We just lost our beloved 11 year old GSD to bloat or stomach torsion yesterday. 3 weeks ago he had his spleen removed due to a ruptured tumor (hemangiosarcoma). We opted for euthanasia due to his cancer and age. Does anyone have any reason to believe that the stomach torsion is at all related to the spleen removal. Just wondering-2 major medical issues in 3 weeks after 11 years of great health. Thanks.
Splenectomy and 3 weeks later bloat.
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I am so very sorry for your loss.
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I don't know if this hurts more or less to know this, buit I think this is what you are looking for:
Gastric dilatation-volvulus as complication after ... [J Vet Med A Physiol Pathol Clin Med. 2006] - PubMed result
I am so very sorry, I had been following your thread in the Preparing section :hugs:
Gastric dilatation-volvulus as complication after ... [J Vet Med A Physiol Pathol Clin Med. 2006] - PubMed result
I am so very sorry, I had been following your thread in the Preparing section :hugs:
Thank you,exactly what I thought that there was probably a relationship though the Vet said it was purely coincidental. He would have died the first night but I would have been more careful about the causes of bloat. I had Shaeffer out for 45 minutes of ballplay right after eating and 15 minutes later he was vomiting. ****.
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I don't think the correlation is well known - that abstract I think is a bit obscure, and I've never seen it referred to anywhere else.
I don't think that there is anything you could have done. My boy bloated and torsioned, and did it on and off for the week before, before it went into a full scale emergency. Off course, I only know that in hindsight. I think dogs destined to bloat or torsion will typically do it - it's not within our control in most cases.
The point at which *might* have made a difference is if the vet would have tacked the stomach when the spleen was removed. And that's on the medical community, not at all on you. I knew about that abstract, and I probably would forget to bring it up to the vet before a spleen removal, and even then, that's not on me, that's on the medical community, not the dog owner.
I understand guilt when losing a dog very well. We just have to find a way to forgive ourselves. We expect superhuman perceptive abilities because we so want our dogs to still be here and we want to think that they could have been saved.
The most important thing you can try to do, is to figure out how to relieve that guilt. Do pass the abstract on to your vet, so your boy's legacy will be to help those after him.
:hugs:
I don't think that there is anything you could have done. My boy bloated and torsioned, and did it on and off for the week before, before it went into a full scale emergency. Off course, I only know that in hindsight. I think dogs destined to bloat or torsion will typically do it - it's not within our control in most cases.
The point at which *might* have made a difference is if the vet would have tacked the stomach when the spleen was removed. And that's on the medical community, not at all on you. I knew about that abstract, and I probably would forget to bring it up to the vet before a spleen removal, and even then, that's not on me, that's on the medical community, not the dog owner.
I understand guilt when losing a dog very well. We just have to find a way to forgive ourselves. We expect superhuman perceptive abilities because we so want our dogs to still be here and we want to think that they could have been saved.
The most important thing you can try to do, is to figure out how to relieve that guilt. Do pass the abstract on to your vet, so your boy's legacy will be to help those after him.
:hugs:
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So sorry for your loss. I'm glad he had a happy healthy 11 years.
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An article describing bloat some time after splenectomy with recommendations:
J Am Vet Med Assoc. 1995 Aug 1;207(3):314-5.
Gastric dilatation-volvulus after splenic torsion in two dogs.
Millis DL, Nemzek J, Riggs C, Walshaw R.
Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing 48824-1314, USA.
Abstract
Two dogs developed gastric dilatation-volvulus 2 and 17 months, respectively, after splenectomy for treatment of splenic torsion. Splenic displacement and torsion may stretch the gastric ligaments, allowing increased mobility of the stomach. After splenectomy, an anatomic void may be created in the cranioventral part of the abdomen, contributing to the mobility of the stomach. Veterinarians treating dogs with isolated splenic torsion may wish to consider prophylactic gastropexy at splenectomy, to reduce the chance of future gastric dilatation-volvulus. Prophylactic gastropexy should be done only if the dog's hemodynamic status is stable enough to allow for performance of the additional surgery.
J Am Vet Med Assoc. 1995 Aug 1;207(3):314-5.
Gastric dilatation-volvulus after splenic torsion in two dogs.
Millis DL, Nemzek J, Riggs C, Walshaw R.
Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing 48824-1314, USA.
Abstract
Two dogs developed gastric dilatation-volvulus 2 and 17 months, respectively, after splenectomy for treatment of splenic torsion. Splenic displacement and torsion may stretch the gastric ligaments, allowing increased mobility of the stomach. After splenectomy, an anatomic void may be created in the cranioventral part of the abdomen, contributing to the mobility of the stomach. Veterinarians treating dogs with isolated splenic torsion may wish to consider prophylactic gastropexy at splenectomy, to reduce the chance of future gastric dilatation-volvulus. Prophylactic gastropexy should be done only if the dog's hemodynamic status is stable enough to allow for performance of the additional surgery.
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Bloat just scares the heck out of me. After reading several heartbreaking stories I've become vigilant about resting before and after meals. I'm so sorry that Schaeffer went through so much these past weeks, but your thread has helped me and probably others.
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I'm so very sorry for your loss.
I went through splenectomy for hemangiosarcoma with my boy, this is his post
http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum/loving-memory/105191-please-say-prayer-my-boy-hs.html
During the splenectomy they did the gastropexy surgery to prevent the GDV. I was told that it is easier for the rotation to happen because of the extra space in the abdomen after the spleen removal. Your vet should have told you and done this.
I am so sorry for your loss, this is a terrible cancer.
http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum/loving-memory/105191-please-say-prayer-my-boy-hs.html
During the splenectomy they did the gastropexy surgery to prevent the GDV. I was told that it is easier for the rotation to happen because of the extra space in the abdomen after the spleen removal. Your vet should have told you and done this.
I am so sorry for your loss, this is a terrible cancer.
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Sorry for your loss. He had a good 11 years a lot of dogs don't get that so he was fortunate and had a family that loved him. You can feel comfort in knowing that he lived a good long loved life.
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