Common signs of gastric dilatation volvulus

Gastric dilatation volvulus (GDV) is a serious condition that happens when a dog’s stomach becomes distended with gas or fluid, and twists on itself. The condition can also occur in cats, but is most common in dogs. At dvm360's Fetch Coastal conference in Atlantic City, New Jersey, Andrea Pace, CVT, VTS (ECC), training mentor for the emergency department at Mount Laurel Animal Hospital in New Jersey, sat down with dvm360 to talk about her session on emergency surgery for GDV.

In the interview, Pace discussed common signs of GDV in dogs, like rolling and nonproductive vomiting. She also explained what makes this condition a surgical emergency, explaining that GDV, if left untreated, can kill a dog in approximately 12 hours. During her lecture at Fetch Coastal, Pace detailed the treatment procedure for GDV, offering guidance and advice for those conducting bloodwork, surgery, anesthetics, and more.¹

Below is a partial transcript

Andrea Pace, CVT, VTS (ECC): GDV is commonly known as bloat in a lot of circles. A lot of people who have large breed animals know about it—breeders often tell them about it. But what happens is a dog's stomach will, and sometimes cats, but it's very, very rare and very rarely in humans as well; so what happens is their stomach usually fills with air, either through swallowing a lot of air, or sometimes fermentation in their stomach of their food product, and it swells up and it twists on itself. So, when it twists, it closes off the entrance and the exit, and it can continue expanding, especially if there is a fermentation component. When it does that, it pushes on the diaphragm, and it pushes on the vena cava.

Reference

1. Littrell A. Emergency surgery for gastric dilatation volvulus. dvm360. October 17, 2024. Accessed November 19, 2024. https://www.dvm360.com/view/emergency-surgery-for-gastric-dilatation-volvulus