A bloat kit can help save your dog’s life.
Bloat is a serious and potentially deadly condition in dogs.
Clinical signs of bloat can be varied from casual restlessness, to unproductive vomiting and bowel movements, to death.
Recognize the signs of bloat and the look of your dog's stomach. Often times it will begin to look like a large and hard like a ripe watermelon (bloat). Owners should learn to check other indicators.
Check the color of the mucous membranes (gums). Are they dark pink (normal) or pale pink, blue or gray (abnormal and signs of shock)?
Notice the capillary refill time (an indication of the status of the circulatory system). Normal gums will be dark pink, blanch to white when pressed for 3 seconds with your thumb, and return quickly to dark pink within 3 - 4 seconds after removing your thumb. Gums in a dog with shock will take 6 - 10 seconds to slowly return to their original color.
The longer the capillary refill time, the more serious the dog's condition.