Bloat / GDV

Also called: Gastric dilatation-volvulus, GDV, gastric torsion, bloat

Dogs
Digestive
Adult / Senior; large breeds

The stomach fills with gas and fluid (dilatation) and rotates on its axis (volvulus), trapping the contents, compressing major blood vessels, and causing shock. It is acute, rapidly progressive, and life-threatening — one of the true emergencies in dogs.

When it is an emergency

GDV is a minutes-to-hours emergency. Unproductive retching, a swollen abdomen, restlessness, and collapse in a large, deep-chested dog need immediate veterinary care — do not wait.

Signs to look for

Unproductive retching (trying to vomit with nothing coming up)
Restlessness or pacing
A distended, hard, or painful abdomen
Drooling
Collapse

How a vet diagnoses it

Physical examination plus abdominal X-rays to confirm the stomach has twisted.

Treatment

Emergency stabilisation (shock-rate IV fluids and stomach decompression) followed by surgery to reposition the stomach and tack it to the body wall (gastropexy) to prevent it twisting again.

Monitoring at home

Reported mortality is around 20–45% even with treatment, but survival is over 80% with prompt care. Without a gastropexy, recurrence is very high, so surgery to prevent recurrence is important. Preventive gastropexy is often recommended for high-risk breeds, sometimes at desexing.

Who tends to get it

Primarily large- and giant-breed, deep-chested dogs — Great Dane, Weimaraner, Saint Bernard, setters, Standard Poodle, German Shepherd, and others. Rare in small breeds.

This library is educational reference only. It is designed to help you learn about health conditions your pet may have been diagnosed with — it does not interpret your pet's symptoms, cannot diagnose, and is not a substitute for veterinary care. Cats and dogs often hide illness well, so signs can be subtle. Any new, persistent, or worsening sign warrants a vet visit.