Large Chested fast eaters

[Pam]

At first I thought Staci made a thread about me....

LOL! Oh Tonya!

Seriously, though, as the owner of a standard poodle (high on the list for bloat) and having had a previous standard who died of bloat, this is a subject that creates great fear in me. Thankfully Bella is not a fast eater. I have heard of placing the rocks in the bowl but haven't needed to slow her down. I am careful about not exercising her before and after meals, etc. I have read of a genetic component playing a role, and the breeder of one of my former poodles felt strongly that genetics played a large role. Stress also can contribute, i.e., a trip to the groomers or being boarded, both of which I avoid. I do my own grooming and have my dogs watched by a neighbor in my home if I go away. My granddog, Dale, a Greater Swiss Mountain Dog, also died from bloat at age 2. As I said, this whole topic creates great anxiety for me.

[shais_mom]

My granddog, Dale, a Greater Swiss Mountain Dog, also died from bloat at age 2. As I said, this whole topic creates great anxiety for me.

Dale is always the one I think of when it comes to Bloat. No matter what.
He is the reason why I posted this thread b/c I wasn't sure if Robyn knew about this kind of bowl.

[caseysmom]

Dale is always the one I think of when it comes to Bloat. No matter what.
He is the reason why I posted this thread b/c I wasn't sure if Robyn knew about this kind of bowl.

Me too

[cyber-sibes]

Sherman went through a food-bolting stage & someone here suggested I put a large plastic ball in his food bowl. (I asked PT because I remembered Dale, too) It worked well because he would eat around it ... and then take it out of the bowl after he finished with the food. After-dinner game of catch, anyone?

[Spiritwind]

I have read of a genetic component playing a role, and the breeder of one of my former poodles felt strongly that genetics played a large role. Stress also can contribute, i.e., a trip to the groomers or being boarded, both of which I avoid. I do my own grooming and have my dogs watched by a neighbor in my home if I go away. My granddog, Dale, a Greater Swiss Mountain Dog, also died from bloat at age 2. As I said, this whole topic creates great anxiety for me.

Yes.. stress can be a factor... its also thought to typically be seen in underweight dogs, dogs that are easily stressed, dogs that are nervous or nerotic.... and from what I have read, more often seen in males than females... even though the dogs I personally know of who bloated, most of them were females... the two I owned that bloated were both males though... neither of them easily stressed, underweight or nervous dogs...

Again, like I said before.. I refuse to treat my dogs like they are going to break.... groomers, boarding, dog shows... they can all be stressful places.. life in general can be stressful.. you can't avoid all stressful environments...

I can look at some collie pedigrees and say "This dog bloated at 5yrs of age, and then his mother bloated at 6yrs old, and her mother bloated at 5yrs of age....and her father died of all of the sudden, of unknown causes, they found him dead out in the dog yard - suspected bloat" etc..etc..etc.. when you see pedigrees like this, its obvious its got a genetic link..