothesis that the move-

ment of material from the stomach to small intestine 

is slower in dogs that have had GDV. She measured 

stomach emptying in 80 dogs who cheerfully swallowed 

a small SmartPill that measures and wirelessly transmits 

data to a computer on the acidity and temperature in 

the dog’s stomach, the pressure within the stomach, and 

time of transit. Early results indicate that dogs who have 

had GDV have slower gastric emptying and a less acidic 

stomach. She hopes to identify biomarkers that will 

indicate that a dog is high risk for this life-threatening 

condition. 

Actually there is one way to prevent GDV; that is a 

surgical procedure called gastropexy. In gastropexy, 

the stomach is tacked to the abdominal wall so that it 

cannot twist. Gastropexy is recommended in dogs who 

have already suffered the condition. It is also recom-

mended prophylactically in dogs with a family history of 

GDV.

Dr. Elizabeth Rozanski, from Tufts University Cummings 

School of Veterinary Medicine is an emergency and 

critical care specialist who educates dog owners on the 

need to act quickly if their dogs are exhibiting the signs 

of GDV. She said that dogs with clinical signs who go 

untreated more than 5 hrs have very poor outcomes. It 

is critical to get an affected dog to the hospital where 

X-rays can be taken and the dog whisked into surgery if 

GDV is found. Of dogs who reach the emergency room 

with GDV, 20% are euthanized without treatment due to 

their advanced age, other chronic diseases that are pres-

ent, or to the estimated cost of treatment. Forty percent 

are treated and recover quickly, whereas another 20% 

recover but take longer to bounce back because their 

GDV was more advanced. Sadly, 20% die or are eutha-

nized during the emergency operation or soon after 

because intervention came too late. Dr. Rozanski said 

that a complicated case of GDV can cost from $2,000 to 

$8,000 to treat! So please trust your instincts and take 

your dog to the hospital if s/he is in distress.

You can read about the AKC CHF’s Bloat Initiative here: 

http://www.akcchf.org/canine-health/top-health-con-

cerns/bloat/