Summary: Dogs at risk for bloat (deep chested dogs) should not be fed on raised food bowls, or a food that has FAT as one of the 1st four ingredients, or fed foods with citric acid that are moistened. They should be fed food that has a rendered meat with bone in the first four ingredients. We had found that Nutro natural choice fit these criteria; however, after the recent food recall by Menu foods of many diet formulations, we now recommend Solid Gold hund n flocken which has the correct order and type of ingredients and does not use ingredients sourced from China. (http://solidgoldhealth.com/news/ )
Dietary Risk Factors for Gastric Dilatation-Volvulus (Bloat) in 11 Large and Giant Dog Breeds: A Nested Case-Control Study
http://www.vet.purdue.edu/epi/dietrisk.htm
ABSTRACT *Malathi Raghavan, DVM, MS; Lawrence T. Glickman, VMD, DrPH; Nita W. Glickman, MS, MPH; Diana B. Schellenberg, MS.
Dietary risk factors for gastric dilatation-volvulus (GDV) in dogs were identified using a nested case-control study. Of 1991 dogs from 11 large- and giant-breeds in a previous prospective study of GDV, 106 dogs that developed GDV were selected as cases while 212 remaining dogs were randomly selected as controls. A complete profile of nutrient intake was constructed for each dog based on owner-reported information, published references and nutrient databases. Potential risk factors were examined for a significant (p<0.05) relationship with GDV risk using unconditional logistic regression.
The study confirmed previous reports of increased risks of GDV associated with increasing age, having a first-degree relative with GDV, and having a raised food bowl. New significant findings included a 2.7-fold (or 170%) increased risk of GDV in dogs that consumed dry foods containing fat among the first four ingredients. The risk of GDV was increased 4.2-fold (or 320%) in dogs that consumed dry foods containing citric acid that were also moistened prior to feeding by owners. Dry foods containing a rendered meat meal with bone among the first four ingredients significantly decreased GDV risk by 53.0%. Approximately 30% of all cases of GDV in this study could be attributed to consumption of dry foods containing fat among their first four ingredients, while 32% could be attributed to consumption of owner-moistened dry foods that also contained citric acid. These findings can be used by owners to reduce their dogs’ risk of GDV.
This manuscript has been accepted for publication in the / Journal of the Animal Hospital Association /(JAAHA). We have provided a link to the abstract of the article titled “Diet-Related Risk Factors for Gastric Dilatation-Volvulus in dogs of High Risk Breeds.” http://www.vet.purdue.edu/epi/diet_and_gdv.doc
Tufts University: Canine bloat article from Canine and Feline Breeding and Genetics Conference 2003 http://www.vin.com/proceedings/Proceedings.plx?CID=TUFTSBG2003&PID=5091&O=Generic
Medical Surgical Treatment of Bloat – Specifics<
