To elevete or not to elevate?

[padalin]

Hello All Happy New Year!!

I just adopted a Standard Puppy (she is on her way as we speak/type ha)
I have 2 Miniature Schnauzers and a Pom/Chi Mix. Clearly they are all small.
I bought a slightly elevated food bowl for our new girl.
(I'm getting to my point I swear)
So two days ago my husband left the door to the pantry open where we keep the dogs food and one of my Schnauzers self served for 15 mins and ate 6lbs of dog food. Yes you heard right 6lbs. Well in my panic I was searching online for signs of bloat. And I was reading that bloat can be caused by elevated food bowls and that Standard Poodles are at a greater risk of getting bloat. SOOO there in lyes the question..

Should I avoid an elevated bowl for her all together?? What do those of you who have Standards use?


( My mini is fine in case you were wondering no bloat vet gave her some pooping medicine and it was all gone with in a day.. I always swore she would eat herself to death if ever given the chance and I was defiantly proven right!)

[SharPeiMom]

I have 2 standards and I do not use elevated bowls. I have heard to use elevated bowls then read a bunch of info on why not to use them. I decided that I wouldn't. I also don't allow heavy exercise an hour before and after feeding. My biggest concern is the large amount of water they like to drink during their play and exercise time. I put out smaller bowls so they can't gulp it down. Bloat is a worry and I try to do everything I can to keep it from happening.

[SharPeiMom]

Oh yeah, CONGRATULATUONS on your new standard. Nothing like them if you ask me. I know you'll love her to pieces. I will have to say get ready for energy and enthusiasm like you've never seen before. Probably the biggest worry for a while will be keeping tabs on all the strange things she will eat. If you search it out there was a thread on this board quite a while ago on what strange things your standard poodle has eaten. Heck for the first year I thought mine had to be some kind of goat disguised as a poodle. Good luck to you. Let us know her name.

[PoodlePal]

My std. poos bowls are clipped on to their crates ... so they are elevated. I've never had a problem. Yes, std. poos are prone to bloat. Make sure that you wait at least a 1/2 hour after excercise to feed and don't exercise after a meal. I would also make sure that all of your dogs are fed separately.

[odette]

Definatley do not elevate,it is the dogs natural way to eat laying, or standing over the food. shepherds are also bad to bloat, glad miss piggy is o.k.

[neanea]

HOW EXCITING!!! I bet your on the edge of your seat waiting for her Congrats to you!

I don't elevate.

Standards are just as prone to gastric dilation-volvulus as all other large and deep chested breeds, but I think some of it could be attributed to genetics/bloodlines. "bloat" is really not a correct term when used in reference to dogs, as it's a condition normally found in ruminants and horses. The two conditions are very different.

There are some opinions that recommend elevating and some that don't recommend it. I don't think anything has been proven or disproven either way.

Do some studying on the signs of GDV so you'll know what to look for and get medical attention ASAP if you suspect it. It can kill a dog very quickly and there's no time to waste and if you do suspect it, get to the vet right away.

http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/in...ulus%2ctorsion

[Moonpiepoodlz]

I do and I don't elevate...Mousse prefers to lay down to eat and scarlett stands.

I free feed also so they don't gorge themselves when it's time to eat.
Congratulations on your new addition!!!!

[workingchihuahua]

there is a lot of controversy regarding elevated vs non elevated bowls. i recommend you do your homework and be well aware of the signs of bloat. they make "bloat bowls" which has raised knobs in them, so that the pet has to eat around them, thereby eating slower.

[Poodleboy60]

Congrats on your new baby. We don't elevate, but are very careful not to allow our poos to not run around after eating. Our one boy that has a bloodline very prone to bloat is usually fed in his crate to keep him quiet.

[pixiedust]

I do not elevate for my 3 standards but my sister does for Jake the brother to my Opal ( they are 9 1/2)
Opal leis down to eat, the 2 youngsters mostly stand.

[Smart-n-Pretty]

I don't have any gulpers but, I read stainless steel trailer hitch balls in the food bowl can prevent bolting down the food, too.

[Makere]

my rottie has a very slightly elevated bowl (aka high enough for her to eat out of but not the puppy to reach) but i also keep her penned up after eating for a while. right now my new dobie pup just has a bowl on the floor. I havent had any problems with her at all thank goodness. But i dont think i would ever get her a really high bowl just because.

[scrubapup]

My standards bowls are elevated. No particular reason other then my dad makes pet feeders out of counter top remnants and they are really cute

Years ago I heard elevated pet feeders help prevent bloat. Then I heard elevated feeders can cause bloat. I have no idea which is true and honestly wonder if anybody really DOES know. (kinda like which position you should lay a baby to prevent SIDS. Funny how that seems to change every couple years) Bisco and Macey are both free fed and luckily neither ever gulps their food down. Bisco usually takes a mouthful out of the dish and then jumps on my couch or bed to eat it. Then back to his dish for another mouthful. Sometimes he plops the food inside a shoe. He's a strange dog.

[pooh13]

I free feed my dogs so they are fed from a large food bin the kind that holds 30lbs at a time(self feeder)..My dogs are all large and lazy eaters so they do take turns laying at the food bin to eat, they normally take 5 minutes each to get their fill and then go about their business