Dr. Holtz recently performed a prophylactic gastropexy at Middletown Animal Hospital in her own dog, Woodford.
Large and giant breed dogs with deep chests such as Dobermans, Mastiffs, Great Danes, Saint Bernards, Weimaraner, and Irish Setters are at the greatest risk for a condition called GDV or Gastric Dilation/Volvulus. Most people refer to this condition as simply bloat. However, with this condition, the stomach not only fills with air (bloat) but also flips and rotates on itself (GDV). When this occurs, the dog's life becomes endangered and emergency surgery is needed to correct this condition. During the surgery, the stomach is untwisted and then surgically attached to the inside muscle of the body wall. This prevents the stomach from flipping in the future.
For high risk dog breeds, prophylactic gastropexy is often recommended. This is usually performed during the spay or neuter procedure when a dog is young. In this procedure, the stomach is surgically attached to the body wall (gastropexy), which prevents the stomach from flipping and therefore eliminates the risk for GDV in the future. The post operative care for this procedure includes strict rest for 2-3 weeks and canned food during that time.
Woodford is contained in a crate post surgery to reduce activity. He is wearing t-shirts so that he does not lick his incision and get it infected. He would not tolerate an e-collar.