Hector
Well-Known Member
http://www.greatdanelady.com/articles/bloat_and_torsion_is_nutrition_a_factor.htm
Preface:
When this article gets reprinted in many breed publications but as a hard copy, the links are lost. Therefore at the bottom of this article will be a list of resources and references. Several supplements are listed that help to support digestive health and help to prevent bloat. These supplements can be purchased from (this is the kit one should purchase if your dog has already bloated it will help to get the dog back on track and keep fungus levels in the gut lower.)
If you are concerned about bloat, and want to keep your dog on a program that will help to prevent it, I recommend using CORE 4 Kit #40 BLOAT and choose a food from my list of better foods.
REMEMBER NOTHING IN LIFE IS A GUARANTEE AND MANY FACTORS ENTER INTO THIS BLOAT SITUATION, BUT WE CAN SUPPORT THE SYSTEM THE BEST WE CAN WITH A HOLITIC DIET AND SUPPLEMENTS THAT KEEP THE DIGESTIVE TRACT IN GOOD SHAPE. CORE 4 KIT#40 - BLOAT
The kit and supplements can be shipped overseas priority mail. The use of this kit or these supplements is no guarantee your dog will not bloat. The cause is unknown and multi factored, however the supplements will aid in your dogs digestive health, and hopefully with a good nutritional program we can maintain overall wellness.
All the information in this article can be found at www.GreatDaneLady.com including the live links that are lost in publishing this as a hard copy
Click here for a :BLOAT AND TORSION SYMPTOM CHART
Introduction:
I would like to take a look at the potential role diets can play in the cause of bloat/gastric torsion. I refer to these as two separate issues because we can have bloat without torsion, as well as spleen torsion without any bloating or stomach torsion.
The topic of bloat and/or torsion conjures up a multitude of feelings for any individual who has had first hand experience with this condition. The feelings of frustration and helplessness are only compounded by the fact that there has been no valid research information, on the cause or prevention of this condition.
Some of the reports about the Purdue Bloat Study are very misleading to lay individuals because it presents itself as scientific research, when in fact it is only statistical research. The information that was often posted about bloat at the Purdue website was not what we refer to, in academic communities, as peer evaluated. The problem is the average dog owner does not know this and then believes the information put out on the internet as science and truth. For a further explanation of the validity of this research, read my article on the Purdue paper.
Debunking Myths on Dog Bloat and Torsion
Over the years we have heard "theories" about the cause of bloat, and the internet has helped to keep these myths/ theories alive and well in 2013. We have been told to watch the excessive consumption of water, particularly after exercise, to me this is just common sense, after all we do not jog or swim after a full meal. Then we were told to soak food before feeding to see if it swells, which we now know is WRONG because soaking actually destroy nutrients and destroys any beneficial bacteria sprayed on the outside of the food. Then it makes it worse because the swelling of the kibble has NOTHING to do with bloat other than the soaking or hot water has killed off most of the nutrition. (keep in mind you should never soak puppy food either..put the kibble through a food processor or blender to get a powder, then mix your liquid with it to make a porridge for your weaning babies. Add additional probiotics to this mixture as well because they are born with a sterile GI tract.)
Then we have the controversy over the use of saponins in beet pulp (Beet Pulp Myth), which is not based in any scientific research and was generated by a dog food company in the 1970's and they still generate this antiquated and false myth. Of course there is the theory of pelletized foods vs baked foods being a problem, which is absolutely ludicrous because no matter how you view it both are cooked processed foods and absent of vital dietary enzymes needed to help prevent bloat. The air swollowing theory makes no sense at all, and is just a grasp at something to point a finger at as the cause. The latest myths generated were regarding citric acid, a natural preservative, when in fact citric acid in the gut actually flips the pH to an alkaline base, which is an anti-bloat environment, so that is a good thing. Lastly, and the absolutely most ridiculous myth is that raised dishes cause bloat, which is just so illogical it makes no sense to any one with common sense. NONE of these cause bloat!
I would like to offer another common sense, logical explanation for this condition called Bloat. I do not want to compare what happens in livestock bloat to what happens in canines, but there is a huge similarity. What is common in both situations, is "the environment of the gut".
For the past 35 years research has been looking at this condition, as well as other health issues, through old paradigms and with no input from the professional breeders and their practical experience and knowledge. In spite of the thousands of dollars donated to the Morris Foundation, by the GDCA, we are no further ahead in solving these problems and have no credible information.
I believe there needs to be a dialogue between the research and professional breeders in order to solve the origin of this problem. Gathering data by university research people, after a dog has bloated, really does little in addressing the cause or prevention and thus calls for a more creative approach to solving these dreaded condition. My question is this...why are we not getting samples of the content of the guts of these bloat cases and sending them off for culturing to see what pathogenic bacteria's, parasites and fungus are dominant in the gut and causing extensive gas and foam build up. I believe this is the first and foremost thing to do in understanding the basis for an unhealthy gut.
It has been my ongoing personal investigation for 40 years to reverse disease, improve health through quality nutrition. And that has led me to question our approach to bloat and torsion. It is important to understand what I am about to discuss is only my opinion, based on 40 years of experience in this breed, personal nutritional research, investigation, feed trials and information on health issues shared by researchers, nutritionists, chemists and thousands of other breeders who have shared their stories.
I believe there are things we can do nutritionally to narrow our chances of having bloat and torsion. I have found it very interesting to see a significant drop in the number of incidents of bloat and torsion over the past 15 years across the country, due to better diets and the use of probiotic, digestive and dietary enzymes. The more attention we pay to the pH levels of the digestive tract, the healthier our pets are and the longer they live. Understand, I can not guarantee if you follow my feed program that you will never have a case of bloat, torsion or spleen torsion. There is no such thing as a guarantee on a living being, but I feel a good nutritional program is the foundation for better health and long term wellness.
Preface:
If you are concerned about bloat, and want to keep your dog on a program that will help to prevent it, I recommend using CORE 4 Kit #40 BLOAT and choose a food from my list of better foods.
REMEMBER NOTHING IN LIFE IS A GUARANTEE AND MANY FACTORS ENTER INTO THIS BLOAT SITUATION, BUT WE CAN SUPPORT THE SYSTEM THE BEST WE CAN WITH A HOLITIC DIET AND SUPPLEMENTS THAT KEEP THE DIGESTIVE TRACT IN GOOD SHAPE. CORE 4 KIT#40 - BLOAT
The kit and supplements can be shipped overseas priority mail. The use of this kit or these supplements is no guarantee your dog will not bloat. The cause is unknown and multi factored, however the supplements will aid in your dogs digestive health, and hopefully with a good nutritional program we can maintain overall wellness.
All the information in this article can be found at www.GreatDaneLady.com including the live links that are lost in publishing this as a hard copy
Click here for a :BLOAT AND TORSION SYMPTOM CHART
Introduction:
I would like to take a look at the potential role diets can play in the cause of bloat/gastric torsion. I refer to these as two separate issues because we can have bloat without torsion, as well as spleen torsion without any bloating or stomach torsion.
The topic of bloat and/or torsion conjures up a multitude of feelings for any individual who has had first hand experience with this condition. The feelings of frustration and helplessness are only compounded by the fact that there has been no valid research information, on the cause or prevention of this condition.
Some of the reports about the Purdue Bloat Study are very misleading to lay individuals because it presents itself as scientific research, when in fact it is only statistical research. The information that was often posted about bloat at the Purdue website was not what we refer to, in academic communities, as peer evaluated. The problem is the average dog owner does not know this and then believes the information put out on the internet as science and truth. For a further explanation of the validity of this research, read my article on the Purdue paper.
Debunking Myths on Dog Bloat and Torsion
Over the years we have heard "theories" about the cause of bloat, and the internet has helped to keep these myths/ theories alive and well in 2013. We have been told to watch the excessive consumption of water, particularly after exercise, to me this is just common sense, after all we do not jog or swim after a full meal. Then we were told to soak food before feeding to see if it swells, which we now know is WRONG because soaking actually destroy nutrients and destroys any beneficial bacteria sprayed on the outside of the food. Then it makes it worse because the swelling of the kibble has NOTHING to do with bloat other than the soaking or hot water has killed off most of the nutrition. (keep in mind you should never soak puppy food either..put the kibble through a food processor or blender to get a powder, then mix your liquid with it to make a porridge for your weaning babies. Add additional probiotics to this mixture as well because they are born with a sterile GI tract.)
Then we have the controversy over the use of saponins in beet pulp (Beet Pulp Myth), which is not based in any scientific research and was generated by a dog food company in the 1970's and they still generate this antiquated and false myth. Of course there is the theory of pelletized foods vs baked foods being a problem, which is absolutely ludicrous because no matter how you view it both are cooked processed foods and absent of vital dietary enzymes needed to help prevent bloat. The air swollowing theory makes no sense at all, and is just a grasp at something to point a finger at as the cause. The latest myths generated were regarding citric acid, a natural preservative, when in fact citric acid in the gut actually flips the pH to an alkaline base, which is an anti-bloat environment, so that is a good thing. Lastly, and the absolutely most ridiculous myth is that raised dishes cause bloat, which is just so illogical it makes no sense to any one with common sense. NONE of these cause bloat!
I would like to offer another common sense, logical explanation for this condition called Bloat. I do not want to compare what happens in livestock bloat to what happens in canines, but there is a huge similarity. What is common in both situations, is "the environment of the gut".
For the past 35 years research has been looking at this condition, as well as other health issues, through old paradigms and with no input from the professional breeders and their practical experience and knowledge. In spite of the thousands of dollars donated to the Morris Foundation, by the GDCA, we are no further ahead in solving these problems and have no credible information.
I believe there needs to be a dialogue between the research and professional breeders in order to solve the origin of this problem. Gathering data by university research people, after a dog has bloated, really does little in addressing the cause or prevention and thus calls for a more creative approach to solving these dreaded condition. My question is this...why are we not getting samples of the content of the guts of these bloat cases and sending them off for culturing to see what pathogenic bacteria's, parasites and fungus are dominant in the gut and causing extensive gas and foam build up. I believe this is the first and foremost thing to do in understanding the basis for an unhealthy gut.
It has been my ongoing personal investigation for 40 years to reverse disease, improve health through quality nutrition. And that has led me to question our approach to bloat and torsion. It is important to understand what I am about to discuss is only my opinion, based on 40 years of experience in this breed, personal nutritional research, investigation, feed trials and information on health issues shared by researchers, nutritionists, chemists and thousands of other breeders who have shared their stories.
I believe there are things we can do nutritionally to narrow our chances of having bloat and torsion. I have found it very interesting to see a significant drop in the number of incidents of bloat and torsion over the past 15 years across the country, due to better diets and the use of probiotic, digestive and dietary enzymes. The more attention we pay to the pH levels of the digestive tract, the healthier our pets are and the longer they live. Understand, I can not guarantee if you follow my feed program that you will never have a case of bloat, torsion or spleen torsion. There is no such thing as a guarantee on a living being, but I feel a good nutritional program is the foundation for better health and long term wellness.