What's the connection between raised feeding and bloat?

Question

I know feeding dogs from raised feeders causes bloat but I've always wondered why. I mean, we humans eat when we're standing straight up and it doesn't seem to cause us harm. Why is it different with dogs?

Also, do other factors cause diseases? i.e. not neutering results in testicular cancer, not spaying bitches results in mammary tumors, you get the picture. My family owns one dog at the moment and so far it seems my dad controls EVERYTHING (that's why he doesn't eat a raw food yet-if it were my choice be assured he would!) but when I have control over my future pets' lives, I want to know what kind of factors they should live in to keep them healthy and free of diseases (such as bloat).

So, to sum it up-
1) Why does raised feeding cause bloat?
and
2) Do other factors also cause diseases in dogs?

Thanks in advance for any info given!

Answer 1

Of course!!! All kinds of things can cause disease. Over vaccination, second hand smoke, chemicals....the same kinds of things that cause disease in people.

You cannot obsess over these factors. Like the bloat thing....we were told for years that you feed raised...then you don't.
We were told to vaccinate for everything...now we don't.

Just like with people...one day it is good....the next it will kill you!!!!!!!

Here is some good reading material:

http://www.naiaonline.org/pdfs/LongTermHealthEffectsOfSpayNeuterInDogs.pdf


http://www.justshepherds.com/bloat.htm


*****The Purdue study did not find that raised feeding CAUSED bloat....but that it increased the risk. They also found a LOT of other factors, genetics being one. I don't know about other breeds, but my breed HAS seen a decrease in the number of dogs that have suffered bloat after we were cautioned to feed on flat surfaces.

Answer 2

1

Answer 3

Feeding dogs from raised feeders does NOT cause bloat...not sure where you got that info from...if you are refering to a small study done by Purdue back a few years ago..understand that that study was too small and too short to be conclusive plus it only involved breeds that were prone to bloat in the first place. It also didn't take into consideration any other factors such as over all health, enviornment & pedigree.
At this point in time there is no conclusive answer as to what causes bloat...there is some evidence that it may occur in certain lines and in dogs that are very stressed.