# Preventative Bloat Procedure on Puppy?



## WynterCote (Feb 15, 2010)

Shya will be spayed at 6 months, and the vet recommended that while she is 'out' they can go in and induce some scar tissue to form between her stomach and abdominal wall to help keep the stomach in place should she ever have a bloat episode. I have never heard of this procedure so I wanted to hear from the board particularly on a few questions:

1. How effective is it?
2. Is it commonly done on a puppy?
3. Are there any side affects or complications that could occur?

Thanks for any input. Sorry if this has been asked on the board before, but I don't even know what it's called to search for it.


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## GSDBESTK9 (Mar 26, 2002)

I've heard for them stapling the stomack but never of this.


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## arycrest (Feb 28, 2006)

WynterCote said:


> ...and the vet recommended that while she is 'out' they can go in and induce some scar tissue to form between her stomach and abdominal wall to help keep the stomach in place should she ever have a bloat episode.
> ...


I've heard of tacking the stomach down after torsion surgery or as a preventative measure against torsion, but have never heard of using scar tissue as a preventative. 

I found an article by Fred Lanting that "might" be explaining the procedure you're talking about (it has a copyright date of 2002-2010 so don't know if the information is old or not). 

It says in part, "Follow up surgical techniques are numerous, but perhaps the one with the most success in preventing future torsion is a tube gastrostomy. In this procedure, a rubber or vinyl tube is put into the stomach through the abdominal wall, and in a week the stomach wall at that point becomes attached with scar tissue to the peritoneum and abdominal wall. The tube is then pulled out. ..."
SiriusDog.com - Canine Digestive Tract Disorders Polyps Megaesophagus Torsion Bloat (Volvulus) Pancreatic Insufficiency Part 2

Before saying yes, I'd like to get more information.


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

My understanding is that these procedures do NOT prevent bloat but do stop the torsion.


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## WynterCote (Feb 15, 2010)

Hmm. From these responses, i'm guessing this procedure isn't too common? The article in SiriusDog (thanks arycrest!) seems to describe a similar procedure called 'tube gastronomy', but it doesn't mention anything about doing it on a puppy, or the overall effectiveness of preventing torsion.


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