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I just read numerous articles about "bloat" in GSPs. According to the warning signs in one article, my dog is a classic candidate for it. Of course, every article has conflicting things you can't and can't do. One article ABSOLUTELY recommends NOT using an elevated dish to feed or water your dog. The GSP guide book I'm reading says an elevated dish in mandatory. That's about as conflicting as it gets. I've copied and posted a list from one source that got me the most nervous. My dog is high-energy (as most are) and loves to run, twist, jump and play in every way possible. This seems to conflict with what she should be doing. Here is a list from one article.
Causes
According to the links below, it is thought that the following may be the primary contributors to bloat. To calculate a dog's lifetime risk of bloat according to Purdue University's School of Veterinary Medicine, click here.
Here is the link to the entire article.
http://www.globalspan.net/bloat.htm#Prevention
Can anyone chime in on this and ease my concerns. This article claims that half of the things my dog does is going to cause her to bloat and die. Ughhh!
When I first was informed about bloat, it left me concerned as well. We excersise them at least an hour before or after feeding and have not had any issues so far. We do not elevate dog dishes. We do two small meals a day.