The dog has a hard, distended belly. Causes and Treatments for Bloating in Dogs

Enlargement of the peritoneum in a dog can be:

as a result of errors in feeding (large amounts of sweets, foods with “fast” carbohydrates - flour and bakery products, also provoked by cabbage, legumes, whole milk, fresh fruits, a sharp transition from one food to another);
due to active training after meals;
as a consequence of serious pathologies - abdominal dropsy, helminthiasis, pyometra, ascites, peritonitis, gastric volvulus or rupture of the organ wall.

Signs of bloating: the volume of the abdomen increases sharply; with acute expansion, the dog cannot move, the animal may worry or, conversely, be in a lethargic, apathetic state, in severe cases stupor develops due to poisoning by toxic products and severe pain, increased fermentation is accompanied by flatulence, rumbling in the pet’s stomach, vomiting and diarrhea appear.

Ascites

At home, to confirm bloating, you should take measurements with a centimeter ruler (but you need to know the parameters in healthy condition). The veterinarian will comprehensive examination, which includes an ultrasound, if indicated, an x-ray of the abdominal cavity, and if worms are suspected, a scatological examination.

You can give your dog Enterosgel, Espumisan, Maalox, Smecta on your own. Vaseline oil, Duphalac are used only on the recommendation of a veterinary specialist for gentle cleansing intestines. From funds traditional medicine good therapeutic effect Dill water helps with flatulence.

IN acute cases A food tube is inserted to remove gases. Puncture with a trocar is also used abdominal wall. Pain syndrome eliminated with antispasmodics and analgesics.

If a pathology is detected, the animal is kept on a starvation diet for 8-12 hours and only then begins to be fed in fractional portions. Feeds that cause fermentation and bloating must be excluded.

Afterwards, it is recommended to switch to premium and super-premium food.

For more information about what can cause bloating in a dog, as well as ways to get rid of it and preventive measures, read our article.

Read in this article

The owner often encounters an increase in the volume of the four-legged pet's peritoneum. In most cases, the symptom is associated with errors in feeding. However, the cause of bloating in a dog can be more serious pathologies– dropsy of the abdominal cavity, helminthiasis, pyometra, ascites, peritonitis. It is important for the owner to promptly recognize the cause of the pathology and take appropriate measures.

The digestive system of carnivores, including domestic dogs, is not genetically adapted for consumption large quantity carbohydrate foods. In this regard, violation of the principle rational nutrition pet is the main reason increased gas formation. If household members pamper the dog with sweets and foods related to the so-called “fast” carbohydrates, then sooner or later bloating occurs.

Carbohydrate foods cause the body to spend more time digesting them than breaking down protein ingredients. This disorder is accompanied by the accumulation of bacteria, the main food of which is monosaccharides. This leads to the formation of large amounts of gas in the stomach and intestinal tube.

To the products causing bloating stomach and increased gas formation, include, first of all, sweets, flour and bakery products, as well as vegetables such as cabbage and legumes. Dairy products, especially whole milk, can also cause fermentation in the intestines. When feeding your pet fresh fruit You should also know that many of them (apples, pears, grapes, peaches) cause bloating.

A sudden transition from one food to another can also provoke a problem. The body does not have time to adapt, production failure digestive enzymes leads to increased gas formation.

Experienced dog breeders and breeders note that the disease can manifest itself in a four-legged pet if the owner carries out active training immediately after feeding. Physical exercise after eating can lead to increased gas formation due to impaired digestive function.

Severe bloating and gas formation

In addition to problems with feeding, an increase in abdominal volume in four-legged pets can also lead to more serious reasons. Thus, according to veterinary specialists, acute bloating in the abdominal cavity can be caused by ascites, in which pathological accumulation of fluid occurs in the peritoneum. Dropsy is not an independent disease, but indicates a circulatory disorder, cardiac disease, kidney problems, etc.

Such a severe pathology as peritonitis also leads to sudden bloating. As a result of purulent inflammation of the peritoneum, it is filled with exudate, blood, and lymph. The condition is life-threatening for the animal and requires immediate qualified assistance.

One of the reasons that an owner observes a sudden enlargement of a dog's abdominal cavity is. Purulent inflammation the uterus is accompanied by discharge increased amount gases Clinically, the owner observes dangerous disease sudden swelling dog's belly.

One of the life-threatening causes of a sudden increase in the size of the abdomen is a volvulus of the stomach or a rupture of the wall of the organ. This condition is most often diagnosed by veterinary specialists in representatives large breeds. As a result of the rapid filling of the hollow organ with gases, its strong expansion occurs. The enlarged stomach puts pressure on the heart muscle through the diaphragm, which in some cases leads to sudden death in individuals of giant breeds.

Considering the seriousness of the reasons leading to bloating, the owner must be able to recognize in which situation it is all about increased gas formation due to foods, and in which condition it can threaten the health and life of a four-legged friend.

Signs of Imbalance

Pathology, accompanied by increased gas formation in the intestines and bloating, can occur in acute and chronic form. The chronic course in most cases is caused by errors in feeding and helminthiasis. The greatest danger to a pet's life is acute course illness.

The volume of the abdomen increases sharply. With acute expansion, the dog cannot move.
The animal may be worried or, conversely, be in a lethargic, apathetic state. In severe cases, the dog develops stupor due to poisoning by toxic products and severe pain.
Increased fermentation is accompanied by flatulence.
You can hear rumbling in your pet's stomach.
Vomiting and diarrhea often accompany acute expansion of the stomach under the influence of accumulated gases.

When chronic course pathological symptoms are not pronounced.

Diagnosis of the condition

If there is a tendency to the disease, the owner should carry out a control measurement of the widest part of the pet’s peritoneum. Make this more convenient using a measuring tape. The measurement is carried out in a healthy state of the animal. Knowing the approximate parameters of your pet, it will not be difficult for the owner to identify bloating and seek qualified help.

In a specialized institution, the animal will undergo a comprehensive examination to determine the root cause of the pathology. Ultrasound diagnostics will exclude diseases accompanied by bloating, such as pyometra, peritonitis, ascites. IN mandatory exclude such dangerous pathology like a stomach volvulus.

In acute cases, when the stomach is dilated, the dog is given a feeding tube to remove gases. A puncture of the abdominal wall with a special instrument (trocar) is also used. Pain syndrome is relieved with antispasmodics and analgesics. If the stomach wall ruptures, emergency surgery is performed.

What to give at home

If a veterinarian has ruled out a cause of pathology that is life-threatening for the pet, the owner can give the dog sorbents, for example Enterosgel, Espumisan, Maalox, Smecta, to reduce cramps and gas formation for the sick pet when the abdomen is bloated.

In some cases, laxatives, and even more so an enema, can worsen the condition of a furry patient. That's why Vaseline oil, Duphalac is used only on the recommendation of a veterinarian for a gentle cleansing of the intestines.

Among traditional medicines, dill water provides a good therapeutic effect for flatulence.

About how to use Smecta for pet, watch in this video:

What to feed the animal

It is impossible to eliminate bloating caused by nutritional causes without adjusting the diet. First of all, foods that cause fermentation should be excluded - whole milk, table food, bran, vegetables. Veterinary experts unanimously recommend feeding a dog with bloating with premium and super-premium industrial food.

Ready-made formulations are not only balanced in terms of nutrients, vitamins and minerals, but also do not contain components that cause fermentation in the digestive tube.

It should be noted that if a pathology is detected, the animal is kept on a starvation diet for 8-12 hours and only then begins to be fed in fractional portions.

The animal's diet should be based on industrial feed High Quality.
Active physical activities with your pet immediately after eating. The dog should be fed after a walk, at least 3 times a day.
The introduction of a new food or ingredient should be done gradually.
If the dog increased appetite, then in order to avoid rapid swallowing of food, it is necessary to purchase special maze feeders.

Bloating and increased gas production in dogs is quite common. Pets of large and giant breeds are most susceptible to acute dilation of the stomach. The owner should understand that an increase in abdominal volume can be a consequence not only of increased gas formation, but also of such dangerous diseases as pyometra, ascites, and peritonitis.

A timely visit to a veterinarian will not only help alleviate the animal’s suffering, but in some cases will save lives.

Useful video

Watch this video about the causes and symptoms of ascites in dogs:

Dogs, like all predatory animals, are alien to foods containing “fast” carbohydrates. The pet will be grateful for a piece of bun, but it can play a cruel joke on the animal’s body.

Bloating in a dog: causes

Consumption of foods that carry “quick energy,” including vegetables, provokes the fermentation process. The bacteria that cause this process feed on sugar and at the same time release gas, which, collecting in bubbles, accumulates in the intestinal cavity and stomach. If the pet is strong, then gases are released through anal hole naturally.

How can you help an animal that is constantly swelling?

To reduce gas pressure, Espumisan and other analogues of children's medications can be given;
To activate the intestinal microflora, we give Hilak Forte at the rate of 1 drop per 1 kg of weight;
To relieve irritation and swelling, we use Enterosgel and Smecta;
Duphalac will gently cleanse the intestines.

These “human” drugs can be used when there is no alternative. It is better to use special veterinary means or show the animal to a doctor who, using special veterinary equipment, can accurately determine the diagnosis and prescribe treatment.

If the problem is solved, congratulations! Analyze your pet’s diet and draw conclusions by elimination.

What to do if the symptoms only worsen:

the dog whines, hind legs tense, the stomach is even more inflated;
saliva flows profusely;
vomiting appeared.

If vomiting begins, give your dog Rehydron, which will protect against dehydration. It may happen that after vomiting 1-2 times, the pet will feel relief. This suggests that the body coped with the problem on its own. If vomiting was repeated more than 4 times during the day, the mass yellow color, with foam and a pungent odor - immediately go to the vet!

Leaving an animal with a bloated belly for more than a day without qualified medical care dangerous. The fact is that swelling displaces the ligaments that fix internal organs. An awkward movement or jumping off the sofa can trigger bloat, and that will be a completely different story.

Treatment for bloating in dogs

Peritonitis, pyometra, ascites - these serious illnesses Dogs can only be identified by a veterinarian. In an advanced state, the owner is usually offered the option of euthanasia.

Rapid abdominal enlargement in dogs, especially if it occurs over a short period of time (from 2-3 hours to 2 days), is very alarming symptom. In such cases, urgent help from a veterinarian is needed, because delay in examination can kill the animal.

What causes painful abdominal enlargement

Painful and dangerous to a dog's health, bloating occurs for a number of reasons:

Violation of feeding rules, including the presence in the diet of bulky, easily fermented feed (bread, rolls, etc.), improper diet, and sudden movements by the animal while eating. All this can lead to volvulus.
Lack of regular walks.
Fluid accumulation as a result of liver disease, heart failure, trauma (bleeding, congestion Bladder). This can be checked. Take the animal in your arms and try to apply gentle pressure with your palm on one side of the abdomen. The hand placed on the other side will feel the flow of liquid.
Accumulation of gases during peritonitis.
Inflammation of the uterus in females.

How to spot painful bloating

Among the symptoms that accompany painful abdominal enlargement are:

restless state of the dog;
vomiting with mucous secretions;
rapid heavy breathing;
swelling of the dog's sides in a short period of time.

What will the vet do?

In the most severe cases, no more than 10 hours pass from the appearance of the first signs of bloating to possible death, so you need to see a doctor as quickly as possible. At the clinic, the dog is examined, examined (x-ray, ultrasound, etc.) and diagnosed, after which treatment is prescribed depending on the complexity of the situation.

So:

In case of ascites (impaired liver function, heart failure), diuretics are used, the animal is given vitamins and special medicines. The fluid is removed by puncture of the abdominal wall.
In case of intestinal volvulus, immediate (within 4-6 hours) surgical intervention is performed.
Surgery is also required in case of endometritis.

Help from professionals

In our clinic, your pets will receive appropriate veterinary care as quickly as possible. You can bring your dog to us or call a doctor to your home. We guarantee careful attention to the four-legged patient, effective treatment according to exactly established diagnosis, constant monitoring of the condition of a recovering four-legged patient. We will do everything to make your dog active, vigorous and cheerful again.

It is quite normal for young puppies to feel very bloated after eating. But if the size increases greatly, it may be necessary to give food more often, but in smaller portions. For adult animals, it may also be beneficial to feed two or more smaller meals, especially when dry complete foods are used.

If puppies big belly, in the front and back they are thin and they have bad wool, then this may be a sign that they are suffering from helminths.

The most common causes of abdominal enlargement are dilatation of the stomach and its torsion. This condition is characterized by sudden swelling of the stomach, which is usually filled with digesting food and gases. This condition becomes more complicated when the stomach twists, blocking the entry from the pharynx and exit into the small intestine. This disease most commonly affects dogs weighing 40 pounds (18 kg) or more.

Symptoms Sudden enlargement of the abdomen soon after eating. The stomach becomes swollen, hard and stretched, which is easily observed as it happens very quickly. The dog is showing signs of severe pain as well as difficulty breathing. In addition, there may be a urge to vomit and defecate, but when the stomach is twisted, nothing can come out.

Causes. Causes of occurrence this state have not yet been clearly defined. It is believed that this condition can be caused by excessive exercise after feeding, drinking plenty of fluids after eating dry food, blocking the exit of the stomach with indigestible food, excessive fermentation in the stomach and fullness of the stomach when feeding the animal once big amount food.

Actions. This condition requires emergency veterinary attention. The first thing you need to do is release the gases and empty your stomach. Such an operation must be carried out immediately, since this condition can be fatal within a very short time. Therefore, contact your veterinarian immediately, regardless of whether it happens during the day or at night, and be prepared to take your dog to the veterinary hospital immediately.

How to prevent this condition from occurring. Your veterinarian will tell you about preventive measures that can help avoid reappearance of this state.

Other causes of bloating that are not caused by overeating include heart disease, pregnancy and false pregnancy, pyometra (accumulation of pus in the uterine cavity), some hormonal disorders and other diseases of the abdominal cavity that are accompanied by fluid retention. If you have any suspicions, seek veterinary help.

Worms. If you suspect that your dog's big belly is due to the presence of worms, take him to veterinarian sample of fresh dog excrement.

Bloating. When your dog's stomach often swells strongly and painfully after feeding, you need to measure abdominal cavity in its widest part using a measuring tape. This will make it easier to assess whether the belly has become larger than usual or not, and whether there is a danger of bloating. All this is necessary in order to quickly call veterinary help when necessary.

Gas formation during digestion - natural process, indicating the healthy functioning of intestinal bacteria. Most often, flatulence in dogs is aesthetic problem and does not cause discomfort to the animal. A pet that regularly suffers from belching, emitting gas and other “antisocial habits” needs to adjust its diet, and less often, treatment.

Depending on the size of the dog, the length of its intestines ranges from 5 to 7.5 meters. U perfect healthy pet small intestine populated exclusively by friendly bacteria that help extract everything from food useful material. Colon, also inhabited beneficial bacteria, but their job is to “clean” - process undigested food into a soft state.

The vital activity of bacteria is the process of eating carbohydrates and releasing gases that are removed from the intestines naturally. If gases are not removed, they rise into the small intestine, which causes. Intestinal flatulence in dogs with subsequent accumulation of gases occurs for a number of reasons that may be interrelated:

Violation of the intestinal microflora leads to the fact that there are more “cleaning bacteria”, and food, instead of being digested, rots.

Eating food that the animal cannot digest.

Swallowing air along with food - incorrect position of the feeder, “greedy grabbing” of food. At the same time, belching is observed.

Feeding your pet food that is oversaturated with carbohydrates or foods that the dog does not digest.

Gastrointestinal pathologies ( gastrointestinal tract), weak or absent peristalsis.

Read also: Paresis in dogs: causes, symptoms, treatment

The course of the disease is divided into 4 types, which are combined:

Chronic or widespread.

Mild or complicated.

Complications include the presence of heartburn, mucous discharge from the rectum, inclusions of blood in the stool, overstrain of the abdominal wall, pain, vomiting, and diarrhea. Serious, life-threatening complications occur rarely, but require urgent help, most often by stimulating intestinal motility or puncturing the peritoneum.

Important! Black or green mucous discharge from the rectum, vomiting feces, excessive pain in the peritoneum indicates either acute relapse flatulence, or a more serious disorder, for example, volvulus.

Treatment and prevention of flatulence in dogs

The method for relieving bloating depends on clinical picture, more precisely, whether the dog is in pain. If the discomfort is tolerable, use “soft” methods:

The source of gas formation is removed from the stomach and intestines - absorbents (Atoxil, Enterosgel, Activated carbon), intestinal lavage.

Reduce pressure on the abdominal cavity - so-called carminative drugs, for example, children's Espumisan for abdominal colic.

Relieves irritation of mucous membranes - Almagel, Smecta, dissolved in warm water, decoctions of herbs that envelop the intestinal walls.

Populate the intestines with new beneficial bacteria -