Have you ever snuggled your dog on the couch and heard strange rumbling noises coming from his stomach? Dog gas has some serious side effects. Some dogs burp and others have the opposite problem – their smelly gas can clear a room! “Gas is a normal by-product of digestion,” explains Tracey Jensen, DVM, Dipl.-Ing. ABVP, founding partner of Wellington Veterinary Hospital in Wellington, Colorado. “When you hear the stomach gurgling, it’s gas and liquid. It’s the same kind of sound you hear in a soda can. It just sounds different because it’s in a dog. Dogs burp just like humans and expel gas from their intestines in the form of flatulence. “
Is the dog gas normal – or not? Photography © Fly_dragonfly | Thinkstock.
What is normal and what is not?
A small amount of stomach gargling, belching, or even farting is normal in most dogs, but excessive dog gas can indicate a problem. “If it’s abnormal, it’s if it’s excessive in volume or smell,” says Dr. Jensen. “If it’s consistent or persistent, it’s an indication of a variety of different things that warrant a visit to your veterinarian.”
Excessive dog gas can be caused by poor diet. If the ingredients in your dog’s food are difficult to digest, it can lead to belching, stomach gurgling, or gas. Large amounts of dog gas or very bad smelling dog gas can also be signs of problems such as inflammatory bowel disease or intestinal parasites.
Diagnosing Abnormal Dog Gas
If your dog is very gaseous, your veterinarian may want to do certain tests, especially a feces test, to look for parasites. When you go to the appointment, bring a fresh stool sample, the label from your dog’s food, and any supplements or treats your dog gets at home.
Treat dog gas
If no obvious problems are found to be the cause of the dog gas, your vet may talk to you about switching your dog to a higher quality food to improve digestibility and possibly adding daily probiotics.
“In straightforward cases where there is no medical problem, probiotics are fantastic,” advises Dr. Jensen on treating dog gas. “Probiotics vary in effectiveness and the evidence that probiotics are specifically made, so be sure to visit your veterinarian so he or she can recommend which probiotics are best for your pet.”
While it’s safe to give your dog small amounts of yogurt as a healthy snack, they likely won’t get many benefits from the probiotics found in yogurt. “Let’s face it, dogs and cats eat things we would never dream of,” says Dr. Jensen. “They have pretty robust digestive systems. Because of this, the probiotics you find in yogurt are just not powerful enough to get into our pets’ intestines. “
Yes, it is more common in certain breeds!
Some breeds of dogs are more susceptible to gas because of their design. The indented faces of brachycephalic breeds, including Boston terriers, boxers, bulldogs, and pugs, cause these dogs to swallow air as they feed, which can lead to excess gas in their digestive tracts. If you have a short-nosed breed you understand the reality of living with dog gas (good thing they are so cute!).
What and how your dog eats can affect his gasoline problems. Photography © CarlyDybka | Thinkstock.
How can you stop dog gas?
There are a few steps you can take to help alleviate dog gas, especially in flat-faced breeds. First of all, make sure that the food you are feeding is of very high quality and easily digestible. If you’re not sure, talk to your veterinarian about it. Next, you should give your dog probiotics on a daily basis.
Once these things are in place, watch how your dog is eating. “Chewing is the first part of digestion,” says Dr. Jensen. “When dogs inhale their food, they bypass this important step. Dry food is easy to shovel into your mouth. “
You can also find special pet food bowls that will help short-nosed dogs eat more comfortably and swallow less air, and there are even some brands of dry food made specifically for brachycephalic breeds. “Pet food companies have looked at how these short-nosed dogs consume their food and have developed nibbles to minimize the amount of air these animals ingest while ingesting their food,” explains Dr. Jensen. “Smaller nibbles or nibbles with larger surfaces like LifeSavers’ are preferable for dogs that don’t chew their food.”
A few other tricks that might help reduce air swallowing during meals and cut down dog gas? Raise the bowls or add some water to the food. “If you add a little water to the dry food, like you would pour milk on muesli, aggressive eaters will be more likely to” overtake “rather than” grab “their food. When they use their tongues like ladles instead of scoops, they slow down and swallow less air. “
Thumbnail: Photography © WilleeCole | Thinkstock.
Originally published in 2017.
