Gastropexy - to tac or not to tac

[brigid67]

Just wanted to know what everyone thought about Gastropexy?  Will have to have  my girl spayed and am thinking about having it done for a prevenitive bloat measure.

[RedyreRottweilers]

I dont' even have to think about this one.

If I had a dane, and it was going to have ANY kind of surgery, I would have it tacked.

It won't prevent bloat, or splenic torsion, but it WILL prevent stomach torsion.

I would say talk to your vet, if it were my dog I would def. have it done.

[Jason]

I agree with what has been said already... If he's getting fixed, might as well tac. Oreo was tacked after bloat and torsion surgery and I wish I had done it before. Like Jack, Oreo was fixed before I adopted him so it didn't even really come up. You are smart to think about it now.

Jason

[shangrila]

We had a gastropexy done on zoey when she was spayed - it cost a couple hundred dollars extra, but her recovery was the same and now we will never have to worry about bloat. It gives me a lot of peace of mind that I can scratch that off my list of health problems the worry constantly about

[GYPSY JAZMINE]

I dont' even have to think about this one.

If I had a dane, and it was going to have ANY kind of surgery, I would have it tacked.

It won't prevent bloat, or splenic torsion, but it WILL prevent stomach torsion.

I would say talk to your vet, if it were my dog I would def. have it done.

Red, What is splenic & stomach torsion?...I am confused now...I thought stomach tacking prevented bloat...Will you please clarify for me?...Ty!

[ann]

    chelle i think your dog can still get the bloat if its tacked but the stomach can't twist, the twist is what kills fast and is more seriouse i think with bloat they can releive the gas by a tube down the mouth of threw the side of the dog  i might be wrong about this but thats the way i understand it...
i asked my vet about tacking she said the only time she would do it is after they do bloat..i know all the dogs in the armed forces are tacked right away.......... ..

ann

[GYPSY JAZMINE]

Ty Ann for clarifying!

[RedyreRottweilers]

tacking prevents the TORSION or the twisting of the stomach during BLOAT.

It does NOT prevent bloat. It prevents the TWISTING that can happen when a dog does bloat.

The spleen can also twist during bloat.

Tacking the stomach prevents the stomach from rotating during a bloat episode, but would not prevent the SPLEEN from rotating, and that can and does happen.

The correct term for this condition is Gastic Dilation, with or without VOLVULUS, which is the term for the rotation or twisting.

GDV for short.

Here is a link to a study that was done on GDV in dogs. Some interesting findings, including the FACT that dogs fed in an elevated position have a HIGHER bloat incidence than those who are not.....

http://www.vet.purdue.edu/epi/bloat.htm

[Ravensbrooke]

Yes, yes, yes... if you are having her spayed, I would go ahead and have the gastroplexy done.  Having had an Irish Wolfhound who bloated (several times but did not torse) and a standard poodle that was a partial torse, we did get a gastroplexy done as an emergency on him and although he has bloated a couple of times since then, he stays on Gas-X and it controls his problems.  I will do that on any giant breed dog I own from now on as they go in for any surgery.  I'm too chicken to just do it as an elective, but if you have to go in, save yourself a lot of worry.  Good luck.

[ann]

 

      its so scary they have so many theories but no one can say for sure why dogs bloat......... ....

ann

[brigid67]

Yes , will have it done when she is spayed.  I know that it doesn't prevent bloat.  But that can be managable.  I have heard gas-x works the best.  One of the nurses I work with has a dane and she has a bloat kit.  If it looks like there is a problem she can drop an oral gastric tube to help relieve the pressure and but her some time.  I can do the same I put them in humans so a little instruction from the vet and that will help.  But for the torsion then I think the gastropexy is the best answer.  My breeder said she has heard that sometimes they don't last.

[mastiffmommy]

tacking prevents the TORSION or the twisting of the stomach during BLOAT.

It does NOT prevent bloat. It prevents the TWISTING that can happen when a dog does bloat.

The spleen can also twist during bloat.

Tacking the stomach prevents the stomach from rotating during a bloat episode, but would not prevent the SPLEEN from rotating, and that can and does happen.

The correct term for this condition is Gastic Dilation, with or without VOLVULUS, which is the term for the rotation or twisting.

GDV for short.

Here is a link to a study that was done on GDV in dogs. Some interesting findings, including the FACT that dogs fed in an elevated position have a HIGHER bloat incidence than those who are not.....

http://www.vet.purdue.edu/epi/bloat.htm

I fully agree with you red..... TAC!!!!! I had a dane who bloated and to wait until after the bloat to tac is to risk not having them anylonger. It is fast and scary. I have been following the bloat discussion and studies done for 25 or so years and it has changed some, I read too some time ago that now the think elevated dishes can cause bloat, while a few years back they said it could prevent it.

One thing is sure though, if it can be prevented (not the bloat but the twisting) by having the stomach tacked, I would do it in a hearbeat if I was you brigid.

Marit

[GYPSY JAZMINE]

I am wondering if there are any cons at all to tacking...My female Pyr will need to be spayed after I get her so if there are no negatives regarding the procedure I may as well have it done then.

[memoreys]

Do it!!! But please understand, the dog can still bloat - just not have a total torsion!

[ZooCrew]

I know of one dane owner who has done it.  Her female, although young so that may be a factor, is soooooo skinny.  I can probably just about put my hands around her waist.  She also told me how much it cost for her to do the surgery.  I can't remember the exact numbers, but I know it was at least $1500-$2000, which although I would like to do, I simply cannot afford.

I know it would probably be cheaper in the long run.  Maybe when we move back to the midwest, I can look around again.  It is simply too expensive here in CA.  Neutering alone, if I hadn't gone thru a spay/neuter program, would have cost me b/t $400-$500, which to me is outlandish.