Harare SPCA

05/04/2026

BLOAT IN DOGS (GDV): What Every Dog Owner Needs to Know

This is one of the most urgent, life-threatening emergencies in dogs...and it can happen fast.

A dear friend and client recently lost her beloved dog to this terrifying condition, even with emergency care. This has truly broken my heart. Awareness of this devastating condition helps to save lives.

What is Bloat (GDV)❓️

Gastric Dilatation-Volvulus (GDV) occurs when:
▪️The stomach fills with gas, fluid, or food (dilatation), and
▪️Then twists on itself (volvulus)

Once the stomach twists:
▪️Blood supply is cut off
▪️Tissue begins to die
▪️Toxins build rapidly
▪️The spleen may become involved
▪️ Shock and sepsis can follow quickly

This is a true medical emergency. Without immediate intervention, GDV is often fatal.

Breeds at Highest Risk
While GDV can occur in any dog, risk is significantly higher in:

✔️ Large and giant breeds
✔️ Deep-chested dogs

Common high-risk breeds include:

✔️ Great Danes (highest risk)
✔️ German Shepherds
✔️ Standard Poodles
✔️ Dobermans
✔️ Weimaraners
✔️ Irish Setters
✔️ Boxers
✔️ Saint Bernards

Other risk factors:

✔️ Age (middle-aged to senior dogs)
✔️ Lean body condition
✔️ Family history of GDV
✔️ Nervous or stress-prone temperament

What Causes GDV?
There is no single cause, unfortunately. GDV is multifactorial. Contributing factors may include:

❌️ Rapid eating or gulping food
❌️ Eating one large meal per day
❌️ Excessive air swallowing
❌️ Vigorous exercise before or after meals
❌️ Stress or anxiety
❌️ Poor gut motility
❌️ Elevated feeding (controversial but may contribute in some cases)
❌️ Dry food that expands or ferments rapidly (context-dependent)

---
🕑 Early Signs You MUST Recognize

Time is critical. Minutes matter.

Watch for:
⚠️ Distended, tight abdomen (“drum-like”)
⚠️ Unproductive retching (trying to vomit but nothing comes up)
⚠️ Excessive drooling
⚠️ Restlessness or pacing
⚠️ Signs of pain (whining, looking at abdomen)
⚠️ Rapid breathing or panting
⚠️ Pale gums
⚠️ Weakness or collapse

If you see these signs, DO NOT WAIT.

What To Do Immediately
🚨 This is an emergency.

✅️ Go to the nearest emergency veterinary clinic immediately
✅️ Do NOT try home remedies
✅️ Do NOT wait to “see if it passes”
✅️ Call ahead if possible while en route

‼️Survival depends on speed.

Prevention Strategies (Risk Reduction)

While GDV cannot be completely prevented, risk can be reduced:

Feeding Practices
✔️ Feed 2–3 smaller meals daily instead of one large meal
✔️ Slow down fast eaters (use slow feeders or food puzzles)
✔️ Avoid excessive water intake immediately after meals

Activity Management
✔️ No intense exercise 1 hour before and 1–2 hours after meals

Stress Reduction
✔️ Minimize stress around feeding time
✔️ Provide a calm eating environment

Diet Considerations
✔️ Feed a balanced, species-appropriate diet
✔️ Avoid highly processed diets that may promote gas in sensitive dogs
✔️ Monitor individual tolerance...every dog is different

Proactive Veterinary Measure
✔️ Prophylactic gastropexy (surgical stomach tacking)
✔️ Often recommended for high-risk breeds
✔️ Can be done during spay/neuter
✔️ Prevents twisting (volvulus), though not gas buildup

Final Thoughts

GDV is devastating because it is sudden, aggressive, and often silent until it’s critical.
But knowledge changes outcomes.

If you have a large or deep-chested dog, understanding this condition is not optional...it’s essential❗️

Recognize the signs. Act immediately. Save a life.

💬 If you have questions about your dog’s risk or prevention strategies, drop them below.

— The Holistic Canine 🐾 theholisticcanine.us

Fresh feeding explained—finally.
"Fresh-Food Feeding Explained" eBook
https://theholisticcanine.us/ebook/
Available NOW on my website.

05/04/2026

This is a thought provoking question and hopefully I would never be in that situation though there is no way I would ever leave my cat behind. I’d use those seconds wisely to figure out how to get both of us out safely!

05/04/2026

22 months missing. His microchip reunited him with his owners
PLEASE CHIP YOUR DOGS AND CATS

This was filmed last Wednesday morning at the Pinecrest Animal Shelter in Columbus, Ohio.
The volunteer is Donna Reardon, 44. She's been volunteering at Pinecrest on Wednesday mornings for six years. Scanning incoming strays, logging intakes, doing the quiet administrative work that keeps a shelter running.
It's usually routine.
Last Tuesday evening, a good Samaritan brought in a stray — a medium-sized brown and white mixed breed found wandering near a highway on-ramp off Route 40. No collar. Thin. Tired. But calm. Sweet-tempered with everyone who handled him.
Wednesday morning, Donna arrived for her shift and started working through the new intake list.
She picked up the scanner. Ran it along the dog's neck.
The scanner beeped.
Donna glanced at the screen the way she always does — casually, expecting either nothing or a dead-end registration.
She stopped moving.
On the screen was a name, a phone number, and a date.
The dog had been reported missing twenty-two months ago by a family in Cincinnati — a father named Robert Haines who had filed reports with seventeen shelters, a microchip registry, and three different lost pet databases before eventually stopping. Not because he gave up, exactly. But because there's only so long you can look before grief asks you to start letting go.
The dog's registered name was Benny.
Donna sat on the shelter floor and dialed the number with shaking hands.
It rang four times.
Robert answered.
Donna could barely get the words out. She said: "Sir, my name is Donna. I'm calling from Pinecrest Animal Shelter in Columbus. I have a dog here. His chip matches your registration. I think we have Benny."
The line went quiet for a long moment.
Then Robert said: "That's not possible. Columbus is three hours from here."
Donna said: "Sir, I'm looking at your name on my screen right now."
Robert drove to Columbus that same afternoon. Arrived at 4:17 PM. Benny recognized him before Robert even made it through the door.
Donna was still there when they reunited. She said she had no intention of leaving before she saw it happen.
Robert told her on his way out: "Twenty-two months. I thought he was gone. I thought I'd looked everywhere. I didn't know about this shelter."
Donna said: "That's why we scan every single one."
Sometimes a routine moment becomes the most important thing that happens all year. You just have to keep showing up.

04/04/2026

Be it a bunny, a chicken, or any other animal, please don't impulse buy a pet! Not for Easter, not ever ❤️

04/04/2026

Be kind to feral cats.
Learn more about TNR, Trap, Neuter, Return.
Sterilized feral cats living in their own territory, yes this may be in your garden, keep other ferals out. The breeding cycle ends.
This is a win,win situation for you and the cats

This gets me right in the ❤️

04/04/2026

Wishing you all a Happy Easter🐣

29/03/2026

26/03/2026

I receive a LOT of requests from new guardians to house train their puppy and I always say the same thing to them - only YOU can train your puppy. A trainer or behaviourist won't be able to train them for you in one or two sessions 😉

Having a puppy is like having a baby - they don't know when it's coming until it's time to go, so they can't hold it like adult dogs can. Human babies can take up to 2 years to be potty trained so 6-8 months to train your puppy to potty outdoors is a bargain 👌

Having a new pup is a lot of work and they need your patience, engagement and commitment to get it right ✅️

Remember that there are no stubborn or difficult dogs or breeds. Each dog is an individual who learns differently and at their own pace. Figure out what their learning style, personalities and preferences are and adapt accordingly.

25/03/2026

🎉 Facebook recognised me for starting engaging conversations and producing inspiring content among my audience and peers!

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