The Neapolitan Mastiff Site

Canine Gastric Dilatation-Volvulus (Bloat)
"...Several national health surveys conducted by Purdue showed GDV
to be the second leading cause of death following cancer, in large and giant breeds" *

"...Therefore the large/giants are more prone to problems and react more strongly to stress resulting in bloat and/or disease. In the case of giant breeds, they are a freak of nature an exotic pet, and without (wo)man's intervention, they would not exist. We have pushed their physiology to the limit for the canine species, making them more prone to all diseases and conditions."**

Unfortunately too many great mastini have been lost to bloat. Despite the vast amount of research done on Bloat, no clear answer has been found. For as many articles that have been written by the University of Purdue there are twice as many refuting them. Mastini have bloated when they have had no food or water and right after they have eaten.

How do you know when your Neo is bloating ?
You will notice a pot belly or swelling \ distention of the stomach. If you were to tap on their stomach it would sound like tapping on a basketball. It is wise to become accustomed to what your Neo normally sounds like and feels like. Bloating means that their stomach is filling or full of gas\air. The stomach becomes very unstable and can twist on itself causing torsion which leads to death.

What to do if your Neo is bloating?
Call the Vet immediatley. Bloating is a life threatening emergency.

If your vet is unavailable, some breeders have had success administering Malox, Gas X and Therabloat. It should be noted that none of the previous are FDA approved for use on dogs. Malox is administered via a syringe down the throat 20 cc's, Gas X is administered 1 pill, Therabloat is admin'd 1 cc per 20# via syringe down the throat. I must admit that I have had these remedies work and on one occasion they did not work and the dog died.

What to do after a Neo bloats?
If you were able to get ahold of your Vet, now is the time to discuss a "stomach tack". Nothing can guarantee that your Neo will never bloat again, but "tacking" will keep the stomach from twisting or prevent torsion from occuring.

If you are still at home, keep your Neo calm - no food or water for at least 12 hours. Keep trying to get ahold of your vet. The dog should be seen regardless if it is still bloating or not.

Links to Bloat related sites

The Great Dane Lady has a number of great articles on her site
www.thegreatdanelady.com
but specifically I like this article:
http://www.greatdanelady.com/articles/bloat_and_torsion_is_nutrition_a_factor.htm

This is an excellent collection of Bloat links
http://www.hollyhollowkennels.com/bloatlinks.htm

First Aid for Bloat
http://www.canadasguidetodogs.com/health/healtharticle6.htm#3b1

If you are interested in purchasing a complete Bloat Kit, this can be done by contacting:
     J & J Enterprises
     24710 Reynolds Highway
     Willits, California 95490
or by e-mailing Dr. F.S. Jacobs DVM at FredSJ5590@aol.com
Complete bloat kits are available for $60 and hard copies of the Bloat Book are $5

* Research Updates from the Purdue University Prospective Study of Canine Gastric Dilatation-Volvulus (GDV).Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907-1243. Available online at http://www.vet.purdue.edu/epi/pups.htm

**On My Soap Box:The Purdue Bloat Study. The Great Dane Lady, Linda Arndt. Available online at : http://www.greaanelady.com/articles/on_my_soap_box_purdue_bloat_study.htm