Gastropexy

We have a giant among us. Weighing in at 190 pounds and towering at 5’9 whenever he is wanting a hug. Henry is our gentle giant! Being a Dog Lover means you are willing to do the research before you go out and search for a life-long companion. When we were thinking about getting our first large breed, I did the research. I needed to know how to best care for a larger dog since we were only used to small breeds. Louis was our first non-Chihuahua! When researching breeds, there was a common denominator: Bloat. More specifically, gastric dilatation and volvulus. Since we are all more comfortable with terms we can actually understand, we will just stick to Bloat! Not only will I stick to Layman’s terms, but I will be referencing a very popular movie. Have you seen Marley and Me before? In this movie Marley the dog unfortunately experiences Bloat. Bloat is where the stomach fills with gas and/or fluid and twists, causing the gas and fluid to be trapped. This is very dangerous and can be fatal if it is not treated. The brightside is: there is preventative action you can take. Gastropexy is a preventative surgery that keeps the stomach intack, removing the risk of the stomach twisting.

We treat our dogs like family and we make sure we go that extra mile to assure they are around for as long as possible. Researching the breed before you search for your companion is a great way to make sure it is the right fit. Some breeds have more needs than others; like Henry’s. Great Danes and other large-breed dogs are at risk for Bloat so going in we knew we were going to need that surgery. Thankfully we were able to get the surgery done while he was getting fixed so it was all at once, making it an easier recovery. Let me tell you that we had an amazing surgeon because his scar is barely noticeable. We can enjoy Henry more knowing we have done what we can to prevent such a common condition. When I was a little girl, wishing for a Great Dane, I had no idea what would actually go into caring for one! My desire is to bring education to owning a dog. If I had not researched before we got Henry, I would not have known there was a surgery that could potentially save his life down the line. That is a HUGE thing to know and I am very glad I did my research. I am showing Henry he is loved by doing so.

Source: https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/gahttps://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/gastropexystropexy