Pathogenesis of Acute Canine Gastric Dilatation-Volvulus Syndrome: Is There a Unifying Hypothesis?

A single etiologic agent in the pathogenesis of acute canine gastric dilatation-volvulus (GDV) has not yet been identified. Several extrinsic physical and environmental risk factors have been identified, and many more intrinsic anatomic or pathologic risk factors are suspected. Many of the proposed intrinsic factors currently lack scientific evidence, and it may be impossible to substantiate these factors. Normal eructation, vomiting, or pyloric outflow mechanisms appear to fail when gastric dilation occurs. Whether volvulus consistently precedes or follows dilation is unclear. This paper explores the known risk factors for GDV and proposes a hypothesis to explain its pathogenesis.