Any dog can be susceptible to bloat (also known as torsion or GDV) but it is especially prevalent if you have a deeper chested breed such as a Ridgeback, Great Dane, Boxer etc – and if they like to wolf down their food then this problem is even more of a worry. In essence, it occurs when the stomach twists or flips, trapping the connective tissues at either end of the stomach and preventing the natural gasses from passing through the digestive system.
I have written a blog on the subject before which you might want to check out https://rhodes2safety.com/k9-tip-of-the-day-torsionbloatgdv/
My reason for writing this post is to draw your attention to a video I’ve recently come across which shows you how to locate an acu-point on your dog’s hind leg which actively alleviates the effects of bloat. Now, that’s not to say that simply massaging this pressure point is enough to sort out the problem if your dog experiences torsion, but merely that doing so either en route to the vet’s office, could well buy him a little time and prevent the situation deteriorating too rapidly. This technique is NOT intended to negate your need to get emergency veterinary help immediately.
Please take a few minutes to watch this short clip and store it for future reference. Commit the location of this acupuncture point to memory because unfortunately, you never know WHEN it may save your furry’s life. If you refer to the illustration at the top of this page, the position of the point you are locating is labeled as point number 28 on the skeleton.
