# Gastropexy



## VictoriaW (Mar 16, 2011)

Hi! Has anyone out there done a gastropexy (to prevent bloat) at the time of spaying? Thoughts?


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## redrover (Mar 17, 2011)

I have not, but I have a boy dog!

I meant to reply to your earlier thread about laparoscopic spays. My vet friend said that he likes them, if the vet is experienced in them. But yeah, to make sure the vet has plenty of experience doing the laparoscopic spay. He says they're great if you're doing a gastropexy too!

That is all the knowledge I have for you. Sorry I'm not of more assistance! But thought I'd pass along what my friend said.


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## Nelly (Feb 7, 2013)

Hi VictoriaW, I've never heard of this, I take it it's not something that Vets readily offer up with a routine spay? What does it involve?


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## VictoriaW (Mar 16, 2011)

Nelly, in a gastropexy, the stomach is sutured to the abdominal wall to prevent bloat. It is done as a matter of course during spays for some high risk breeds (especially Great Danes and Dobermans). 

After some poking around, we've decided to leave this alone & keep the procedure as simple as possible. I am a wreck as it is about the spay. :-\


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## Nelly (Feb 7, 2013)

Ah I see, thanks for explaining. I know I will be a wreck too when it comes around, suppose it would be best to keep it as straightforward as possible. Good luck and i'm sure your girl will be just fine


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## hotmischief (Mar 11, 2012)

My last Dane, Angus had a gastropexy done when he had bloat at 15months.

It actually does NOT prevent a dog from having bloat, it prevents the stomach from rotating and thus cutting of the blood supply to vital organs, which is what normally kills the dog. As VictoriaW explained they stitch the lining of the stomach to the chest wall. one year after having the gastropexy, Angus had bloat again, not as bad, but sadly we lost him 18 months later at just 4yrs of age with an enlarged heart that the vet thought was probably due to the damage caused by the first bloat.


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## VictoriaW (Mar 16, 2011)

Gut wrenching, HM. So sad for Angus. :-(


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## datacan (May 15, 2011)

Poor Angus, sad :'(


I try to reduce chances of bloat by what read... Food and water bowls on the ground, rather than elevated and always rest after and before eating. Don't fill his stomach before running and always try to keep stress levels in check.


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## Darcy1311 (May 27, 2012)

VictoriaW said:


> Hi! Has anyone out there done a gastropexy (to prevent bloat) at the time of spaying? Thoughts?


 I had a Weimarener that suffered bloat and went into full gastric torsion, I was really lucky that night as I got him to the vet within 30 mins and he survived,but it was touch and go...he had his stomach wall stitched to his inside and he went on to live a healthy life for many years until Lymphoma got him in the end..but I remember my vet saying that some vets in America can now stitch the stomach wall to stop it twisting via the pets mouth without actually having so cut externally...certainly well worth con ciderind in the case of Weimaraners and Great Danes, both breeds suffer terribly from this killer condition...


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## hotmischief (Mar 11, 2012)

That's interesting Datacan - over in the UK they recommend feeding Danes at shoulder to reduce the risk. I am not sure I agree with this as, it is a very unnatural position for a dog to eat/drink at. However I do feed Fergus from a stand as he is so tall he finds it difficult to eat from the ground. Maybe this is as a result that breeders are breeding them bigger and bigger!!!

Personally I really don't think they know what causes gastric torsion - they THINK exercising too soon before and after exercise, they THINK dried food, they THINK stress, and eating too fast. I am not too sure what to believe.

Gastric Torsion is very similar to colic (twisted gut) in horses. They used give you the same advise with horses - don't exercise for an hour before or after feeding. After extensive research they have now found that this is detrimental to a horses health and can reduce performance and is highly likely to cause gastric ulcers. Extensive research has also found cereal feeds are a contributing factor. Maybe this is also true in dogs. A lot of money goes in to equine veterinary research as horses are big money.

When Angus had bloat my vet never asked what he had eaten, when he had been exercised. NOTHING. I don't think many vets collect information on bloat cases, so sadly a lot of the Do Nots are in actual fact MAYBEs.


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