Every dog owner should know the symptoms of this fast-killing disorder.

by Shannon Wilkinson

Large- and giant-breed dogs, especially those with deep chests, are at greatest risk of bloat, but dogs of any size can be stricken. Nervous dogs and underweight individuals are also more likely to bloat than calm or overweight dogs.

Imagine seeing your dog exhibit some strange symptoms, rushing him to the vet within minutes, only to have the vet proclaim his case to be hopeless and recommend euthanasia. For too many dog owners, that’s the story of bloat, an acute medical condition characterized by a rapid accumulation of gas in the stomach.

In fact, that was exactly the case with Remo, a Great Dane owned by Sharon Hansen of Tucson, Arizona. “He was at the vet’s in under seven minutes,” says Hansen, in describing how quickly she was able to respond to Remo’s symptoms. He had just arisen from an unremarkable, hour-long nap, so Hansen was stunned…

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