Articles about American Pit Bull Terrier
...to start reading this article please click on here... - Unproductive gagging - Heavy salivating or drooling - Foamy mucous around the lips, or vomiting foamy mucous - Unproductive attempts to defecate - Whining - Pacing - Licking the air - Seeking a hiding place - Looking at their side or other evidence of abdominal pain or discomfort - May refuse to lie down or even sit down - May stand spread-legged - May attempt to eat small stones and twigs - Drinking excessively - Heavy or rapid panting - Shallow breathing - Cold mouth membranes - Apparent weakness; unable to stand or has a spread-legged stance Especially in advanced stage - Accelerated heartbeat Heart rate increases as bloating progresses - Weak pulse - Collapse Causes According to the links below, it is thought that the following may be the primary contributors to bloat. To calculate a dog's lifetime risk of bloat according to Purdue University's School of Veterinary Medicine, click here. Stress - Dog shows, mating, whelping, boarding, change in routine, new dog in household, etc. Although purely anecdotal, we've heard of too many cases where a dog bloated after a 3rd dog was brought into the household (perhaps due to stress regarding pack order). - Activities that result in gulping air Eating habits, especially... - Elevated food bowls - Rapid eating - Eating dry foods that contain citric acid as a preservative (the risk is even worse if the owner moistens the food) - Eating dry foods that contain fat among the first four ingredients - Insufficient Trypsin (a pancreatic enzyme present in meat) - Dilution of gastric juices necessary for complete digestion by drinking too much water before or after eating - Eating gas-producing foods (especially soybean products, brewer's yeast, and alfalfa) Exercise before and especially after eating Heredity (especially having a first-degree relative who has bloated) Build & Physical Characteristics - Having a deep and narrow chest compared to other dogs of the same breed - Older dogs - Males - Being underweight Disposition - Fearful or anxious temperament - Prone to stress - History of aggression toward other dogs or people Prevention Some of the advice in the links below for reducing the chances of bloat are: - Avoid highly stressful situations. If you can't avoid them, try to minimize the stress as much as possible. Be extra watchful. Can be brought on by dog shows, mating, whelping, boarding, new dog in household, change in routine, etc. - Do not use an elevated food bowl - Do not exercise for several hours (e.g., 2 or 3) before and especially after eating Particularly don't permit your dog to roll over, which could cause the stomach to twist....to continue reading this article please click on here...
