Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Epidemiology of gastric dilatation-volvulus in the military working dog program.
- Journal:
- Military medicine
- Year:
- 1992
- Authors:
- Jennings, P B & Butzin, C A
- Affiliation:
- United States Department of Defense Military Working Dog Agency · United States
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A study looked at the records of 914 military working dogs that died between 1987 and 1989, finding that 31 of those deaths (about 3.4%) were due to a serious condition called gastric dilatation-volvulus (GDV), which can cause the stomach to twist and bloat. Most of the affected dogs were male German shepherds aged 6 to 10 years, and they were typically fed a special high-energy diet once a day. It was noted that many of these dogs had previously experienced a similar stomach issue and had been treated without surgery, which seemed to lead to their later death from GDV. In contrast, dogs that survived a previous episode of GDV were more likely to have undergone surgery to fix the problem. Overall, the findings suggest that surgical treatment is crucial for better outcomes in dogs that experience GDV.
Abstract
Examination of case records of 914 military working dogs which died during the period January 1, 1987-December 31, 1989, revealed 31 deaths (3.4%) due to gastric dilatation-volvulus (GDV) or its complications. The fata episode of GDV was the only reported occurrence of this condition in 81% of the dogs. Male German shepherd dogs, 6-10 years of age, that were fed a medicated high-energy ration once per day, predominated. Dogs in this study that had a prior history of acute gastric dilatation (AGD) or GDV, and that were decompressed by non-surgical means, eventually died of GDV. A comparison with dogs surviving an AGD or GDV episode from the same time period showed most to have had surgical decompression and gastropexy.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/1528473/