What does a bloated stomach feel like in a dog?
Be careful touching a bloated stomach on a dog as it can be very painful. If you do touch your dog’s stomach, it might feel tense and very firm.
Defining Stomach Bloat: What Is Gastric Dilatation-Volvulus?
Theres stomach bloat, and then theres GDV – while these terms are sometimes used interchangeably, they are very different conditions. Simple stomach bloat or distension is when the dogs abdomen looks distended or bloated, but the dog can still do things like burp and vomit.
GDV, on the other hand, is more severe. When the dogs stomach twists, it twists the entrance and exit to the stomach. Gas, food, or whatever else is in there cant get out. The bloating worsens, and the increasing size of the stomach makes it press against veins and arteries, as well as other organs. This causes pain and prevents blood from flowing to other parts of the body, including your dog’s limbs.
The pressure caused by the expanding gas inside the stomach also wreaks havoc on the dogs stomach lining. The pressure can be so great that the tissue is crushed, and the cells in the tissue die.
To be clear, this article focuses on GDV and not simple bloat.
After all this schooling, Dr. Stephanie packed her things, her beloved Labrador & fluffy cat, and made the big move to the USA. She lives and practices at a clinic in the “big apple.”
Our mission is to help save dogs and cats’ lives through our educational content. To support our efforts, this page may contain affiliate links. We earn a commission for qualifying purchases – at no cost to you.
Dr. Stephanie received her Bachelor of Science (Maj. Vet tech) from the University of Queensland, Australia, in 2006. After graduation, she moved to the other side of her beautiful, sunny country, to the most isolated city in the world (Perth, Australia), to begin her veterinary degree at Murdoch University. 5 years later, she received a dual degree in Veterinary Biology and Veterinary Medicine and Surgery.
A note for our readers: If you have an urgent question and are unable to ask your veterinarian, you can use the Ask a Vet service that will give you access to a veterinarian for 7 days for $1.
Bloat in Dogs: Signs to Watch For, What To Do
The biggest sign of bloat is the vomiting. A dog with bloat appears highly nauseated and retches but little comes up.