Content
- Walking the dog after eating is not always appropriate.
- Walk the dog before eating to prevent gastric torsion
- Symptoms of gastric torsion in the dog
If you live with a dog, you should know that walking him daily is a healthy act for him, for you, and for your union. Walks are an essential activity for the dog's well-being.
The amount of exercise recommended varies depending on the dog's physical characteristics or breed. But, without a doubt, all dogs need to exercise within their possibilities and limitations because this is the best way to prevent dangerous canine obesity.
Furthermore, it is essential to know how to reduce the risks that can arise from physical exercise, such as gastric torsion. Therefore, in this article by PeritoAnimal, we will answer the following question: Walk a dog before or after eating?
Walking the dog after eating is not always appropriate.
Walking your dog after he eats allows you to establish a routine so that he can urinate and defecate on a regular basis. This is the main reason why many tutors walk their dog immediately after meals.
The main problem with this practice is that we increase the risk of the dog suffering a gastric torsion, a syndrome that causes dilation and twisting of the stomach, affecting the blood flow in the digestive tract and can cause the animal's death if not treated in time.
The exact cause of gastric torsion is still unknown, but it is known that this problem is more frequent in large dogs that ingest large amounts of fluid and food. Also if you know that the exercise after eating can ease the onset of this problem..
So, one way to prevent this serious problem is not to walk the dog immediately after meals. However, if you have a small, elderly dog who has little physical activity and eats a moderate amount of food, it is difficult for him to have a gastric twist as a result of a light walk on a full stomach.
Walk the dog before eating to prevent gastric torsion
If your dog is large and requires a lot of daily physical activity, it is best not to walk after eating, but rather before, in order to prevent gastric torsion.
In this case, after the walk let your dog calm down before eating, let him rest for a while and give him food only when he is calm.
At first, he may need to take care of himself indoors (especially if he was not used to taking a walk before eating) but as he gets used to the new routine, he will regulate the evacuation.
Symptoms of gastric torsion in the dog
Taking the dog for a walk before meals does not completely eliminate the risk of gastric torsion, so it is important that you recognize the clinical signs of this problem:
- The dog belches (belches) or suffers from abdominal cramps
- The dog is very restless and is complaining
- Vomits frothy saliva in abundance
- Has a hard, swollen abdomen
If you detect any of these signs, go to your veterinarian as a matter of urgency.
