Every dog has it now and then Flatulence: This is often excess gases that have formed in the small intestine; inhaled air bubbles are also excreted in this way.
If this only happens rarely, there is actually little reason to worry. If a dog really farts a lot, But this quickly becomes a nuisance, and occasionally it can even lead to serious illnesses.
In the following article you will find out which ones 11 reasons are usually behind frequent flatulence. You will also find 5 proven strategies that help against it.
11 reasons why a dog often has flatulence
1. Poor quality nutrition
Flatulence in dogs is usually caused by… inferior feed caused. This is often because dog owners make false savings and simply buy their four-legged friend the cheapest food they can find in the supermarket.
Also pay attention to snacks
Attention: Of course, flatulence can come not only from the main food, but also from Treats. There are also varieties of these snacks that are of poor quality composition – so you should keep an eye on the list of ingredients before buying.
Of course, there are also inexpensive varieties that are very high quality, but unfortunately there are also some black sheep: poorly digestible, poorly declared protein sources, a very high grain content and other fillers are clear signs that a feed meets the legal requirements, but do not have a good composition.
The stomach and intestines then have a very difficult time: they form lots of gases, which then leads to bloating.
2. Allergies & Intolerances
Regardless of the quality of the food, flatulence often occurs when a allergy or one intolerance consists. In these cases, the food is actually well composed, but certain components are not properly recognized by the body.
The organism then evaluates them as hostile and harmful. Instead of digesting the food properly, it is excreted as quickly as possible. It then has to be broken down by gases in the small intestine – the consequences are frequent flatulence and diarrhea.
Allergies are usually congenital, whereas intolerances are acquired throughout a dog's life. The most common allergens are certain proteins, e.g. from meat or grain.
3. Feed utilization disorder
Very related to intolerances Feed utilization disorders. However, the body does not react allergically to a certain ingredient, but rather at a loss: it is not digested, but enters the small intestine almost unfiltered.
There, in turn, gases have to do the work. This process inevitably causes flatulence and the dog farts.
A utilization disorder often occurs because the four-legged friend has a special enzyme composition. The body is then overwhelmed by too many ingredients Fat, carbohydrates, fiber or lactose.
4. Improperly administered dietary supplements
Many Dietary supplements can help the dog a lot to stay healthy and vital. But then the dosage also has to be right: If your four-legged friend gets too much, problems can arise.
This applies, for example Probiotics to. These living microorganisms can help strengthen the immune system and digestion, and veterinarians often recommend them for intestinal cleansing. However, in excessive doses they can also cause the opposite, destabilizing the actually healthy intestinal flora and thus causing flatulence.
5. Genetic requirements
There are also some dog breeds that… genetic reasons tend to fart. This applies in particular brachycephalic dog breeds. They have a significantly shorter snout and a head that is disproportionate to the rest of their body.
Unfortunately, for a long time the trend was to breed supposedly cute, particularly small dogs. The animals then pay the price because they often have massive breathing problems. However, not every dog of these breeds is a torture breed; responsible breeders make it a point to select the animals in such a way that hardly any problems arise in everyday life.
Examples of brachycephalic dogs
- American, English & French Bulldog
- Boston terriers
- boxer
- Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
- Chihuahuas
- Lhasa Apsoss
- Maltese
- pug
- Pekinese
- Shih Tzu
- Miniature Pinscher.
Source: Small animal practice at the park, Rheinfelden.
Because their muzzle is too short, these dogs tend to gasping heavily for air. These hasty movements then lead to air bubbles entering the body. They are then excreted again through intestinal gases, so the animals fart more often than their counterparts with a normally proportioned head.
6. Dog tends to swallow
Also to increase air bubbles, which are then excreted through farting, dogs tend to eat them More likely to gulp down food than eat it. Some breeds are particularly known for this: Labrador Retrievers, for example, have a genetically limited feeling of satiety, which is why they eat their food particularly quickly.
Other four-legged friends, on the other hand, are more likely to eat Nervousness: This is usually because there is too much hustle and bustle around their bowl; food envy from members of the same species who live in the same household is also occasionally responsible for this behavior.
In addition to flatulence, eating food too quickly can also cause flatulence dangerous side effects have: Gastric torsion, which is fatal without emergency surgery, often occurs after slings, and this also promotes suffocation attacks.
7. Signs of aging
Healthy, well-nourished dogs in their prime should actually not be prone to flatulence. In certain phases of life However, it is more likely that an animal farts without there being any major cause for concern:
- Puppies and young dogs They first have to learn how to eat properly: at first they are often quite impetuous and then eat too quickly. In doing so, they absorb air bubbles that are released from the body due to flatulence.
- Older dogs – usually in the last quarter of their life expectancy – often have a slower digestion. If you eat too much, some of the food components enter the small intestine undigested, and the resulting gases cause flatulence.
8. Parasitic infestation
There is significantly more need for action if the dog is… Parasites is affected: Many worms and also Giardia settle primarily in the intestines and significantly hinder digestion.
The intestinal flora is severely unbalanced, which is why some of the food ends up in the small intestine poorly digested. Frequent flatulence caused by gases is often the first symptom that your four-legged friend is being attacked by parasites.
If the pests multiply uncontrollably, they will come later other digestive problems Add: Dogs very often suffer from almost chronic diarrhea.
9. Side effect of medication
Is your dog recovering from a bacterial infection? Then it is very likely that he is from the vet Antibiotics was prescribed. These remedies often work very quickly, but are not free from side effects.
Although these medications reliably kill harmful germs, they also do not stop at beneficial bacteria. The result: The intestinal flora becomes very out of balance and food is only digested poorly.
It can take a few days to weeks for your four-legged friend to recover. In the meantime, many animals suffer from more or less severe flatulence.
10. Gastrointestinal infections
Gastrointestinal infections in dogs can be from bacteria (e.g. Campylobacter, Salmonella) as well as viruses (e.g. noroviruses or the dangerous parvovirus). Affected animals are usually significantly weaker than usual and often have pale mucous membranes and a fever (from around 40 degrees).
Human-animal transmission possible
Many pathogens that cause gastrointestinal infections are not selective in their choice of host. So it is also possible that sick people infect dogs and vice versa. So if someone in your household shows symptoms, it is advisable to be particularly careful and clean.
Typically, the digestive functions go crazy with such infections: almost all affected dogs suffer from diarrhea and/or nausea. Flatulence also occurs very often.
11. Chronic organic diseases
In some cases, farting can also have serious reasons: flatulence can also be caused by chronic organic diseases be caused. This is often due to clinical pictures such as:
- Intestinal tumors
- Pancreatic insufficiency (pancreatic failure) or
- Chronic intestinal inflammation in dogs (IBD).
If left untreated, the health condition quickly worsens, so that it no longer “just” causes flatulence. Over time, the dog becomes weaker, often suffers from chronic diarrhea and in many cases is even in danger of death.
Dog farts a lot: 5 solutions, that help
If a dog farts a lot, it is not directly dangerous in most cases, but it can definitely be a problem:
On the one hand, it is possible that it doesn't just stay that way; flatulence often develops into serious digestive problems.
On the other hand, farts also provide one Odor nuisance for the human family members and guests.
So I can understand that even if the causes are “harmless” you want to do something about it. Fortunately, there are some solutions, which have proven very effective.
1. Diet change
In most cases, changing your diet is the best strategy to combat chronic bloating. This usually means a change of food. Which one is helpful depends primarily on the exact cause:
- If the reason is poor quality food, simply switching to one often helps better put together variety
- In particular, if you have food intolerances or allergies hypoallergenic dog food proven
- If the flatulence is due to metabolic disorders, it can help grain-free food or to avoid varieties with a lower fiber content
- Should you take your dog? BARFing, It is advisable to feed only a few by-products containing connective tissue such as tendons, spleen or rumen
- Sometimes it also helps Prebiotics to stop or reduce the dose.
The four-legged friend's digestive tract often needs a little time to get used to the new variety. It is therefore entirely possible that complications such as loose stools or diarrhea and also flatulence will occur in the first few days. This is completely normal, these problems should disappear after a short time.
2. Ensure slow food intake
If your dog eats quickly in a panic, the main way to get the flatulence under control is to ensure that the dog eats the food a little…