# Elevated Bowls.



## pmerandi18 (Jan 13, 2011)

I am conflicted as to elevate my 6.5 mo food and water?

I have heard different things about not doing so and doing so. 

Any opinions would be greatly appreciated.


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## Denali Girl (Nov 20, 2010)

I have heard different things as well so I would like to see what people come up with. I have seen coyotes eat in the wild laying from their stomach but who knows?


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## Stosh (Jun 26, 2010)

I wouldn't use them- I've had more than one gsd eat while laying down. Stosh does a lot of the time. I feed him in a flat pie plate looking glass dish so I can put it in the dishwasher. I've also heard conflicting information as to whether it's good to use them.


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## Dejavu (Nov 11, 2010)

Mine also like to eat lying on their stomach.

But I wouldn't use elevated bowls, because I'm worried about them being a cause for bloat.


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## JustMeLeslie (Sep 15, 2010)

This is a subject that no one is gonna ever completely 100% agree with each other on. You have to do research and debate whether or not it is something you want to do. Some say elevated leads to bloat while others say it aids in digestion. It is a back and forth subject.

I do feed with elevated bowls and have for years. This is what works for my animals. I personally prefer them, but that is just me.


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## pmerandi18 (Jan 13, 2011)

Thanks. 

I was also curious to know if many folks mix some can food with dry?


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## Salem (Oct 26, 2010)

I actually did a research paper for my Biology course last semester and found that an elevated bowl increases the chances of gastric dilatation volvulus (GDV) by 110 percent (a Tufts University study).

Canine Bloat - Tufts Breeding & Genetics 2003

A veterinarian on petfinder, Dr. Nash, says that some studies have found the above to be true, but some studies did not produce results to conclude if dogs had increased risks of GDV by eating out of an elevated bowl.

"Some studies suggest that dogs who are susceptible to bloat should not be fed with elevated feeders; other studies have not found this to be true. It is recommended, however, that dogs at increased risk be fed at floor level."

Bloat (Gastric Dilatation and Volvulus) in Dogs

Of course, there are many different factors that play into GDV, not just the possibility of an elevated bowl, but I personally would keep the bowls on ground level. That's just me though


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## Stogey (Jun 29, 2010)

I have fed from elevated bowls for years with several different GSD's ... No Problemo !
Sometimes I add a can of wet food, sometimes not, sometimes I mix with people food, sometimes not. DJ would much rather people food 100% of the time in any case.
Personally I had never heard the " elevated vs non-elevated " argument until I joined this site !


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## ZAYDA (Apr 22, 2010)

Always going to get opinions but I do feed elevated it just seems like it's easier on them when the eat if you ask me.


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## Anja1Blue (Feb 27, 2008)

I've used elevated bowls for all my dogs (different breeds) - no problems with any of them. I feed raw, but in the days when I was feeding kibble I did sometimes add canned.....
_______________________________________
Susan

Anja SchH3 
Conor GSD
Blue BH WH T1 GSD - waiting at the Bridge :angel:


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## roxy84 (Jun 23, 2007)

Salem said:


> I actually did a research paper for my Biology course last semester and found that an elevated bowl increases the chances of gastric dilatation volvulus (GDV) by 110 percent (a Tufts University study).
> 
> Canine Bloat - Tufts Breeding & Genetics 2003
> 
> ...


while Mr Bell works for Tufts, the information he cited in that link is actually from the Purdue Bloat Study, not something actually done by Tufts.


the major flaw in the Purdue study is that they simply collected data and made conclusions based on the data. it wasnt actual research, where you would be studying a control group.

look at the conclusion that elevated dishes contribute to bloat. first, it was already known that large and giant dogs are more prone to bloat due to their physical structure. great danes happened to be one of the main dogs looked at in this study. well, it just so happens that many dane owners prefer to use elevated dishes for the obvious reason of comfort for such tall dogs.

the purdue study, without a proper control group, simply correlated the higher incidents of bloat with the use of elevated dishes because the gathered statistics indicated this. it was an assumed cause and effect.


the only things i personally believe are likely contributors to bloat are sex (males are much more likely to bloat), having a deep chest, and maybe most importantly, stress.


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## Lora (Jan 7, 2011)

I use an elevated dish system water/food, Brewski has not had any problems. I used the elevated system with my Greyhound for the 10 years he was part of our family. I find it to be less stress full on their back and neck area. I don't like eating at a table where my food is not at the proper height, so I feel Brewski wouldn't either. Every other day Brewski gets a teaspoon of " 100% Pure Pumpkin mixed in his kibble and once a week he gets the treat of canned food mixed in. I find he is satisfied and happy with this arrangement.


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## vicky2200 (Oct 29, 2010)

Dakota eats, and usually drinks, laying down. So elevating it wouldn't be good. However, I have never elevated them and my dogs have never had any problems. I suppose if you had a particularly tall dog, like a great dane or a irish wolfhoud, it may be necessary.


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## BowWowMeow (May 7, 2007)

As Derek says, there are major problems with that Purdue bloat study.

The one common denominator in every bloat case is stress. Beyond that little is known. I do know that people with the giant breeds continue to feed them elevated. 

Rafi hurt his SI joint last week so I am currently feeding him elevated and will probably continue to do so because he's a lot less messy that way. :laugh:


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## JustMeLeslie (Sep 15, 2010)

pmerandi18 said:


> Thanks.
> 
> I was also curious to know if many folks mix some can food with dry?


I only feed dry food. I save the canned for a special treat because after yrs. of having small dogs(minpins) they tend to only want to eat the canned and spit out the dry. Since then I have never fed canned to any of my dogs-large or small.


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## Larien (Sep 26, 2010)

I do not use elevated feeders. Wild canines don't have elevated feeders, so neither do mine, xD. Remington eats on his stomach, so that's how he prefers it anyway.

Incidentally I also require my horses to be fed at ground level, as that's how wild horses eat, and obviously how they were intended to eat (long necks.)


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## JKlatsky (Apr 21, 2007)

All our dogs eat floor level. Some eat laying down some eat standing up. They are all fed in their crates. They are never fed after exercise, and they are always given at least 30 minutes to rest before being let out of their crates. Incidentally most of my dogs burp after their meals too. I wonder if this is common? One of my old dogs would come over after eating and want you to rub her sides and then she'd let out a big burp...which always reminded me of burping the baby. 

DH's family used to raise AKC show Mastiffs. They always ate from the floor too. Never had a single bloat.


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## Salem (Oct 26, 2010)

> As Derek says, there are major problems with that Purdue bloat study.
> 
> The one common denominator in every bloat case is stress. Beyond that little is known. I do know that people with the giant breeds continue to feed them elevated.


I do see the flaw in the Purdue study. I wonder if there will ever be a study with a more reasonable control group. Stress is definitely one of the major factors in bloat, but it would be nice if there was a more accurate study on elevated dishes so that the question can be laid to rest. Then again, it may never be, with so many factors to work with.


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## Larien (Sep 26, 2010)

I've never heard any of my dogs burp after meals, do they eat quickly? Like, do they gulp it down fast? If they are, they're swallowing a lot of air, and that's why they burp. You'll want to slow them down if that's the case - they make specially designed dishes that have bumps in the bottom to make it harder to wolf down the food.

I do the same thing, I don't feed after exercise or exercise after eating - same goes for drinking, too. I'm SUPER paranoid about bloat - I lost my great dane to it in August. Take it from someone who knows - the pain and suffering is beyond comprehension, for both dog and human - better safe than sorry. I will never use an elevated feeder and will always take the precautions I take currently.


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## Ron Short (Mar 25, 2011)

Larien said:


> Wild canines don't have elevated feeders, so neither do mine


That makes a lot of sense....


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## ElvisP (May 19, 2010)

Elvis has an elevated water dish but his food dish sits on the ground.


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## 3ToesTonyismydog (Dec 27, 2009)

If you google bloat almost every article you read well say it CAN lead to bloat. So why take the chance???


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