# stapling stomach



## Steve Estrada (Mar 6, 2011)

I have two clients one with GSD & other with a Bernese Mtn. dog and both have asked me about tacking the stomach to prevent torsion. It's expensive & the GSD guy with SL male says he read where military dogs are "all" being stapled??? Any and all accurate information appreciated


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## Sally Crunkleton (Jan 13, 2012)

Many people do this and many vets willing to do it. My 1st GSD got torsion at a year old from drinking too much water at once. He survived and never had another problem after surgery- but I was extremely cautious and did many "preventative" things over the next 12 yrs of his life.

My vet told that even though he was tacked and should not twist again, it was possible and that he could still bloat without actually twisting.

I now soak kibble for at least 4in prior to feeding do even after hours of digesting, there is no expanding in the stomach.

I considered a gastropexy before as prevention, but my paranoia seems to be preventing quite well so far.

Anyone who has been through it and lucky enough to have the dog survive I think will try hard to hopefully never go through it again.


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## Sally Crunkleton (Jan 13, 2012)

Dang auto correct...4in = 45 min!!!

I do not know the answer about the military dogs though.....I am curious if someone does know!


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

Steve Estrada said:


> I have two clients one with GSD & other with a Bernese Mtn. dog and both have asked me about tacking the stomach to prevent torsion. It's expensive & the GSD guy with SL male says he read where military dogs are "all" being stapled??? Any and all accurate information appreciated



One factor that I as an owner would consider to be uppermost: Does either dog have a first-degree relative (parent, offspring, or sibling) who has bloated?




eta
I'm not saying I wouldn't do it otherwise ... not at all. I'm just saying that I almost certainly _would_ do it if there were any incidents among the dog's first-degree relatives, or if the dog was a Great Dane (or Weimaraner, St. Bernard, or Gordon or Irish Setter).


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

I found this about prophylactic gastropexy:
http://www.akcchf.org/canine-health...ing-for-your-dog/prophylactic-gastropexy.html

and
http://veterinarynews.dvm360.com/dv...vulus-w/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/586888

http://www.acvs.org/AnimalOwners/HealthConditions/SmallAnimalTopics/GastricDilatationVolvulus/


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## Nicole Stark (Jul 22, 2009)

I've had elective gastropexies performed on my last two DDB and would recommend it on at risk breeds/dogs. The two I had done were performed during a spay and the procedure was not what I would consider expensive. It is however much more costly if done after a dog has bloated but that entire procedure/process at a whole is rather expensive. 

Elective pexies can be performed during any routine procedure that would require the dog to be put under. It is particularly convenient for those who have it done during a spay because the abdominal cavity is already open.

Concerning what the military does, I couldn't say one way or another.


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## Christopher Jones (Feb 17, 2009)

Sally Crunkleton said:


> My vet told that even though he was tacked and should not twist again, it was possible and that he could still bloat without actually twisting.
> 
> I now soak kibble for at least 4in prior to feeding do even after hours of digesting, there is no expanding in the stomach.


An old Dobermann girl I had bloated and they stapled the stomach as well during that operation. The Vet also said the same thing that they can still bloat even with it stapled. 
Her bloat was absolutley linked to dry food (kibble in your end of the world). 
The prevention I used to do was feeeding her last thing at night and crating her after she was fed. No dry food for her ever again. She never bloated again.


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## Alison Grubb (Nov 18, 2009)

Some military dogs are having preemptive stomach staplings done simply because of the risk down range. Can I say "all", no. But yes, it happens.

Same as there are some trainers/competitors who have it done preemptively.


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## rick smith (Dec 31, 2010)

Alison
ime, it's more than "some", but we have a few mwd types here that will probably weigh in ...


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## Maren Bell Jones (Jun 7, 2006)

So as an FYI for terminology, it's colloquially called "tacking" or "pexying" (short for gastropexy), not stapling. If someone told me they wanted their dog's stomach stapled, I think of bariatric surgery for humans.  Anyways, around here, it's about $300 or so to do, especially if they are already going to have surgery. With spaying, it's not too difficult since the incision will just need to be extended up to the sternum to visualize where you need to be. With a male dog, the incision would be in the cranial (more forward) part of the abdomen. The key is to not pexy the stomach to the midline in case they need abdominal surgery later (since the stomach will be right there on midline, which is not how it normally is). I am not a big surgery person, but I actually kind of like doing them. Well, I like doing them a whole heck of a lot more than a GDV surgery! There is a small chance (~10%, if I recall correctly) that a dog could still rotate even with a gastropexy and they still can dilate, so if your dog is having signs of GDV even if they have been pexied, get them to a vet!


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## Richard Ramirez (Sep 6, 2011)

Steve,
I had one dog bloat about twenty years ago. I was lucky and got him to the vet in time and he stapled his stomach. That was pretty expensive! He gave me some advice on prevention. ALWAYS soak dog food for at least twenty minutes. This gives the food the time it needs to fully expand. He also likened the analogy of when we were kids and our parents made us wait an hour before swimming. I have never had a problem since then,knock on wood. Have a Blessed and Happy Easter, Steve and all of you!!!


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## Alison Grubb (Nov 18, 2009)

rick smith said:


> Alison
> ime, it's more than "some", but we have a few mwd types here that will probably weigh in ...


It may be more than "some" across the board, but it is not "all."
From my experience with MWDs, it is some. That may change, but it's not what I have seen so far.


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## Steve Estrada (Mar 6, 2011)

Maren, thanks, I was hoping you'd jump in. Excuse my ignorance (stapling ;-)
$300 wow! It's $1800-2000 here guess it would be cheaper to ship LOL! Still hoping to hear from MWD folks. I've known about soaking but I feed raw & WD lines. Did that sound ta ta? Happy Easter to all....


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## Ariel Peldunas (Oct 18, 2008)

When I was handler (which was 7 years ago now), all female dogs had it done when they were spayed. Males were only done if they were going under and being opened up for something else. Not sure if things have changed now. If it's really that important to know if all are having it done now, I can find out easily enough. I still have quite a few friends who are active duty handlers.


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## Maren Bell Jones (Jun 7, 2006)

Steve Estrada said:


> Maren, thanks, I was hoping you'd jump in. Excuse my ignorance (stapling ;-)
> $300 wow! It's $1800-2000 here guess it would be cheaper to ship LOL! Still hoping to hear from MWD folks. I've known about soaking but I feed raw & WD lines. Did that sound ta ta? Happy Easter to all....


Yeah, when I was in vet school, spays and neuters were $125 and when we would get in a young Great Dane or GSD, we would ask the owner if they wanted the gastropexy for another $300. I did one during a spay/neuter project at a shelter on a Great Dane/American bulldog mix who was a pretty nervous dog. Might as well and good practice for me.


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