gastropexy??

Lexxsmom · 10-07-2007, 09:01 PM

could someone explain what this surgery is? Has anyone had it done to their dobes?

I understand that it has something to do with prevention of bloat.

MandysBlackRoses · 10-07-2007, 09:13 PM

I have though about getting this as a preventive surgery.
http://vetsurgerycentral.com/gdv.htm

They simply tack the right side of the stomach to the right side of the body wall, preventing the stomache from flipping.

Dobes&Hounds · 10-07-2007, 09:47 PM

My Aubrey girl bloated about 2 months ago. She did not torsion, but underwent 2 hours of gastric lavage to empty her stomach. After they got her stable, two days later we opted for gastroplexy. She is an 8 year old Dobie, and the surgery was quite hard on her. Her incision was almost the entire length of her abdomen.
I do not think it is a surgery to do on a dog that has not bloated. It's stressful and painful. It is also cost prohibitive. I believe Aubrey's gastroplexy was over $800, and I am sure in some of the bigger cities it would be more.

MandysBlackRoses · 10-07-2007, 10:11 PM

The preventive surgery can be done laparoscopically via two small incisions. It's far less invassive then treating GDV. It can be done at the same time as your spay/nuter is. I find the benifits far out weighing the risks. And once your dobe has had GDV it the only cure.

Dobes&Hounds · 10-07-2007, 10:15 PM

They can still bloat, and sometimes the tacking will tear from the stomach wall. It *HELPS* prevent torsion, but is not a cure for bloat.

**velmadobe** · 10-07-2007, 10:42 PM

I had it done during a normal spay surgery on Velma. The incision was longer, and I had to keep her quiet for a couple of weeks.............. no running for several weeks.

I lost my first Doberman to bloat and will do what I can to prevent it............... I would not have the surgery done as a preventative unless it was during a spay.

MaryAndDobes · 10-07-2007, 11:50 PM

One of the males from my first litter had a gastropexy a few days after a bloat episode. Same story as Laura's - he was opened up from chest to penis, it was a hard surgery and a long recovery. I have heard that it can now be done less invasively but there are different methods and I suppose that is just one of them.

**Burns** · 10-08-2007, 03:55 PM

I made a gastropexy thread a little while back... Prophylactic Gastropexy

I'm still on the fence about whether I'm going to do a prophylactic gastropexy with Red at the time of neuter... he is cryptorchid, so they are going to have to "go in" there anyway, but I guess it depends on how far they'd need to open him up. If he's going to be slit from one end to the other, I don't think I'll do it, but i they can do it with a smaller incision, I may just go ahead with it.

I don't know... I think it would give me peace of mind in a way, but I don't want him to have a hard recovery either. I still have about 5-6 months to think it over though...

MissPhoebe · 10-08-2007, 04:20 PM

My first girl, Diva, got bloat at about age 13. She survived the surgery, gastroplexy and removal of her spleen that had twisted and had a tumor. She lived 10 days and re-bloated. The cost in Los Angeles was 6K. Needless to say, we were devastated. We looked into having a prophylactic gastroplexy done on Phoebe. One vet said it was not a bad idea given what we had gone thru before and recommended if we did it, that it be done when she got spayed. Another vet said he would not recommend it. The surgery that Diva had when she was in crisis and we were trying to save her life, involved a incision from ribs down and lots of staples. I hope we made the right decision not to do the surgery on Phoebe. We certainly limit her activity after meals and try to avoid the other risks.

Lexxsmom · 10-09-2007, 10:03 AM

thanks for the replies, I guess thats something i'll think about and talk over with my vet