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Great Danes => Great Dane Discussions => : Karina March 22, 2006, 07:43:00 AM

: Gastric tack? Trying to avoid bloat through surgery....
: Karina March 22, 2006, 07:43:00 AM
Hiho,

I've been lurking a while and this is my first real post.  I was wondering about your opinions about the gastric tack, a surgery to help decrease the risks of gastric torsion.  Have you done it with your dogs?  Why or why not?

A great dane breeder here with whom I'm corresponding says that it's actually much less traumatic than the ear surgery which can be 5 months of bandaging and ointments and with the gastric tack after 20 days your baby is as good as new and a lot safer actually.  (Of course she says you still have to follow all the preventatives cause one doesn't play with bloat!)  She's never had one of her dogs succumb (and this is over 20 years.)

So ..... your opinions?  And at what age did you do it or think it should be done?

Thanks in advance!

-Karina
living in Brasil and dogless for now but researching up a storm!

: Re: Gastric tack? Trying to avoid bloat through surgery....
: GR8DAME March 22, 2006, 08:35:59 AM
I have not had a gastric tack on any of my dogs, but I haven't had a case of bloat, either.(Frantically knocking on wood).And that is with almost 20 years of dobes and danes in my house. Dane people that I know whose dogs have bloated have said that they wished they had the tack done, as it would have been much cheaper than the ensuing emergecy surgery...or God Forbid-loss of their beloved animal. It is a crap-shoot either way, as far as I am concerned. The tack doesn't prevent bloat, it just prevents the torsion of the stomach, which may or may not ever occur.As far as when to get it done, speak to your local vet, I have heard of them doing a gastric tack in conjunction with a spay or nueter. JMHO.
Stella
: Re: Gastric tack? Trying to avoid bloat through surgery....
: brandon March 22, 2006, 09:04:46 AM
If you're having a female spayed, I'd have it done, or if they are in there for something else, but otherwise I wouldn't have the surgery for just that.  It seems pretty invasive to me, unless they can do it laparoscopical ly now. I have never had a case of bloat though, I might feel different if that were the case.

: Re: Gastric tack? Trying to avoid bloat through surgery....
: newflvr March 22, 2006, 09:59:51 AM
I agree...if it was in conjuction with another invasive surgery, for sure I'd do it.  But to open them up and then have to go through such a long healing process, I don't know if I could justify it.

From a lot of things I've read (and everybody...pl ease correct me if I have my facts wrong!!) there is some connection between diet and bloat.  There is less bloat on a raw or meat diet than on a kibble diet.  Also, it is imperative to keep these guys quiet for an hour or so after they eat.  I also give my guys enzymes to aid digestion...ag ain, to hopefully minimize the chance of bloat.

It almost comes to a life habit to keep them safe.  And I think you'd still have to do it after a gastric tack.