mastiff mix 12 week old puppy bloat?

by Brandi
(MO)

We just rescued a 12 week old mastiff pit bull(?) mix puppy and while I was researching the breed, I learned that mastiffs were prone to bloat.

This puppy has what I would call a "puppy belly", full and round. Food and water seem to go right through her, and she breathes shallowly. These were all symptoms listed for bloat, but they are also basic puppy actions.

She's also chewing on sticks, etc, but like all babies, puppies put things in their mouths. My question is, should I be worried? We weren't planning on getting this pup, and it will be a week before we can afford to take her to the vet to get checked out. I'm not sure what to do.



Hi Brandi
Many large, deep chested breeds are especially susceptible to bloat, but it can affect any dog of any size, age or breed.

What you're describing doesn't sound like bloat to me, as bloat is a very severe condition which gets worse rapidly, usually resulting in death if not treated. You can learn more about it on this webpage About Canine Bloat.

A distended, swollen belly (especially if the pup seems extra-hungry) is often a sign of worms in puppies, and I think this is more likely to be your problem with this pup, especially if she hasn't had the proper veterinary care during her early weeks.

Left untreated, worms can cause some serious issues, so it's important that you get this little girl to the vet just as soon as you can. She probably also needs to be updated on her puppy shots and is at risk of illness or disease without this sort of care.

Puppies do chew on everything, and the bigger the puppys' breed, the stronger the jaws and that can lead to them ingesting some strange (and dangerous) stuff. Make sure that you give her plenty of safe, sturdy chew toys (see my Indestructible Dog Toys page to see some of the best ones around.

Also supervise her carefully and make sure that she doesn't eat anything that could hurt her. If she ingests something sharp, too big, absorbent etc. it could cause an obstruction and that can be life threatening!

Hope this helps some. Best of luck with your puppy.