What Does Gastropexy Surgery Treat in Dogs?
Gastropexy surgery is performed to either prevent or treat gastric dilatation and volvulus (GDV), also known as bloat. The surgery may be performed in a preventative or emergency manner. It is often recommended as a preventative measure for large breed dogs with deep barrel chests such as the Boxer and Great Dane.
During an episode of bloat, the dog’s stomach dilates and fills with air or fluid. Sometimes, the condition of bloat may stop there, however, it often progresses into volvulus, which is full GDV. This is where the life-threatening emergency comes in. When a dog is experiencing full GDV, the stomach twists upon itself. This causes the entrance and exit of the stomach to become blocked.
Breeds with a tendency to bloat
Large dogs — especially those with deep, narrow chests — are more likely to bloat than smaller dogs. The following are just some of the breeds known to be at a higher risk of bloat:
However, its important to note that even small dogs, such as dachshunds and Chihuahuas, can bloat.
While scientists are still not sure of the exact causes of bloat, the following are believed to increase a dogs risk of GDV:
Age can be another factor. In fact, a dogs risk of bloat increases by 20% for each year of age.
What Happens During a Gastropexy Surgery?
During a gastropexy surgery, the dog’s stomach is first sutured or “tacked” to the abdominal wall in the proper position. This prevents the stomach from rotating and twisting in the case that it was to fill with gas. The procedure does not fully prevent a dog from experiencing bloat, but it greatly reduces the life-threatening consequences associated.
When a gastropexy surgery is performed in an emergency manner, prior to tacking the stomach to the abdominal wall, the stomach will first be de-rotated or untwisted. The pressure on the stomach wall and internal organs need to be reduced as soon as possible. This may be done by passing a stomach tube. If that is not possible due to the rotation of the stomach, a large catheter may be inserted through the skin into the stomach to alleviate the pressure within the stomach. In addition to this, shock treatment needs to begin immediately, typically using intravenous fluids and emergency medications.
Once the dog becomes stable and is able to undergo anesthesia and the stomach has been restored to its proper position, the gastropexy portion of the surgery will occur. The tacking will be performed to prevent the issue from occurring again in the future.
Bloat – #1 Killer of Large Breed Dogs – How to Prevent It
It may seem like Sparky has a cast-iron stomach, but even he could be susceptible to “bloat.”
The technical term is gastric dilatation-volvulus (GDV), an extremely serious condition in dogs that can result in death.
“Gastric dilatation-volvulus, also known as ‘bloat’, primarily occurs in deep-chested, large breed dogs,” said Dr. Michael Willard, professor at Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences.
Willard explained that bloating of the stomach is sometimes also associated with twisting (volvulus) of the stomach. Signs may include unproductive gagging and retching, abdominal discomfort and/or distention, shock, difficulty breathing, and in some cases even death.
Diet, exercise, and the size and depth of a dog’s chest may be predisposing factors. While GDV is less common in pets than many other emergency conditions, owners of large breed dogs should be aware of the rapid and often fatal effects of GDV.
GDV is a significant cause of death in large breed dogs. Animals with GDV that are diagnosed and treated early have a survival rate of about 70 percent, whereas survival for those that are diagnosed and treated late is less than 30 percent.
Willard advises any dog owners who believe that their dog has developed GDV to take it to a veterinarian immediately. He or she will decompress the stomach and treat the animal for shock by administering fluids.
When the patient has been stabilized, the veterinarian may need to perform surgery to untwist the gut, if twisting has occurred.
“GDV cannot reliably be prevented. In some cases, the twisting of the gut can be avoided by a surgical procedure (called gastropexy), in which the stomach is sutured (stitched) to the abdominal wall,” said Willard. “Prophylactic gastroplexy may greatly lessen the risk of recurrence, but it is does not completely eliminate it.”
Unfortunately, there are no medications that will cure GDV in dogs. It can become fatal in as little as four to six hours, and it is costly to treat. Willard estimates the average cost of treating a GDV case with surgery to be between $2,000 and $5,000, but if there are complications, the cost could be much higher.
Dogs that have had GDV in the past are at a higher risk of developing it again. Given the rapid and fatal effects of GDV, owners should not wait to see if the ailing dog improves on its own. If the dog is gagging unproductively, Willard advises taking the dog to a veterinarian immediately. Early detection and treatment just might save Sparky from this often-fatal tummy ache.
Pet Talk is a service of the College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University. Stories can be viewed on the Web at vetmed.tamu.edu/news/pet-talk. Suggestions for future topics may be directed to [email protected].