One of the most important things to do when living with a dog is to take it for a walk every day. This activity is not only very good for him, but also for us, so it is a great excuse to go for a walk with your best four-legged friend.
However, to avoid problems there are those who wonder when should a dog eat, if before or after the walk. And is that if it is done at the wrong time, the dog could suffer a gastric torsion, something that can only be solved by going to a veterinary hospital or clinic.
What is gastric torsion?
La gastric torsion is a syndrome that causes dilation and torsion of the stomach, which affects the circulatory flow in the digestive system. If it is not treated in time, it can cause the death of the animal.
Any breed can be affected, but it is much more common in large ones than small ones. In addition, it must be known that physical exercise can facilitate its appearance. The symptoms are:
- Trouble breathing
- Profuse salivation
- Dilation of the abdomen
- Lack of appetite
- Failed vomiting
- Nausea
- Weakness
- Anxiety
- Restlessness
- Depression
In case we suspect that you may be suffering from it, we must take him to the vet urgently.
When to take the dog for a walk?
Small breed
Small breed dogs are animals that, due to their size, are not as vulnerable to gastric torsion as large breed dogs. For this reason, we can take them out for a walk after they have eaten, but to further reduce the risk, these trips have to be short, of about 15 minutes or a maximum of 20.
Large breed
Large breed dogs, especially those that need a lot of physical exercise, they have to be taken out for a walk before meals to avoid not only gastric torsion but also other problems such as nausea or vomiting.
Sports dogs
If we have a sports dog do not feed him feed during the 12 hours before exercise. In the event that he eats fresh meat, such as the Yum or Barf Diet, the animal may eat 3 hours before.
Has it been useful to you? 🙂