Are You Aware of Gastric Dilation-Volvulus (GDV) in Dogs?

Our sweet Rue (Standard Poodle) gave us a big scare at The Sugardoodle Barn a few days ago!  Out of nowhere, she became very sick super quick, and we had to snap to attention and act fast to save her life! In the matter of a couple of hours, Rue went from being her playful fine self to a dry heaving, crying distressed fur baby with a big-time bloated belly that looked like she was ready to deliver puppies!  So big! Thankfully, we were able to connect with our vet in a very timely manner and get the help she needed! Within approximately two hours, Rue was diagnosed with gastric dilation-volvulus (GDV) causing a flipped stomach, and out of emergency surgery where she underwent a gastropexy and splenectomy! It was obvious we caught this early, and time was on our side for a successful full recovery!

So, what exactly is this condition?

Gastric dilation-volvulus is a term also known as bloat that occurs when a dog’s stomach becomes blocked causing gas and fluid to accumulate. As a result, the stomach stretches well beyond its normal size. The swollen stomach causes severe pain making it prone to twist or flip and ultimately results in the trapping of stomach contents cutting off the blood supply to the stomach. The deterioration of blood flow will quickly cause distention to the abdomen, shortness of breath or labored breathing.  Large vessels become compressed interrupting the return of blood flow back to the heart. You will quickly start to see a systemic response in the dog’s physical symptoms that requires immediate attention! This condition is fatal without timely medical intervention!

Larger breeds and dogs with deep chests are at the highest risk for developing GDV. Standard poodles are second on the list for breeds predisposed to the condition.  Since all doodles are part poodle, this automatically places those dogs high on the ‘at risk’ list as well.

There are a few things you can do to help reduce risk factors such as provide two small meals each day instead of one large meal, so you prevent rapid overeating. Puzzle feeders also work well to help slow down the dog’s eating pace. Lastly, a planned gastropexy performed at the time of spay or neuter for dogs at risk of a GDV is a wise decision that will safeguard against a potentially fatal condition and save you a ton of money in the long run. Emergency surgeries are not cheap!

Thankfully, in less than 48 hours, Rue was safely home with us and well on her way back to her old self!

How Often Do I Need to Groom My Adult Doodle?

Knowing how often to groom an adult doodle comes with a myriad of considerations and unfortunately there is not a one size fits all answer. However, we do see trends across the mixed breed that seem to get close and does work for most doodle owners and their budget.

The most popular grooming schedule we recommend for doodles is every 6-8 weeks. This duration allows maintenance work to get done before the coat goes awry! Most people do not brush their dogs on a regular schedule, and we get it, it’s hard to commit! Consequently, if you don’t brush regularly, it’s even more of a MUST to keep your fur baby on a maintenance grooming schedule, or you’ll end up with a matted mess that costs a fortune to correct. We often shave doodle coats to the ‘naked’ as we call it to get a clean reset. It’s the best way because otherwise, the grooming job could take hours and dogs do not tolerate an excessive long grooming sesh.  More time, more cost.  So, in the long run, you are much better off to stay on schedule and maintain the coat.

Consider:

How long do you like to keep the doodle coat?

Do you brush your dog’s coat regularly?

Do you bathe your dog at home in between grooming appointments?

What is the texture of your doodle coat?

Loose and wavy?

Tight with curls?

Course or fine?

How many doodles are there anyway?  According to google, 40 different poodle mixes exist. The most common mixes we typically groom are Goldendoodles, Labradoodle, Bernedoodles, and Aussiedoodles. The added complexity to this long list of poodle mixes is the generational line that 100% impacts the adult coat!  F1, F1B, F1BB, F2, F2B, F3, Multigen, etc… (Google ‘doodle generation chart’ to better understand the differences).

Buddy is a Bernedoodle on our 8 week grooming rotation for coat maintenance!

To eliminate stress for you as the owner and your doodle, talk with your groomer and plan on finding a schedule that is optimal for maintaining his/her beautiful coat!

What Do You Need to Know About Grooming Your Puppy for the First Time?

The perfect age to groom your puppy for the first time is totally a personal preference. However, you want to avoid taking your puppy to a groomer prior to the completion of all vaccinations. Typically, it takes 16 weeks (4 months) to get all vaccinations completed to prevent exposure to things such as Canine Parvovirus and Rabies. To keep your puppy safe, plan on making the first grooming appointment after these important vaccinations are completed.

Once vaccines are completed, the most common request for the first grooming appointment is the famous “puppy cut”. What exactly is a puppy cut? We are so glad you asked!  If you ask 10 people, you’ll get 10 different answers. To us, a puppy cut is removing the unruly body and leg fluff, a potty path trim, and a good clean up around the eyes, ears, and muzzle. Be warned, a puppy cut will change the appearance of your brand-new fur baby, but he or she will be cute as a button so don’t you dare worry!  Early exposure to the grooming experience usually has advantageous benefits by getting your puppy acclimated to the grooming process from a very young age (any time after full vaccination at 4-months) and prevents future anxieties from developing!

Meet Luci! She is a 4 1/2 month old Mini-Bernedoodle showing off her fresh puppy cut!