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St. Pete K-9 officer dies from flipped stomach

K-9 Stitch was just 6 years old.
Credit: St. Pete Police

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The St. Pete Police Department is mourning K-9 officer Stitch, who died of bloat Wednesday. 

"Handsome Mr. August 2020, bomb sniffer & bad guy catcher K9 Stitch died yesterday after his stomach flipped," a tweet from the department reads. "#stpetepd is saddened by his death & thank him for his unconditional loyalty, dedication & 4 years of service. He was 6yo... He was a good boy."

The department says the 6-year-old German Shepherd served for 4 years. During that time, he was named Handsome Mr. August 2020.

The American Kennel Club says a flipped stomach, also known as bloat, is common in larger breed dogs. According to the AKC, bloat is deadly 30% of the time, even after extensive treatment. It's not clear what exactly causes the dogs stomach to flip, but some veterinarians say the cases they treat began with a dog eating too fast.

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