Canine GDV (Gastric Dilatation-Volvulus): NAVLE Study Guide

GDV is the emergency that kills fast. A large-breed dog comes in with a distended abdomen and nonproductive retching — you have maybe an hour before the systemic consequences become irreversible. The NAVLE tests GDV heavily because it requires you to know pathophysiology, radiographic interpretation, treatment sequencing, and surgical decision-making all at once. Get the breed, get the radiograph, stabilize, operate. That's the sequence.

Who Gets GDV

Large and giant breeds with deep narrow chests are the classic patients. Great Danes have the highest incidence — nearly 1 in 3 will experience GDV in their lifetime. German Shepherds, Weimaraners, Standard Poodles, Irish Setters, and Dobermans round out the high-risk list. Middle-aged to older dogs are most commonly affected, though GDV can occur at any age in predisposed breeds.

Beyond breed, risk factors include once-daily large-volume feeding, eating rapidly, exercise immediately after meals, and a first-degree relative with GDV history. Body condition matters less than chest conformation — a lean deep-chested dog is still at high risk.