Which dog owner does not know the following situation: You are sitting comfortably on the sofa in the evening and suddenly you notice an unpleasant smell without realizing it. It doesn’t take long to find the culprit who’s lost the breeze: the dog farted. Because like us humans, dogs occasionally feel the need to fart. In this article, you will find out how you can recognize flatulence in your dog, what causes it and when you should take your farting four-legged friend to the vet.
Dog farts – Symptoms of gas in dogs
While a dog’s fart can smell amazingly disturbing, it’s usually harmless and shouldn’t worry dog owners for the time being. The increased farting can be a sign of flatulence (lat. flatulence). However, bloating can also be caused by serious health problems. If, as a dog owner, you notice that the dog is behaving atypically, the animal should be presented to a veterinarian.
The following symptoms may occur if the pet suffers from flatulence:
- loud stomach and bowel noises
- increased farting
- extreme smell
- fat, bloated stomach
- curved back
- altered feces
- indigestion
- lack of appetite
- Vomit
- Diarrhea
What to do if your dog farts a lot?
If the dog farts a lot, this indicates flatulence. This can be alleviated by changing the dog’s diet, exercising the dog sufficiently, and feeding supplements that are beneficial to digestion.
Causes of bloating
Bloating is usually caused by an overproduction of intestinal gas. These intestinal gases are formed by bacteria that are responsible for the fermentation of poorly digestible food components. If the dog’s intestinal flora is out of balance, it may be that the “bad” bacteria dominate in the intestine, which can lead to digestive problems and flatulence. Often the imbalance of the intestinal flora is based on a wrong diet. The food may contain some components that the dog has not yet been able to digest completely. The bacteria then break down the rest of the food, so that the excess gas in the intestine finally escapes via the anus.
Intolerance, certain foods or feed additives can also be the cause of flatulence. As with humans, it is quite possible that a dog cannot tolerate certain types of meat, vegetables or grains or is lactose intolerant. Then it is advisable to have an intolerance ruled out by a veterinarian. If the dog is fed foods such as peas, beans, dairy products and both sweet and spicy foods, the dog’s diet should be reconsidered. These foods are known to promote bloating in dogs. As a dog owner, you should always keep an eye on the ingredients in the food. The feed additive carrageenan, which is primarily found in canned and wet food, is suspected of causing stomach problems and intestinal diseases in pets. Many components in the food of a four-legged friend can be difficult for the dog’s body to digest, which can promote flatulence.
How does flatulence develop in dogs?
Frequently, bloating is caused by diet. It happens that the dog’s body cannot digest all the food components, so that they are not yet fully digested in the intestine. In the intestine, bacteria ensure that the remaining food ferments. This creates an excess of gases, which ultimately escape through the anus.
Your dog’s diet is reflected in its intestinal flora and digestion. If, as a dog owner, you want to get to the bottom of the cause of flatulence, you should not only look at what the dog eats but also how it eats. Gas can develop in many dogs because they eat too quickly. When you eat too quickly, too much air gets into your stomach and intestines.
Some dogs are even more prone to bloat than other dogs because of their genetics. These dogs often belong to the brachycephalic dog breeds known for their short noses. This inbred beauty trait often causes health problems, such as breathing problems, wheezing or an inflamed skin fold on the dog’s face. The extremely short snout means that the dogs take in more air when drinking and eating. They then expel this air in the form of a fart. However, if too much air accumulates in the intestine, the dog can suffer from cramping abdominal pain. Strong flatulence and such painful abdominal pain are signs of intestinal colic. Dogs with intestinal colic often change lying positions, are restless, and arch their backs.
Flatulence can not only have its origin in nutrition or eating behavior, but also in the dog’s movement behavior. Exercise affects the dog’s digestive system, so getting enough exercise keeps the intestines active and can help with digestive problems. Otherwise, the eating of feces or the increasing age of the dog can also be the reason for the excess of intestinal gases.
What can you do about flatulence in dogs?
If the dog suffers from flatulence, you should look for the reason. Although flatulence is often not dangerous, it can occur in individual cases due to serious health problems. If the origin of the bloating is known, the symptoms can be actively treated. If the reason that favors the flatulence is not recognizable, a veterinarian should examine the animal for possible causes and treat it.
Measures against flatulence in dogs – what to do if the dog farts?
Now it is up to the dog owner to identify the cause of the flatulence. If you cannot identify where the problem is coming from, it is always advisable to consult a veterinarian. Once the reason for the flatulence is clear, you can start actively working on an improvement. If the beloved dog suffers from flatulence due to a poor diet, a change in diet can be considered. If the dog does not tolerate a certain food component, i.e. a certain type of fruit, vegetable, or similar, it should be avoided completely in the future.
Important: A feed change should always be carried out gradually. Ideally, a small portion of the new food is added to the usual food. The portion of the new food is increased from time to time until the new food has completely replaced the old amount of food.
These measures can be taken if the dog suffers from flatulence – Our tips
- Feed bland foods (such as unseasoned chicken and unsalted rice)
- feed grain-free food/ food with alternative carbohydrates (e.g. potatoes)
- Identify the intolerable ingredient using blood tests or elimination diets
- Home remedies such as caraway and fennel tea and healing earth can relieve flatulence
- Hand-feeding the dog will reduce air swallowing while eating
- Feed the dog alone and in a quiet place
- Feed the food from an anti-sling bowl
- Feed smaller feed portions (protects the digestive system)
- Quiet walks after eating
- Massaging the dog’s belly (releases the gases)
- Feed special senior food to old dogs
- Supplementary feeding of pre-and probiotics (support the intestinal flora)
What dog food is good for flatulence?
For gastrointestinal problems, cold-pressed dog food is recommended, which serves to stabilize the entire digestive tract and helps prevent flatulence.
Although a dog’s flatulence is usually harmless, in rare cases it can have a more serious background. It is precisely then that flatulence in dogs requires treatment. Excessive gas production can increase pressure in the dog’s stomach and intestines. This gas pressure often causes the muscle and mucous membrane layers of the stomach and intestines to wear out. In addition, the gas in the organs can escape through the intestinal wall and penetrate the back fascia, causing them to dry out, cramp and harden. If the back fascia is affected, the hardening can extend to the neck, the thoracic vertebrae, and the spinal cord. Ligament calcifications, vertebral inflammation, and spinal cord infarction can be due to gas formation.
If the dog suffers from flatulence, diarrhea, pain, and fever, this can indicate a viral infection or a parasite infestation. This should be dealt with immediately. Bloating can also occur when the dog’s organs, such as the pancreas or intestines, are not working properly. As you can see, flatulence is quite capable of enormously restricting the general well-being of your beloved four-legged friend. Then going to the vet is usually the only sensible decision. The good thing about gas, however, is that it’s usually easy to spot, so the dog owner can take immediate action.
