What causes volvulus in dogs? Lightning-fast development of signs of volvulus in dogs

Gastric volvulus in dogs is unexpected and fatal. dangerous disease, which is characterized by volvulus around the esophagus of the spleen of the stomach and the inability to further move food. Most people who suffer from this disease are large breeds dogs: bullmastiffs, labradors, giant schnauzers, dobermans, great Danes, German, Central Asian and East European Shepherds. This incident could be caused by several reasons.

But this disease can only be cured through surgery. But even in this case, there is no exact guarantee that the result will be positive, since the animal’s heart may not be able to withstand it and become damaged.

The main danger is the rapid development of the disease. It is for these purposes that it is necessary to know the mechanism of development, causes and symptoms of the disease.

Clinical picture of the disease

Basically the situation looks like this. The animal is taken for a walk, and suddenly anxiety appears in its behavior: the dog cannot find a place for itself, groans, and its legs give out. Repeated unsuccessful gusts of vomiting appear and the stomach swells.

Deteriorates very quickly general state dogs: The eyes bulged, shortness of breath appeared, the temperature dropped, and the gums turned pale. And within a few hours the dog dies. The death is caused by cardiac arrest due to pressure on the diaphragm from the gases of the distended abdomen.

Mechanism of operation and structure of the stomach

Dog stomach- this is a bag located so that its widest part is in front, and it tapers in the back. The entrance to the esophagus is located on one side, and the exit to the intestine is on the other. The “lesser curvature” is located between them. At the entrance of the esophagus, the muscular round fold is located so that an effort is made to push the food masses, and the air consumed along with the food is pushed out.

Dogs have a special mucous membrane in their stomach that produces gastric juice to dissolve parts of food.

When empty, the stomach is located under the left rib, but when full it stretches to the lower wall of the abdomen. This ability influences the possibility of volvulus (twisting of the spleen and stomach around the esophagus).

Causes of bloat

The main cause of this disease is very difficult to identify. Basically, the disease occurs due to a whole range of factors. Among them are the following:

Stages and mechanism of disease development

This disease several stages of development:

Severe cramps are caused by accumulations of gases in the animal’s stomach, which were provoked by fermentation processes.
The spleen and stomach are twisted around the esophagus.
Pressure increases in the chest and abdominal cavity.
Violated water exchange, toxicosis begins, resulting in death.

Symptoms of gastric volvulus in dogs

After the occurrence of bloat, during the first few hours there is a rapid deterioration in the general well-being of the animal. Very often this happens after eating food and active physical activity.

In this case, the pet usually shows anxiety, experiences severe pain, and tries to find a body position in which painful sensations will be minimal. There may also be a noticeable enlargement of the abdominal cavity and frequent vomiting. But in this case there is no vomiting. And all because of the stagnation of vomit.

After some time, owners may observe phenomena such as:

Diagnostic methods

For an experienced veterinarian, in most cases making a diagnosis is not difficult. To diagnose this disease, the main criterion is the clinical picture. She will determine subsequent treatment.

Not so important additional examinations. They very often simply take up time to help the pet, of which there is already little in this situation. Radiography is considered relevant, since its results can be obtained within a few minutes. Other studies become useful only after the operation, if it is necessary to determine the condition of the animal.

Differential diagnosis

Such a diagnosis consists in making a diagnosis by taking into account the similarity of the clinical picture of this disease with a similar one - acute dilatation of the stomach. This disease is a bloating of the stomach without torsion, which was provoked by acute cramps or by blocking access to the intestines due to mechanical damage.

Despite the similarity of these diseases, their treatment is different.

If doubt arises when making a diagnosis, a gastric x-ray is taken and the images are analyzed . The following factors are taken into account in the analysis:

Have the spleen and intestines moved to the right hypochondrium?
Has the shape of the stomach, which is filled with gases, changed?
Has the sphincter that separates the esophagus and stomach become displaced?

If the images show all these changes, then gastric volvulus is diagnosed.

Stages of treatment of the disease

Treatment is based on test results obtained after examining the animal. Appropriate medical care is being developed, which consists of the following stages:

Preparation for surgery. It includes the management of dehydration, hypoxia and pain shock.
Appropriate and correct medical intervention.
Functional restoration procedures digestive system and prevention of complications.

Preoperative preparation and anesthesia

Preparing an animal for surgery consists of several stages:

Reducing pain.
Elimination of problems with pulmonary heart failure.
Restoring water balance in the body.
Elimination of hypoxic and toxic ailments.

In order to solve these problems, the following measures are being taken:

An internal catheter is placed. Through it, antispasmodics, antiemetics and analgesics enter the animal’s body.
In order to relieve pressure on the chest, the stomach is pierced with a long needle.
Anesthesia is provided.

In order to eliminate the possibility of aspiration syndrome, anesthesia is performed using tracheal intubation. Anesthesia is performed with the following drugs: Ketavet, Rompun, Propofol and others. A huge role in the successful outcome of a surgical intervention is played by the coordinated actions of the anesthesiologist and the operating doctor.

Surgical options

After preparation for surgery, the animal is placed on its right side and left side An incision of 2-3 centimeters is made on the lower thigh. After this, the stomach is additionally pierced to completely remove gases. The doctor turns it manually counterclockwise. After the organ has been returned to its correct position, it is necessary to evaluate the condition of its partitions. The risk of a negative outcome increases if more than ¼ of the organ is damaged.

If a decision has been made to perform an operation, the assistant places a probe through which food masses are removed. After removal, the organ is washed saline solution. The operation ends with gastropexy, that is, the attachment of an organ to the abdominal cavity for further prevention diseases.

It is important to choose the right place for gastropexy, since it is thanks to this that subsequent restoration of the organ is possible.

The duration of such operations ranges from 30 to 90 minutes. This technique is the most common and known to any veterinarian.

If the animal was taken to the clinic within 4 hours after bloat, it is possible to perform a truncal vagotomy. This option reduces the risk fatal outcome until 3%.

Vagotomy and indications for its implementation

Vagotomy - surgery which consists of cutting the main trunk vagus nerve. This method is the most effective.

Indications for this operation:

No more than 4 hours should pass from the appearance of the first symptoms of bloat.
The animal should not have severe complications that may affect the result surgical intervention.
The patient's condition should be relatively normal and he should be able to withstand additional time.
Postoperative period and possible complications.

Attention, TODAY only!

Volvulus in dogs one of the most lethal diseases in dogs, the probability of death without intervention is 100%. A volvulus is a twisting of one part of the stomach. It is possible to rotate the entire stomach relative to the axis. The disease is particularly serious, but the operation is successful.

Symptoms of volvulus in dogs

Diagnosis of the disease can also be done over the phone. Since volvulus has very characteristic symptoms:

laziness and fatigue;
difficulty breathing (bloating puts pressure on the lungs, making it difficult for them to function normally);
severe pain in dogs accompanied by slight vomiting;
because of severe pain it is difficult for the dog to stand;
in the final stage, vomiting is accompanied by blood and feces;
shutdown in unconsciousness(when the pain threshold is exceeded, the dog may pass out);
bloating (depending on the stage and complexity of the disease, it manifests itself from a small to a huge bag in the abdomen);

These are the main symptoms for which surgery is prescribed, since postponing has risks.

In cases where assistance to the animal is not provided in a timely manner due to compression blood vessels blood supply in the abdominal cavity is disrupted internal organs, in some cases causes complications with the heart. A severely distended stomach puts pressure on the diaphragm, which can lead to suffocation.

Causes of volvulus

Based on the experience of veterinary clinics and ongoing research, the main causes of volvulus in dogs are recognized as:

genotype of the dog (large breed dogs are predisposed: shepherd dogs, bloodhounds, St. Bernards, Rottweilers, etc.);
overfeeding the animal (in 90% of cases this is what causes bloat);
hormonal imbalance (affects the elasticity of ligaments and muscles);
active games and walks immediately after meals;
animal stress (stress can be caused loud sound or moving by car, as well as other reasons);
congenital deformity of the stomach.

Correct diagnosis will protect your pet.

To prevent the occurrence volvulus in dogs It is required to limit the amount of one serving of dog food, and also not to walk the dog immediately after feeding. Proper feeding and knowing the symptoms ensures your pet's health is safe.

Intestinal volvulus in a dog is a rather rare ailment in which one intestine turns around the other along the longitudinal or transverse axis. The problem is accompanied by a violation of homeostasis with an acute expansion of symptoms. Only a professional can deal with the problem, not without surgical intervention. Otherwise, it is worth talking about death.

What are the dangers of volvulus in a dog?

Taking into account the statistics, it is mainly large breeds that suffer from the disease. There are many provoking factors for health problems, and treatment is exclusively surgical, which does not guarantee a 100% result, because the pet’s heart may simply not cope with the load.
The main danger of the disease is the extremely rapid development of the disease. An inexperienced owner notices that something is wrong with the pet, but does not have time to listen to the advice of all friends and acquaintances in search of a solution to the situation, when the very moment of acute crisis occurs.

As a rule, everything goes according to the following scenario: the owner, as usual, goes for a walk with the dog, but out of the blue it begins to behave incomprehensibly: barking, moaning, vomiting, running in circles. With every second, the condition begins to worsen (shortness of breath, bulging eyes, pale gums, decreased body temperature). A couple of hours later - death due to cardiac arrest.

Symptoms of the disease

Signs of volvulus in dogs is a rather sensitive topic. It should be noted that the manifestation of symptoms allows us to determine with almost one hundred percent accuracy that this is a volvulus. And it would be a real crime to ignore them. Main features:

Sudden bloating, increase in volume;
Hard breath;
Increased salivation;
Weakness, unconsciousness;
Restlessness, fussiness.
The dog's state of shock is associated with insurmountable pain and compression of the abdominal cavity, as there is a narrowing of the peripheral vessels, which significantly impairs the blood supply to the internal organs.

A significant enlargement of the stomach puts pressure on the diaphragm, which leads to respiratory failure. Arrhythmia often occurs as a complication of the heart. Symptoms of volvulus in dogs are the first sign that it’s time to consult a specialist.

Causes of volvulus

Unfortunately, the problem has not been fully studied, so it has not yet been possible to establish all the causes of the disease. A number of factors giving rise to the anomaly have been established for certain.

Of course, it is worth taking into account some characteristics of the breed, including the physique and age of the individual. Separately, it is worth noting that this parameter is almost the main one in determining the susceptibility of a four-legged animal to health problems.
Large individuals over 25 kg are especially at risk. This is due to the fact that the weight and “looseness” of the pet are reflected in the weakness of the ligaments. This condition does not allow the animal to maintain its stomach in its traditional position. In addition, age directly affects the objective possibility of gastric volvulus based on volume chest, as well as the shape of the abdomen.

True, a number of researchers believe that there is a relationship between the width and depth of the chest with the potential for volvulus. However, based on the fact that a number of racing greyhounds have a narrow and deep chest, but volvulus is rare in them; rather, this is an exception. The only logical explanation is that the cause of the problem is not due to the chest, but due to the strength of the stomach ligaments.

Unbalanced diet. Most owners do not feel any danger in feeding their pets food not intended for animals, or even providing their own food. Unfortunately, such a diet cannot be called balanced for dogs, which becomes a direct cause of stomach complications. In a situation where the qualitative-quantitative balance is replaced, you can get stretching of the stomach walls. Eating more than normal will affect the weakness of the walls.

Attention! Those who like to fatten their pets to their fullest automatically place them at risk.

There is also a genetic predisposition to the occurrence of health problems in four-legged animals. Genetics cannot be ruled out. Before buying a puppy, you can spend some time finding out its pedigree and medical history. Of course, even though the unique gene responsible for stomach problems has, alas, still not been identified, researchers are unequivocal in their opinion that heredity is an authoritative criterion that causes the disease.

Rarity of meals.

Most owners are similar in their penchant for simplicity. It’s much easier to feed your pet once, but a lot, than to navigate by the clock, especially with today’s pace of life. But this attitude to nutrition can play a cruel joke, leading to a number of problems.
Rushing during a meal involves swallowing air. As a result, this leads to bloating and, accordingly, volvulus.

Activity and physical activity immediately after eating are prohibited. Researchers have long agreed that the likelihood of volvulus is extremely high when the stomach is full. Currently, this hypothesis is open and available for discussion, since the number of dogs injured in such situations is very large.
Situations where the provocateur of the disease is gastrointestinal pathology are quite rare:

Gastritis;
Duodenitis;
Tumors,
Interfering with the proper functioning of the stomach.

Recent studies have made it clear that cheerful pets extremely rarely suffer from this disease. This is what prompted the idea that the connection between psychology and physiology can still be traced.

Treatment of this disease

IN emergency Gastric volvulus in dogs should immediately take your pet to the veterinarian. If you don't want to bring it to extreme measures, then the disease can be diagnosed based on a photo of an x-ray of the abdominal cavity.

To perform the operation, a certain preoperative set of procedures is required, including: infusion therapy, administration of analgesics and hormones, sedatives, antispasmodics and antiemetics. During the infusion process, the stomach is pierced with a large-diameter needle to reduce pressure on the abdominal cavity.
Next, they begin the actual operation, during which the stomach unfolds in order to get rid of feces from the stomach. This is followed by gastric lavage. The apogee of the operation is considered to be suturing the stomach to the wall of the abdomen so that it subsequently acquires its normal shape.

If part of the stomach becomes necrotic, you should get rid of it. In situations of parenchyma rupture, the spleen must also be removed.
The rehabilitation period for a dog is two to three days of inpatient observation, during which it is injected with antibiotics and is not fed for a day after surgery.

Preventive measures

Measures to prevent the disease can be called attention to your pet, since it is attentiveness to its diet, activity and rest regime that will be the key to preventing the disease.
To minimize the risk of illness, you should adhere to certain rules. For example, it is worth feeding the animal often in small portions 2-3 times a day, and only with high-quality, easily digestible types of food. Load the dog physical activity, walking, or forcing him to run after eating is not worth it. Minimize stressful situations for a quadruped.

If symptoms occur, you should immediately contact your veterinarian. Delay in emergency situation with professional intervention it will shorten the pet’s life several times, even to the point of death.

There is no less danger in postoperative period- a period when the four-legged animal is extremely susceptible to pathogens. Therefore, to avoid complications, you should strictly follow all the veterinarian’s instructions.
The main thing is to understand that whether it is hair loss or even volvulus in dogs, you are obliged to solve this problem. In this case, the classic phrase that comes to mind, painfully known to all pet owners, is that the owner is responsible for the one he has tamed.

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Gastric volvulus in dogs cannot be called a rare pathology; it is quite often diagnosed in our four-legged friends. Moreover, it arises unexpectedly, develops rapidly, and the owner has only a few hours to deliver the pet to veterinary clinic, otherwise the animal will die. How does such a dangerous pathological condition manifest itself, and what methods are used to treat it?

This disease is due to the fact that, unlike the human stomach, the dog’s stomach is very weakly fixed, in addition, it is located horizontally. All this significantly increases the risk of twisting of the organ around the esophagus and contributes to the development associated complications. This disease has not yet been fully studied, but experts still identify a number of factors that provoke gastric volvulus:

Dimensions, body weight and age of the dog. In large, massive individuals, the internal ligaments are stretched more intensely, so they quickly lose their elasticity. They are not able to fix the filled organ in the desired position, which leads to its twisting.
Unbalanced diet. Dogs, in fact, are carnivores, which many owners forget about by including a lot of grains and vegetables in their menu, or feeding the dog with low-quality dry food. Both are wrong, since 70-75% of your pet’s diet should consist of meat ingredients. The dog does not receive the necessary components and begins to eat more, which increases the load on the gastrointestinal tract. The walls of the stomach become greatly stretched, become thinner, and their elasticity decreases.
Irregular, rare meals. Dogs that are fed once a day or less frequently are at risk for gastric volvulus.
Eating food quickly. Pets who actively consume food, practically without chewing, swallow a lot of excess air, which causes the organ to expand.
Walking immediately after feeding. If the owner feeds the pet and immediately takes it outside, then the stomach, filled undigested food, can stretch and twist when the dog is actively moving.
Heredity. If the puppy’s parents suffered from a similar pathology, then it may later manifest itself in him.
Stressful situations. According to statistics, anxious, restless dogs that have suffered a nervous shock are more likely to suffer from bloat.

More often, gastric volvulus develops in representatives of large and giant breeds: bullmastiffs, Dobermans, Labradors, etc.

Symptoms of gastric volvulus in dogs

The pathology develops so quickly that within an hour or two the dog develops pronounced symptoms:

general condition worsens sharply (with activity after feeding);
the pet is anxious, constantly fiddling around in search of more comfortable posture, which can reduce pain symptoms;
frequent bouts of vomiting with copious discharge salivary mucous fluid that does not stop after emptying the stomach;
the volume of the abdominal cavity increases rapidly; when listening, strong gas formation can be detected, but there are no sounds of intestinal activity;
blueness or pallor of the conjunctiva, nasal mucosa, mouth, and genitals occurs;
shortness of breath appears;
body temperature decreases;
due to the fact that the pathology leads to compression of blood vessels and nerve trunks, it is more and more difficult for the dog to rise.

The owner who discovered similar condition Unfortunately, the pet will not be able to help him on his own. Here it is important not to get confused and take him to the veterinary clinic as soon as possible.

Diagnostic methods

First of all, veterinarian examines the dog, palpates the peritoneum. Afterwards, he collects an anamnesis, interviewing the owner, especially important information are what the dog ate, how long ago and how much.

As the main diagnostic method An x-ray of the peritoneum is prescribed. Usually this is enough to identify any violations that have occurred. In some clinics, an ultrasound examination is performed instead of an X-ray.

It is possible to confirm the occurrence of gastric volvulus by inserting a gastric tube. The tube releases excess gases that fill the stomach, providing short-term relief. But gas accumulation continues, and after some time abdomen swells again. This is what it is a clear sign gastric obstruction.

Naturally, for similar procedure Certain skills are required, so it must be carried out by a specialist.

Treatment of gastric volvulus

No pills or physical procedures can rid an animal of this pathological condition. Required in mandatory carrying out the operation. And the sooner a bloat is diagnosed and a four-legged patient is operated on, the more likely that the pet will recover.

The intervention is carried out urgently; in some cases, surgeons make a puncture abdominal wall to release excess air and reduce pressure on the organ.

The operation includes the following steps:

the surgeon cuts a small section of the abdominal wall;
gives the twisted organ a normal position;
fixes the stomach using a special technology that subsequently prevents the organ from curling up - suturing it to the abdominal wall;
Using a probe, the specialist empties and rinses the affected organ;
if in progress surgical manipulation dead tissue is detected, then its excision is required;
Finally, the abdominal cavity is washed antiseptics, examines for bleeding;
at the end of the procedure, if the surgeon is satisfied that there are no complications, he will stitch the incision.

After surgery, the four-legged patient is prescribed a series of tests and ultrasound to identify possible violations in the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. If pathologies are detected, the doctor treats them. In certain situations, after surgery, the patient needs parenteral nutrition.

The duration of the recovery and rehabilitation period is determined by many factors - the severity of the disease, the presence of complications and other ailments, age characteristics dogs. Young animals rehabilitate much faster than their older counterparts. Usually the animal is in the hospital for 2-3 days; in a complicated condition, it takes about 4-5 days to recover.

The pet must fast for two days, and its stitches are treated daily. The wound left after the operation is covered with a bandage. To avoid the development of infection, the dog is prescribed antibacterial agents, in addition, the doctor may recommend taking supportive and antiemetic medications. Suture material removed after 10-14 days.

What can this condition be confused with?

Signs of volvulus are similar to those of acute gastric dilatation. Only on the second pathological condition twisting of the organ does not occur; only swelling occurs due to accumulated gases. At acute dilatation It is enough to use a probe; less often, gases are released through puncture of the stomach walls - a specialist pierces the organ with a sharp needle, and gases come out through the holes.

The procedures relieve the patient from unpleasant manifestations. This disorder is not dangerous, but very often volvulus develops after such a pathology, so the dog needs to be examined.

Gastric volvulus is a serious pathology, the development of which is much easier to prevent than to send your four-legged pet to the operating table. The owner should take care of the correct good nutrition dogs, adhering to certain rules, and ensure good conditions content. You should be especially careful with older animals, because it is much more difficult for them to cope with various kinds diseases.