Does soaking dog food help bloat

Food Bloat in Dogs: Did Your Dog Eat Too Much?

Food bloat (aka gluttony bloat) in dogs is uncomfortable.

The symptoms of food bloat are different than bloat due to gastric dilatation and volvulus (GDV). And while not as serious as GDV, food bloat, if left untreated, can be a painful condition requiring veterinary care and possibly surgery.

Causes of Food Bloat

Food bloat is just what it sounds like. A dog eats an exceptionally large amount of food in a short period of time.

The stomach fills with air and food, causing it to become so enlarged that it stretches beyond what is normal and causes pain and discomfort due to the stretching of the stomach's pain receptor. It may be from eating dog food, cat food, human food, treats, or even getting into the garbage.

A "large amount" of food will vary depending on the size of the dog. A small dog, like a Pug or Chihuahua, can bloat from eating 23 times their daily intake. A large breed dog, like a Lab or Great Dane, may need to ingest 35 times their normal food intake to cause their stomach to bloat.

Signs of Food Bloat Are Similar to Symptoms of Gastric Dilatation and Volvulus (GDV)

The evidence may be just the thing you need to know something is up and that your dog got into food they shouldnt have. Coming home to an open pantry door, a missing roast off the counter, or a bag of dog food with holes in it with a guilty looking pooch nearby is usually the first sign that something is going on. Your dogs stomach may look swollen and feel hard, or their ribs may appear to stick out further than normal. The signs of food bloat are similar to GDV:

• Retching or trying to vomit unsuccessfully
• Panting
• Restlessness
• Drooling
• A swollen, hard abdomen
• Chest may appear swollen or stick out more
• Lack of energy
• Lack of appetite
• Increased (or decreased) water consumption
• Painful acting (see signs of pain)
• Abdominal pain
• Racing heart rate (see how to check your dog's heart rate)
• Shortness of breath
• Vocalizing or whining

Questions? To chat with a veterinarian about your dog's bloated stomach, Click here

If you see any of the signs listed above in your pup, it is important to seek veterinary care to determine if the symptoms are from food bloat or GDV. If left untreated, food bloat can lead to GDV because the stomach can fill with air and then rotate (another term for it is torse/torsion). This is even more probable for deep- or barrel-chested dogs, like Great Danes, Weimaraners, Boxers, and many more breeds listed in our Cause of GDV/Bloat article.

Any dog can use their ultra-sensitive nose and take advantage of the opportunity to eat as much as they can. Some dogs are more food motivated than others, like Labrador and Golden Retrievers. And giant breed dogs are known to easily swipe items off counters, like entire loaves of bread or trays of cupcakes. But dont count out the little dogs, like Chihuahuas or Beagles. Both can get into pantry doors left ajar or tear open food bags that have been left out. A bored dog looking for something to do can also be a recipe for disaster. Lastly, dogs that are on weight-restricted diets due to being overweight are also more likely to gorge when they find a readily accessible food source.

What Your Dog Ate Might Be of Concern for Stomach Bloat

Dogs eating items from the garbage have rarely resulted in food bloat. However, many dangerous things are lurking in indoor and outdoor trash bins. Chicken, pork, or steak bones can pose a threat for intestinal obstruction or perforation. Plastic baggies that are often laced with leftover food and crumbs can cause an intestinal obstruction or result in suffocation. And other fatty foods found in the garbage or on the counter, like sticks of butter, may not cause bloat, but your dog can develop pancreatitis.

So even if your dog doesnt look bloated, you should still seek veterinary care to avoid other issues that can develop later.

NEVER try to induce vomiting unless your veterinarian or emergency clinic has advised you to do so.

Inducing vomiting increases the chances of your pet choking and aspirating (inhaling the vomit into their lungs), which will lead to pneumonia and additional complications. This is especially risky for brachycephalic breeds (flat-faced breeds), and weak or unconscious pets.

Do not induce vomiting in a dog that is already vomiting. It is also not safe to induce vomiting in pets with seizures or other neurologic conditions. Additionally, it is not recommended for pets with heart disease, a history of bloat, or those that have recently had abdominal surgery.

Hydrogen peroxide is typically used to induce vomiting and it is generally safe for dogs (never use it with cats). The veterinarian will guide you through the steps over the phone if they recommend you take this approach before going into the hospital.

For $5, you can connect with a veterinarian to discuss your dogs stomach issue.Connect now Rates may differ for those residing outside the U.S. You'll have access to a vet for 7 days.

Treatment for Food Bloat

Once your dog is at the veterinary hospital, your doctor will do a physical exam, and an x-ray will be taken. Food bloat shows up as large amounts of food visible in the stomach. This helps distinguish it from GDV, which is usually just air in the stomach.

Please be aware that some items stolen from the trash, such as plastic bags or wraps, may not be visible on x-rays. Therefore, if your dog has gotten into the trash, additional imaging or surgery may be needed to determine the cause of symptoms.

Once GDV is ruled out, your vet may try to induce vomiting if the stomach is not overly distended. If successful, this usually provides prompt relief. Sometimes your pet may not vomit, and, in these cases, intravenous or subcutaneous fluids are administered, depending on how severe the bloat is. This will help keep your dog hydrated.

Note: If your dogs stomach is overly extended, vomiting is contraindicated (strongly not recommended) since it can cause the stomach to potentially rupture.

Medications to speed gastric motility and help the stomach empty quicker may be given. Your pet may need to stay in the hospital so your vet can take follow-up x-rays to make sure the stomach is going down in size and the food is moving through the intestinal tract.

Pain medications are also given to provide relief from the discomfort as well as to help your dog relax.

In severe cases, but the dog is stable, stomach lavage (similar to stomach pumping) under anesthesia may be necessary in order to help remove food. Surgery is needed in cases where the food cannot be removed via stomach lavage, or a foreign object is suspected.

A bloated stomach from overconsumption of food will be very dilated (swollen) on an x-ray. This stomach (featured in the photo above) is FULL of digested food, which makes it difficult to see the other organs or intestines. Occasionally you may see some gas in the intestines, like in this x-ray that shows up as what appears to be snake-like black loops. Gas or air is black on an x-ray, whereas anything soft such as food or tissue, is grey, and bone is white. The AFTER photo below is what came out after the veterinary team induced vomiting.

How to Prevent Food Bloat

Preventing food bloat takes a little bit of planning and attention to detail. Never assume that your dog cannot get into food bags, trash cans, or even push open the door to a pantry.

It is best to store your dog's kibble in a separate container other than its original bag. Put the container somewhere your dog cannot access.

The Vittles Vault is a Preventive Vet team favorite. They come in different sizes, are stackable, air-tight to keep kibble fresher longer, and are near impossible to chew through. They're easy to road trip with, too keeping the kibble safe from your dog in the car.

Gamma2 Vittles Vault Pet Food ContainerBuy on Chewy | Buy on Amazon

Make sure that your garbage cans are secured or dog-proof. However, a determined and curious dog can push over almost any trash can and find a way inside if they smell something delicious. For this reason, do not throw meat, food scraps, or bones in your kitchen garbage. Instead, put it in a secure outside trash bin so your pup cannot be tempted, or behind a secure door.

These magnetic "child-proof" locks work well on kitchen cabinets. Some of our teammates use them to keep pets out.

Jaiyi 6-pack Cabinet Door MagnetsBuy on Amazon

Our team also recommends these no-drill child safety straps. They can be used in a variety of places around the home.

Jool Baby No-Drill Child Safety StrapsBuy on Amazon

Little-known danger lurking in garbage cans and on counters: chip and snack bags. Dogs can suffocate by getting their head stuck in a bag, seeking out the crumbs or leftovers in a Ziploc. Even a 130 lb dog can't remove the bag once it's stuck. Learn more about pet suffocation and ways to prevent it.

Make sure treats like rawhides or dog biscuits are in secure cabinets or even outside in the garage if you have one. This goes for cat food and treats as well. Dogs love the smell and taste of cat food so take extra precautions to store this food in pet-safe containers in an area where your curious canine cannot get to it.

If something has to stay on the counter, make sure it's pushed as far away as your dog is tall. Although, some determined dogs have pushed chairs to the counter's edge to seek out the goodness! If jumping up on the counter is an ongoing hobby for your dog, check out these counter surfing tips and videos, to help you teach your pup that this is an unwelcome and dangerous behavior.

Luckily, food bloat is very treatable and does not always require hospitalization. It is still important to contact your veterinarian or after-hours emergency hospital if you think your dog has ingested a large amount of food or treats. Prompt advice and treatment from a veterinarian can make this condition treatable and provide your dog with quick relief.

Soaking Dog Kibble: 10 Excellent Reasons Why You Should Do It

Twice a day, like clockwork, my dogs get kibble and cooked chicken soaked in a tasty warm liquid to eat. They love it. Even my fussy eater gets herself out of bed so she doesnt miss the feast. But Ive always wondered if I should be soaking kibble and what the benefits are, so I did some research and found out that:

You should soak dog kibble in a tasty liquid, like broth, to get a picky eater to eat. Soaking kibble can also be good for dogs who: dont drink enough water, have sensitive stomachs, or have bad teeth and cannot chew on hard kibble. Wet kibble can also help overweight dogs lose weight.

Some say you shouldnt soak a dogs dry food because hard kibble removes plaque and reduces the chance of dental disease. While theres a small argument to be made for the abrasiveness of dry kibble scraping plaque off a dogs teeth, the truth isnt so cut and dry.

The most effective way to clean your dogs teeth is to actually clean your dogs teeth. To do this, you can give your dog dental chews or toys (such as these favorites from Amazon), or brush your dogs teeth.

The benefits of soaking your dogs kibble far outweigh the minor effect dry kibble has on the teeth, which is exactly what this article covers. Here are ten great reasons why you should soak kibble for your dog

Makes the food more appealing

While you may be thinking about all the health benefits that soaking your dogs kibble could bring, your dog just wants food that tastes good. Luckily, more flavorful food is one of the benefits of soaking kibble.

Most people soak their dogs kibble in homemade chicken/beef broth or plain water. I like to use bone broth like this from Amazon as a treat sometimes, or I keep the water after making chicken or rice for my dogs and use this instead.

Whatever you use to soak your dogs kibble, make sure theres no salt or additives in there.

Heating up the liquid before soaking kibble warms the fats in the food, which makes the kibble smell better. And something that smells better always tastes better.

Helps with sensitive stomachs or digestive issues

If your dog is prone to vomiting, diarrhea, or other digestive issues, soaking their kibble can help cut down on many of these tummy issues.

Liquid softens the food, which makes it easier to swallow and easier to digest. If you do this, your dogs digestive enzymes dont have to do nearly as much to digest the food.

Gets your dog to drink more water

Some dogs just dont like drinking water. Maybe the water in the bowl gets too warm (heres how to keep it cool), or the outside water bowl is full of bees (heres how to keep bees away), or perhaps your dog just doesnt realize theyre thirsty.

Whatever it is, your dog needs to drink enough water, and soaking kibble is one way to help your dog to take in enough liquids.

A dog needs to take in 1 ounce of water per day for every pound of dog weight. This can be from drinking water, from wet dog food, or from the liquid used to soak kibble. If you soak your dogs kibble, your dog will naturally drink less water from the water bowl as they are getting liquid from their food every day.

Improves a dogs urinary health

If a dog doesnt drink enough water, they can suffer from kidney infections or urinary tract infections. This is one of the reasons why its so important for a dog to take in enough liquid every day.

Heres a table showing how much water your dog needs to drink each day based on body weight:

Soaking kibble in warm water can help a dog thats prone to these types of infections not to get them anymore, and soaked kibble can help a dog avoid these types of infections altogether.

Makes food easier to eat

If your dog has problems with their teeth or has lost their teeth for whatever reason, soaking their kibble makes eating easier, especially on the gums which can get raw and painful.

Helps overweight dogs lose weight

Adding water to your dogs kibble can help your dog lose weight. Obesity can cause severe problems for a dog, so if you want your furry best friend to live their best life, you need to keep them at a healthy weight.

Adding water to a dogs dry kibble introduces more water into their diet. This, in turn, helps the dog feel fuller quicker and stop eating. When your dog eats less, your dog takes in fewer calories and should slowly start losing weight as a result.

This is a simple way to put your dog on a diet without them actually feeling like theyre on a diet.

Makes switching foods easier

If youre switching from one brand or type of dog food to another, you should make the switch over the course of a week or two dont ever suddenly change your dogs food.

Click here to get my easy 1-week step-by-step food transition plan to follow, which is summarized in this table:

Adding water or a tasty liquid when mixing dog foods should make the switch much easier for your dog.

This is because the liquid will make the mixed food taste better, so your dog keeps on eating. It also makes the food easier on the dogs digestive system, which can cause all sorts of problems when changing dog food.

Good for puppies being weaned

A weaning puppy is a puppy thats moving from drinking its mothers milk to eating solid food. A puppy starts weaning naturally when its about 3-4 weeks old. Soaking kibble for weaning puppies can make this transition easier for the puppy.

Trying to transition puppies directly from their mothers milk to dry kibble is a hard transition to make: Dry kibble can be hard for a puppy to eat, and its tough on their tiny tummies.

If you go straight from one to the other, youll probably be dealing with some nasty tummy issues for days.

Try soaking dry food to make the switch smoother. You can use this trick again when its time to move your puppy over to adult dog food.

Note: You may still see a few digestive issues, including diarrhea or constipation. One or two unusual bowel movements is nothing to fear when changing a dogs food. But if your puppy has more than that, starts throwing up, or becomes dehydrated, see a veterinarian immediately as these could be symptoms of a more serious problem.

Good for dogs who eat too quickly

Dogs who eat too quickly are prone to digestive issues and vomiting because they often swallow their food whole instead of chewing it. Thats why you sometimes see entire food pellets in dog vomit.

If your dog is a fast eater, click here to find out what to do about it and why you need to do something.

Adding liquid to your dogs kibble makes the food softer, so it breaks down more easily and there arent any hard pellets for your dog to swallow. Plus, some dogs physically slow down and search for their food as it floats in the water, which slows down their eating time my dogs play this game with their food.

May reduce the risk of bloat

I wasnt sure if I should include this benefit or not as its not scientifically proven to be true.

In fact, some people think adding water to food may increase the risk of bloat. But many pet owners and veterinarians agree that adding water to food is actually good for dogs that are prone to bloat.

After some research, it seems that eating and drinking quickly and going for a walk right before or after is actually the leading cause of bloat.

When dogs have water in their food, theyre less likely to eat a lot of food at a time and then turn around and drink mouthfuls of water on top of it, which is something veterinarians believe might be a cause of bloating in dogs.

Just be sure to take a long peaceful break after mealtimes, and that your dog doesnt run around or jump a lot before the food has had time to settle.

As I said, theres no science to back this up, but if you have a deep-chested dog breed thats prone to bloat, it may be worth talking to your veterinarian for advice.

Final thoughts

While not everyone agrees that water or other liquids should be added to dry kibble, Im a firm believer in it. There are too many benefits to doing it and very few disadvantages.

Adding liquid to kibble can help puppies, senior dogs, overweight dogs, and dogs with dental or digestive issues. It can potentially even reduce the risk of bloat. As a dog owner myself, I plan to continue soaking my dogs kibble for as long as I have dogs (which will be forever ).