I would be interested to learn what others think about prentative treatment for a torsion. My sisters gsd bitch wen to the vet today as I wasn't happy with my sisters description of her dogs health.
Bulging stomach for the last few days , sick 6 times last night , would not eat last night and seemingly general off colour.
Although my experience of bloat has been only once that is enough I lost my dog. I didn't like what she was saying about her dog having a rounded tummy all of a sudden.
Vet was happy it wasn't bloat (thank goodness) her dog has a temperature and has been tested now for lungworm and given baytril. Vet also suggested that as she has such a deep chest her stomach should have been stiched when she was spayed or if another operation becomes necessary to do it then. What do people think ? Is this acceptable or a bit ott.
The rest of my family are very conventional in their thoughts of dog care and would usually take their vets advise  regardless. I tend to be a bit more natural in my approach when appropriate ie raw feed and only puppy vaccines I also try not to use chemicals to treat fleas etc and prefer more natural remedies
They have now been advised to treat monthly for lung worm, fair enough and also said it can be carried on the dogs feet if they step  on slug or snail trails and also by foxes I had always thought dogs had to eat the offending creatures?

Have heard of this operation being done on breeds that are prone to torsion as routine in the USA, i.e. before they develop torsion - do not think that it has 'caught on' here as yet!!

Possibly the vet felt that she may, as her stomach was bloated, go onto to develop a full blown bloat.   It would need further discussion with the vet concerned, and the owners would have to take his professional advice after being given the full facts.

Water bowls should not be left out overnight as slugs, snails may contaminate the edges from which the dogs drink and thus infect the dogs with lungworm, it is now becoming more prevalent, possibly because the veterinary care and diagnosis is so much better nowadays.

> Have heard of this operation being done on breeds that are prone to torsion as routine in the USA, i.e. before they develop torsion - do not think that it has 'caught on' here as yet!!
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> Have heard of this operation being done on breeds that are prone to torsion as routine in the USA, i.e. before they develop torsion - do not think that it has 'caught on' here as yet!!
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Oops pressed send by mistake, i have heard of this before i believe the police do the op, not sure how true this is though, my heart goes out to you furrie friend we lost our beloved male last year to torsion at 5 years old, it terrifies me this condition now, done all the right things no feeding before and after excercise, no water gulping, small meals twice a day, it is cruel and the worst thing, 20 minutes Lardo was gone. We relive that day every single day.

It is very frightening if it occurs and there is not much time in which to do anything.  Even as you say when you do all the right things regarding feeding, exercise etc., it can still occur, and it can affect so many large breed dogs.   Sorry to hear about your boy Lardo, our girl was one of the lucky ones, and pulled through the op - still makes me frightened to leave her for an hour or so, just in case.

Is that the police in the USA or UK or both?

> Is that the police in the USA or UK or both?

UK, but i dont know if it is true or not? 

Your girl was very very lucky, our vet is 2 minutes from our house too.

I have just had a Dobermann operated on for a blockage and at the time his stomach was very extended with fluid so whilst doing the first op my vet electively stitched his stomach to the wall to prevent a torsion in the future as he thought that this could now be likely.

Sue

Yes I had heard of it in the US and if a dog has survived bloat but I was suprised that she had commented that the senior partner should have considered doing this as routine/prentstively when spaying. They have not been advised to have done now just if she needs to be opended in the future.
Vet did not seem to think it was bloat and my sister says her tummy has gone down a bit now fingers crossed it stays that way. So glad they had her checked anyway, now have to wait and see what happens with the lungworm swab. Interesting about the slug/snail trails so it isn't just eating them then glad I asked.
By the time we got my dog to the vet (4years ago) vet is only 20mins away it was too late to save her.

Was replying to your questions and pressed the wrong button and lost everything!!!!!!!

Below is a link to a vet practice in the USA for gastropexy cannot find a UK link to a practice yet

http://www.vetsurgerycentral.com/proph_gastropexy.htm

Think that it is keyhole surgery.

Also sorry to hear about your dog.

Found the following link for the UK - firstly it tells you abut lungworm then if you scroll down about preventative measures of torsion.

http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&rlz=1T4GFRD_enGB209GB209&ei=0G-JS7rUNIei0gTPy7XFCw&sa=X&oi=spellfullpage&resnum=0&ct=result&cd=2&ved=0CBAQvwUoAQ&&q=vets+practicing+gastropexy+in+the+uk&spell=1

Sorry the above link will not take you there if you scroll down the page and click on the pd 'practice news volume 1' will link into the article.

in my breed in the usa they routinely stitch stomachs back to prevent torsion. They think they are very clever and that we are comlete neanderthals here in uk for not doing it . personally I wouldnt do it. id only do it if a hound had a torsion and have it done to prevent it happening again.

Thanks dogs dinner interesting article, major surgery , not sure I would do it preventatively I tend to agree with Sam's view.
Well all seems quiet from my sister so I hope any danger of torsion has subsided and now they just need to wait for the lungworm result. Hopefully the vet was just being cautious and it is only a mild stomach upset. I really felt awful that I frightened BIL and he went flying down the vet but I suppose better that than wait and find it was bloat.

To Sam and Furrie Friends,

I knew that it was routine in the USA for certain breeds, but did not realise until looking that there were veterinary practices in the UK offering this operation as a routine preventative measure.

Even having had a dog with torsion do not know if I would subject an apparently health dog to this, although I can see if one had lost a dog or dogs to torsion that may well be something those would wish to consider to prevent the loss of another.