For every dog lover, there is no better companion and friend than their pet. Whether on good or bad days, one is always grateful to have a dog to talk with, walk with, rant to, and cuddle up.
Beagles are more than friends; they are family, an essential part of our lives and we never want to go without them
Imagine how you would feel knowing that your happy Beagle that has been your very own ray of sunshine is not only unable to bring laughter to your lips, but is also going through hardships caused by health conditions?
I indeed cannot bear to imagine it and I doubt that anyone crazy about dogs would be able to.
What this means is that we are responsible for ensuring that our best friends are healthy, and we ought to make their health a top priority at all times.
When dealing with dogs, there are different measures we should take when it comes to protecting them from health risks and ensuring they are in perfect shape at all times.
Some of these health conditions to watch out for include respiratory problems, eye problems, skin issues, ear infections, urinary tract infection, stomach conditions like diarrhea, and bloating.
Bloat in Beagles
So, can Beagles get bloat? Yes, Bloating is a possible health challenge for a large breed of dogs including Beagles. Eating habits and other factors can make Beagles susceptible to bloating.
Beagles are a breed of small hound that is pretty famous among other kinds. They are a happy, curious, loyal breed and the best companion a man can have.
For dog lovers, the major attractive features of beagles are their adorable faces, unique colors, and their homely and playful character.
One thing about Beagles is that they are a quite admired and coveted breed for many reasons. Beagles are intelligent; they possess a very high sense of smell and tracking instincts which makes them popular as hunting dogs.
A beagle is also a great pet choice because it not only has a good temper; it is also free of inherited health problems, unlike some other breeds. There are many reasons to love beagles and more reasons to take good care of their health.
Although they stand out as one of the healthiest breeds of dogs with an average healthy lifespan of 10 to13 years, beagles are still prone to several ailments, including deafness, cataract, hemophilia, bladder cancer, glaucoma as well as bloating.
If you are wondering how to keep your dog away from bloats, then you should pay attention to the rest of this article to get all you need to know about Beagles and the alarming stomach disorder that they are at risk of suffering.
What Is Bloating?
Bloating is a term used to describe a form of stomach disorders common among canines; another name for Bloating is Gastric dilatation. The stomach of the animal gets filled with too much air or gas, and it then causes the stomach to twist on itself.
Gastric dilatation, according to research, is the second leading cause of death in dogs and although it is a common cause of death, with an understanding of the reasons, prevention, and treatment, you can keep your god out of harm’s way.
Bloating is common among many breeds of dogs, and beagles are not exempted from this significant health convenience with possibly deadly effects.
Different Stages of Bloating
Bloating comes in two stages; Gastric Dilatation and Volvulus.
Gastric Dilatation
During the Gastric dilatation stage, there is a buildup of gas in the dog’s stomach, and the excessive gas prevents blood circulation around the stomach as well as the heart and diaphragm.
The continued pressure by the excessive gas stops blood from getting to the heart of your beagle, which eventually needs to heart attack and shock.
Volvulus
This is the life-threatening stage of bloating and it is at this stage that the dog’s life is actually in grave danger.
When bloating gets to this stage, the stomach twists and turns at a 360 angle and blocks both the entrance and exit points of the stomach with all the content inside it. In the cause of the flip, blood flow is cut off as oxygen does not get to the pancreas.
When the pancreas is short of oxygen, they release substances that are harmful enough to stop the heart and cause death in a brief time.
If you are not careful, your dog may die in a few hours after bloating advances to the volvulus stage. But death can be averted by an urgent surgery to correct the unusual twist.
Causes of Bloating in Beagles
The primary reason for bloating among dogs is yet to be aptly defined by doctors and researchers in this field but there are quite many other probable factors for bloating, and all of these factors relate to the meals and eating habits of your pet.
Here are a few likely causes of bloating:
- Over-eating, i.e., when your beagle has had a huge meal, he is prone to bloating.
- Excessive play after eating a heavy meal.
- Drinking too much water after the meal.
- Eating too fast and not chewing.
- Making use of elevated bowls.
Signs and Symptoms of Bloat in Your Beagles
Sometimes it is difficult to find out if your beagle is bloating until it gets late, and your pet is already going through a significant health condition. It is essential to pay attention to some of the possible signs of bloating so that you can take action immediately they appear.
- The most apparent evidence of bloating in your beagles is the protruding of the stomach. When the belly of your dog looks more prominent than usual, then it could be a sign of bloating.
- Stomach pain or a show of aggression when your beagle’s stomach is touched could also be a sign of bloating
- Feelings of fatigue, laziness, depression, as well as prolonged sleeping patterns, are also some things to expect.
- Drooling and excessive release of saliva
- Continuous, uncomfortable retching without actually vomiting
- General distress and restlessness.
These are a few symptoms of bloating that you definitely shouldn’t overlook because bloating in extreme circumstances can kill a dog in a matter of hours if it is left untreated and unattended.
If you notice your Beagle showing any of these signs, you should visit a vet as soon as possible.
How Can I Prevent My Beagle From Getting Bloats?
In every circumstance, prevention is better than cure, and it is even more accurate in the case of bloating as it affects your dog’s health.
Although there is no 100 percent possibility of getting your pet totally out of harm’s way when it comes to bloating, there are a few measures you can take to ensure your Beagle is as far from bloating as possible.
- Prevent your dog from overeating: When you feed your Beagle, ensure that you measure its meals in small portions to prevent overeating. Unlike humans who can tell when they are full and stop eating, dogs cannot know so they would eat as much as possible which would endanger their health.
- Resting after meals is compulsory: Dogs like to play, and your Beagle is not an exception. Before you allow its curiosity to lead it out into the field or playground, ensure your pet has enough rest so that digestion can take place
- Too much water is bad: don’t allow your Beagle to drink too much water after eating. Water should be measured just as much as food so don’t let your dog go on a spree with water because it could cause quite a bit of harm.
- Feed your dog a few times a day rather than once: some persons opt for feeding their pet one big meal a day for some reason, but this is a major cause of bloating because your Beagle is bound to overeat. Rather than feeding your dog once a day, it is better and healthier to break the meals into two or three smaller meals.
- Slow down your dog’s eating: Most dogs love to eat fast, especially when you have more than one dog eating from a bowl. The solution to this is to feed your dogs using separate containers so that they can slow down as they eat. Another way to slow down your dog’s eating is to get a slow feeding bowl for your pet.
- Provide a balanced diet: Ensure that every meal you feed your pet with is healthy and can digest properly without any complication. Your pet’s health is as good as what it eats.
- Surgery: one great thing about Beagles is that they don’t inherit family health conditions, but in cases where your pet is at risk of inheriting health conditions and a close family member has suffered from bloating, it is crucial to prevent same from happening to your pet. A preventive surgery called Gastropexy involves stitching a side of the dog’s stomach to the wall to prevent the stomach from twisting and turning.
Are There Treatments for Bloating?
The primary reason for increasing awareness about this health issue is to either prevent the condition or treat the pet on time to avoid escalations and extreme circumstances.
If prevention fails and the signs are already visible, the next thing is to get treatment. When detected on time, you have little to worry about because you can get your Beagle treated and back to good health in no time.
Here are a few treatments for your Beagle:
Extraction of gas
In the first stage, when bloating has not worsened to volvulus, it is possible to decompress the stomach and get all the gas out.
The gas is removed by inserting a feeding tube into the stomach and extracting the gas through the dog’s mouth.
However, removal and extraction is only an option when the stomach has not yet twisted; if it has twisted, surgery or puncturing of the stomach would be the next probable options.
Surgery
The second stage of bloating calls for operation, which would untwist the stomach and return it to its original place.
Even if the vet punctures the abdomen to let out the gas, surgery will still be needed to correct the abnormal shape and set the stomach in working order.
Other forms of treatment include managing shock if your Beagle has already slid into shock or stabilizing the heart in case of heart attacks.
Regardless of the stage of bloating your pet is experiencing, it is not something to dally over; the first thing to do is rush your pet to the doctor for tests, examinations and then do whatever is necessary to nurse your beagle back to health.
Final Thoughts
It is important to note that the risk of bloating is not specific to any dog breed, although some breeds are more susceptible to this condition. So whether your pet is a Beagle, Irish Setter, Sheepdog or even Chihuahua, bloating is something you should expect.
Once again, prevention is key to keeping your beloved pet away from this health condition, and this should go with close observation; if you notice anything wrong that you cannot make sense of, get your dog to the vet immediately.
A false alarm is better than a late discovery, which could lead to other medical emergencies. Get your dog medical attention as fast as possible especially in cases of bloating.
No matter the knowledge you might have gathered informally, don’t try to treat your pet at home, visit the vet and give your companion the best possible care.
Because we adore our best friends, it is always a priority to ensure that they live healthy and happy lives so that we can be satisfied as well. It is never enough until you do your best.