Social media has helped save a young Fife dog’s life after its owner’s desperate pleas for help.
Four-year-old Rhodesian Ridgeback Sam’s owner recalled advice given on a Facebook post and rushed him to a pet hospital when he fell ill.
Sam, who lives with his owner in Dunfermline, started displaying signs of GDV – Gastric Dilatation-Volvulus, one of the one of the “worst emergencies” a pet can suffer, according to the vets who treated him.
GDV is caused when a dog’s stomach inflates with gas and then twists, making it extremely hard to breathe and for blood to flow properly. It is often triggered after a dog digests a large meal or lots of water followed by exercise.
One of the most common signs is the dog trying to vomit and not bringing anything up.
They can also become restless and begin panting, and owners might notice their abdomen looking bloated.
It was by “sheer coincidence” that Sam’s owner, who did not wish to be identified, remembered reading a Facebook post about the signs of GDV and realised he was displaying some of the symptoms.
When Sam arrived at Inglis Vets in Dunfermline, he was immediately rushed to surgery under the care of vet Laura Cowan.
She said: “Thankfully Sam’s owner got him to us right away.
“GDV is one of the worst emergencies a dog can encounter and without prompt treatment, it’s very likely he would not have survived.”
After his successful surgery he is “recovering brilliantly” at home.
GDV is more common in big-chested dog breeds like Ridgebacks, Great Danes and German Shepherds, and vets encourage owners to feed smaller meals during the day instead of one large meal, and try not to exercise such dogs immediately after they have eaten.
