Weimaraner Addict

Rosa is going in for her spay a week from tomorrow; on her six month birthday. After considerable thought, I decided not to do a preventative gastropexy. She is from a backyard breeder so her family history is sketchy. I intend on paying attention to the do's and don'ts for breeds at risk for bloat. Is this the right decision? Any input here would be greatly appreciated.

Because she's from a byb and her history is sketchy, is why you should have it done... It may cost a bit more now, but it would be AWFUL to not be around once and she does bloat... the surgery (if she makes it though) is very costly and it's not 100% that they survive.

Save yourself the heartache and spend the extra money now... I don't know how much more it is than the spay, but I can tell you that I've had 2 trips to the E-vet for bloat totaling over $800.

Our Luna did not have the surgery at the time of spay, and now to do the surgery as a stand-alone it is $1200.

We have done everything right to prevent bloat with this dog, and it has happened 4 times now. 2 were remedied at home with gas-x, but 2 landed us at the e-vet. Luckily, if you could call it that, none of the times have involved torsion, only an enormous build up of gas that she could not seem to control.

I also vote to get the gastropexy. I wish Isis had gotten it when she was spayed (she was spayed before I got her.)

Maybe you or someone else has better info than I on the subject, but it seems that bloat is not something that you can prevent. I know about feeding 2x a day and not exercising before and after meals and I have done that but it didn't prevent it for my first weim. I miss her every day.

I opted the gastropexy with Tilly's spay and have never regretted it. Even though there is no history of bloat in her family history, I wanted to do all that I could to prevent bloat/torsion. The surgery was probably more expensive, but my vet was totally agreeable to do it for me. Her incision was a little longer than most, but the recovery time is generally the same as would be with only a spay. Now, I still watch her closely for bloat (she can still bloat but torsion would be less likely) and continue to take all measure to prevent bloat, but I have the peace of mind knowing that if she does bloat, the likelihood of torsion and all the other complications are greatly reduced. Sometimes prevention is better, especially if she is already under anesthesia and having an incision made.

I'd never heard of this before. Is this commonly done in combination with a female's spay surgery?

Here at the clinic we had 2 Weims in for 1 a spay and 1 a neuter, both bloated within hours of the surgery. They happened within 3 weeks of each other. Both were from back yard breeders and both were under a year. I highly recommend the gastropexy at the time of the spay. My vet teased me when I brought Rysa in the next day he hoped she wasn't here for surgery because he wasn't doing weims anymore.

If you end up doing the gastropexy you need to wait another few months before you do it. They should be close to maturity when the gastropexy is performed because as the dogs grow there is a chace the pexy can come undone. I had Zehen pexied when his hernia was repaired and he was neutered- I don't regret it at all. An emergency bloat situation is costly and heartbreaking

Why do it? How many weims do ANY of you know who have bloated? It's one thing to maybe think about doing the next time she's under for any reason, and maybe do it before she's 5 or so, but why take her back to the OR table for a preventative surgery? I wouldn't do it. Not all weims bloat, not many weims bloat. Even with a "sketchy" history, I wouldn't let my dog have a needless operation.

I will have any future dogs tacked when they are spayed or neutered if possible. I wouldn't have it done as a procedure on it's without a true concern; like in Luna's case where she is so young and had so many incidents. My Jake bloated with torsion and we were very lucky. A month later, my brother's dog (not a weim) bloated with torsion; again we were very lucky. Anything you can do to minimize the risk of bloat is worth it.

I just re-read your post--I didn't realize you hadn't already gotten her spayed. In that case, go ahead and do it when you have her spayed. I still don't think the risk is high, but it's one less worry that you'll have. If you can minimize any worries in these guys, do it! They'll cause you to worry enough just by being themselves.

versatilek9s wrote:I just re-read your post--I didn't realize you hadn't already gotten her spayed. In that case, go ahead and do it when you have her spayed. I still don't think the risk is high, but it's one less worry that you'll have. If you can minimize any worries in these guys, do it! They'll cause you to worry enough just by being themselves.

Ain't that the truth...

fireflyweims1 wrote:Here at the clinic we had 2 Weims in for 1 a spay and 1 a neuter, both bloated within hours of the surgery. They happened within 3 weeks of each other. Both were from back yard breeders and both were under a year. I highly recommend the gastropexy at the time of the spay. My vet teased me when I brought Rysa in the next day he hoped she wasn't here for surgery because he wasn't doing weims anymore.

Please explain this, I can't wrap my head around it. They go into surgery with an empty stomach (no feeding the night before), right? So they come out of surgery with an empty stomach and get bloat? I didn't know bloat was possible with an empty stomach or were they fed after surgery...which opens a whole other set of questions about how much, how soon, stress level, etc.

Was the surgery the cause, the feeding after the procedure or lack of before (which I don't think you can avoid) or was is something else? Help me out here because this is going to freak people out who have to get anything done under anesthetic.

Have y'all discussed with your vets how long the gastropexy lasts? I researched gastropexy on another Weim forum, and a prominent poster there was told by her vet that the stomach only remains affixed for a year at maximum. The general consensus on that board seemed to be that the surgery isn't worthwhile as a preventative measure as it gives such an impermanent fix.

marc7976708 wrote:

fireflyweims1 wrote:Here at the clinic we had 2 Weims in for 1 a spay and 1 a neuter, both bloated within hours of the surgery. They happened within 3 weeks of each other. Both were from back yard breeders and both were under a year. I highly recommend the gastropexy at the time of the spay. My vet teased me when I brought Rysa in the next day he hoped she wasn't here for surgery because he wasn't doing weims anymore.

Please explain this, I can't wrap my head around it. They go into surgery with an empty stomach (no feeding the night before), right? So they come out of surgery with an empty stomach and get bloat? I didn't know bloat was possible with an empty stomach or were they fed after surgery...which opens a whole other set of questions about how much, how soon, stress level, etc.

Was the surgery the cause, the feeding after the procedure or lack of before (which I don't think you can avoid) or was is something else? Help me out here because this is going to freak people out who have to get anything done under anesthetic.

Both dogs had an empty stomach, we use the easiest anesthesia on the dogs, and do all the presurgical tests(bloodwork and ECG). Both were young(8 and 6 months) and both were probably stressed. We don't feed after a surgery, we recommend that when you get them home offer a small amount of water several times and if they can keep that down offer a 1/4 of their normal meal.
Barking introduces air to the stomach as they swallow...so yes they can bloat on an empty stomach. The vet's office is an extremely stressful place without adding in the stress of being left and surgery. Also it doesn't help Weims are a sensitive breed. The female started to bloat at home after the spay and the male's owner noticed his stomach was distended when she picked him up. Neither torsioned. Could this have been a fluke? Sure, we do up to 9 spays and neuters every day 5 days a week and this is the only 2 we've had(since I have been there) and both were Weims. I also don't think that being BYB really means they are more prone to it. It has been my experience recently with it.
I have had 3 girls spayed and a boy neutered and they were fine. My last 2 girls were older and the one surgery was more involved as we had a mild pyometra in her, so she was slow to bounce back and eat right away. But I have had well bred dog that bloated no torsion just gassy bloat.

So in short I think it was a combo of the stress and the breed.