Have you ever been cuddling on the couch with your dog and heard strange rumbling sounds coming from his tummy<\/a>? Dog gas has some seriously gross side effects. Some dogs belch and others have the opposite problem \u2014 their stinky gas can clear a room! \u201cGas is a normal byproduct of digestion<\/a>,\u201d explains Tracey Jensen, DVM, Dipl. ABVP, founding partner of Wellington Veterinary Hospital<\/a> in Wellington, Colorado. \u201cWhen you hear the stomach gurgling<\/a>, it\u2019s gas and liquid. It\u2019s the same kind of sounds you hear in a soda can, it just sounds different because it\u2019s inside a dog. Dogs burp<\/a> just like people do and they expel gas from the intestines in the form of flatulence.\u201d<\/p>\n Is that dog gas normal \u2014 or not? Photography \u00a9Fly_dragonfly | Thinkstock.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n A small amount of stomach gurgling, burping or even farting<\/a> is normal for most dogs, but excessive dog gas\u00a0may\u00a0signal a problem. \u201cWhen it\u2019s abnormal is when it\u2019s excessive in volume or odor,\u201d Dr. Jensen says. \u201cWhen it\u2019s consistent or persistent, it\u2019s an indication of a variety of different things that warrant a visit to your veterinarian.\u201d<\/p>\n Excessive dog gas may be caused by a less-than-ideal diet. If the ingredients in your dog\u2019s food are hard for him to digest, it might result in burping, stomach gurgling or flatulence. Large amounts of dog gas or very foul-smelling dog gas may also be signs of\u00a0issues like inflammatory bowel disease<\/a> or intestinal parasites.<\/p>\n If your dog is very gassy, your vet might want to run certain tests, especially a fecal test to check for parasites. When you go to the appointment, bring a fresh stool sample, the label from your dog\u2019s food and any supplements<\/a> or treats<\/a> your dog gets at home.<\/p>\n If no overt issues are discovered as the cause of the dog gas, your vet might talk to you about switching your dog to a higher quality of the food for increased digestibility, and perhaps adding daily probiotics<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cIn uncomplicated cases when there\u2019s not an underlying medical problem, probiotics are fantastic,\u201d Dr. Jensen advises in regards to treating dog gas. \u201cProbiotics vary in their potency and in the evidence behind the specific preparation of probiotic, so definitely visit with your veterinarian so he or she can recommend which probiotics would be best for your pet.\u201d<\/p>\n Although it\u2019s safe to give your dog small amounts of plain yogurt as a healthy snack, he likely won\u2019t reap many benefits from the probiotics found in yogurt. \u201cLet\u2019s face it, dogs and cats eat things that we would never dream of,\u201d Dr. Jensen says. \u201cThey have pretty robust digestive systems. Because of that, the probiotics that you find in yogurt are just not potent enough to get to the intestinal tract of our domestic pets.\u201d<\/p>\n Some dog breeds are more prone to gas simply because of the way they are built. The pushed-in faces of the brachycephalic breeds<\/a>, including Boston Terriers<\/a>, Boxers<\/a>, Bulldogs<\/a> and Pugs<\/a>, causes these dogs to swallow air while they eat, which can lead to excess gas in their digestive tracts. If you have a short-nosed breed, you understand the reality of life with dog gas (good thing they\u2019re so cute!).<\/p>\n What and how your dog eats can affect his issues with gas. Photography \u00a9CarlyDybka | Thinkstock.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n There are some steps you can take to alleviate dog gas, especially in flat-faced breeds. First, make sure the food you\u2019re feeding is very high quality and highly digestible. If you\u2019re not sure, talk to your vet about it. Next, consider giving your dog daily probiotics.<\/p>\n Once those things are in place, take a look at the way<\/em> your dog is eating. \u201cChewing is the first part of digestion,\u201d Dr. Jensen says. \u201cWhen dogs inhale their food<\/a>, they bypass this important step. Dry food is easy to shovel into their mouths.\u201d<\/p>\n You can also find special pet food bowls that are designed to help short-nosed dogs eat more comfortably and swallow less air, and there are even some brands of dry food designed with brachycephalic breeds in mind. \u201cPet food companies have addressed how those short-nosed dogs pick up their food and have created kibble to minimize the amount of air that those animals take in as part of picking up their food,\u201d Dr. Jensen explains. \u201cSmaller kibble sizes or kibbles with larger surface areas like those shaped like LifeSavers are preferable for dogs that do not chew their food.\u201d<\/p>\n A few other tricks that might help cut down on swallowing air during mealtimes and reduce dog gas? Elevating the food bowls or adding some water to the food. \u201cBy adding a little water to the dry food, just like you would pour milk on cereal, aggressive eaters will \u2018lap\u2019 rather than \u2018grab\u2019 their food.\u00a0When they use their tongues like ladles instead of shovels, they slow down and swallow less air.\u201d<\/p>\n Thumbnail:\u00a0Photography \u00a9WilleeCole | Thinkstock.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n Originally published in 2017.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n Experiencing gas yourself? See if it could be dairy intolerance >><\/em><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n The post Decoding Dog Gas \u2014 When Is It a Problem?<\/a> by Jackie Brown<\/a> appeared first on Dogster<\/a>. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it, but all of these articles were assigned, contracted and paid for, so they aren’t considered public domain. However, we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article, then linking out to the rest of the piece on Dogster.com.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n \n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<\/p>\n The post Decoding Dog Gas \u2014 When Is It a Problem?<\/a> by Jackie Brown<\/a> appeared first on Dogster<\/a>. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it, but all of these articles were assigned, contracted and paid for, so they aren’t considered public domain. However, we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article, then linking out to the rest of the piece on Dogster.com.<\/p>\n Have you ever been cuddling on the couch with your dog and heard strange rumbling sounds coming from his tummy<\/a>? Dog gas has some seriously gross side effects. Some dogs belch and others have the opposite problem \u2014 their stinky gas can clear a room! \u201cGas is a normal byproduct of digestion<\/a>,\u201d explains Tracey Jensen, DVM, Dipl. ABVP, founding partner of Wellington Veterinary Hospital<\/a> in Wellington, Colorado. \u201cWhen you hear the stomach gurgling<\/a>, it\u2019s gas and liquid. It\u2019s the same kind of sounds you hear in a soda can, it just sounds different because it\u2019s inside a dog. Dogs burp<\/a> just like people do and they expel gas from the intestines in the form of flatulence.\u201d<\/p>\n Is that dog gas normal \u2014 or not? Photography \u00a9Fly_dragonfly | Thinkstock.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n A small amount of stomach gurgling, burping or even farting<\/a> is normal for most dogs, but excessive dog gas\u00a0may\u00a0signal a problem. \u201cWhen it\u2019s abnormal is when it\u2019s excessive in volume or odor,\u201d Dr. Jensen says. \u201cWhen it\u2019s consistent or persistent, it\u2019s an indication of a variety of different things that warrant a visit to your veterinarian.\u201d<\/p>\n Excessive dog gas may be caused by a less-than-ideal diet. If the ingredients in your dog\u2019s food are hard for him to digest, it might result in burping, stomach gurgling or flatulence. Large amounts of dog gas or very foul-smelling dog gas may also be signs of\u00a0issues like inflammatory bowel disease<\/a> or intestinal parasites.<\/p>\n If your dog is very gassy, your vet might want to run certain tests, especially a fecal test to check for parasites. When you go to the appointment, bring a fresh stool sample, the label from your dog\u2019s food and any supplements<\/a> or treats<\/a> your dog gets at home.<\/p>\n If no overt issues are discovered as the cause of the dog gas, your vet might talk to you about switching your dog to a higher quality of the food for increased digestibility, and perhaps adding daily probiotics<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cIn uncomplicated cases when there\u2019s not an underlying medical problem, probiotics are fantastic,\u201d Dr. Jensen advises in regards to treating dog gas. \u201cProbiotics vary in their potency and in the evidence behind the specific preparation of probiotic, so definitely visit with your veterinarian so he or she can recommend which probiotics would be best for your pet.\u201d<\/p>\n Although it\u2019s safe to give your dog small amounts of plain yogurt as a healthy snack, he likely won\u2019t reap many benefits from the probiotics found in yogurt. \u201cLet\u2019s face it, dogs and cats eat things that we would never dream of,\u201d Dr. Jensen says. \u201cThey have pretty robust digestive systems. Because of that, the probiotics that you find in yogurt are just not potent enough to get to the intestinal tract of our domestic pets.\u201d<\/p>\n Some dog breeds are more prone to gas simply because of the way they are built. The pushed-in faces of the brachycephalic breeds<\/a>, including Boston Terriers<\/a>, Boxers<\/a>, Bulldogs<\/a> and Pugs<\/a>, causes these dogs to swallow air while they eat, which can lead to excess gas in their digestive tracts. If you have a short-nosed breed, you understand the reality of life with dog gas (good thing they\u2019re so cute!).<\/p>\n What and how your dog eats can affect his issues with gas. Photography \u00a9CarlyDybka | Thinkstock.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n There are some steps you can take to alleviate dog gas, especially in flat-faced breeds. First, make sure the food you\u2019re feeding is very high quality and highly digestible. If you\u2019re not sure, talk to your vet about it. Next, consider giving your dog daily probiotics.<\/p>\n Once those things are in place, take a look at the way<\/em> your dog is eating. \u201cChewing is the first part of digestion,\u201d Dr. Jensen says. \u201cWhen dogs inhale their food<\/a>, they bypass this important step. Dry food is easy to shovel into their mouths.\u201d<\/p>\n You can also find special pet food bowls that are designed to help short-nosed dogs eat more comfortably and swallow less air, and there are even some brands of dry food designed with brachycephalic breeds in mind. \u201cPet food companies have addressed how those short-nosed dogs pick up their food and have created kibble to minimize the amount of air that those animals take in as part of picking up their food,\u201d Dr. Jensen explains. \u201cSmaller kibble sizes or kibbles with larger surface areas like those shaped like LifeSavers are preferable for dogs that do not chew their food.\u201d<\/p>\n A few other tricks that might help cut down on swallowing air during mealtimes and reduce dog gas? Elevating the food bowls or adding some water to the food. \u201cBy adding a little water to the dry food, just like you would pour milk on cereal, aggressive eaters will \u2018lap\u2019 rather than \u2018grab\u2019 their food.\u00a0When they use their tongues like ladles instead of shovels, they slow down and swallow less air.\u201d<\/p>\n Thumbnail:\u00a0Photography \u00a9WilleeCole | Thinkstock.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n Originally published in 2017.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n Experiencing gas yourself? See if it could be dairy intolerance >><\/em><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n The post Decoding Dog Gas \u2014 When Is It a Problem?<\/a> by Jackie Brown<\/a> appeared first on Dogster<\/a>. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it, but all of these articles were assigned, contracted and paid for, so they aren’t considered public domain. However, we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article, then linking out to the rest of the piece on Dogster.com.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n \n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7002","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.dogster.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/A-dog-sitting-backward-showing-his-butt-600x400.jpg\")
<\/p>\nWhat\u2019s normal and what\u2019s not when it comes to dog gas?<\/h3>\n
Diagnosing abnormal dog gas<\/h3>\n
Treating dog gas<\/h3>\n
Yes, dog gas is more prevalent in certain breeds! \u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n
![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.dogster.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/A-dog-eating-out-a-crate-with-his-behind-showing-600x400.jpg\")
<\/p>\nHow to stop \/ help dog gas<\/h3>\n
Read more about dog digestive issues on Dogster.com:<\/h3>\n
\n
<\/p>\nWhat\u2019s normal and what\u2019s not when it comes to dog gas?<\/h3>\n
Diagnosing abnormal dog gas<\/h3>\n
Treating dog gas<\/h3>\n
Yes, dog gas is more prevalent in certain breeds! \u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n
<\/p>\nHow to stop \/ help dog gas<\/h3>\n
Read more about dog digestive issues on Dogster.com:<\/h3>\n
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