If dogs suddenly get a hard stomach, it could be a sign of stomach upset, flatulence or internal bleeding. In individual cases, this can also be caused by peritonitis, a roundworm infection or even a stomach tumor.
There is usually only cause for concern if the hardening is of a permanent nature, if strange bumps are noticeable or if other pathological symptoms appear.
Since dogs rarely communicate existing pain, it is important to be able to distinguish between small things that heal themselves and serious illnesses.
For this reason, below you will learn about the 8 most common causes of a hard stomach and their typical symptoms.
Are you worried or unsure? Then click here to start a live chat with a veterinarian.
#1 Stomach twist
Stomach torsion is often described by veterinarians as the “mother of all emergencies.” If left untreated, it can be fatal within just a few hours.
Here the dog's stomach rotates around its own longitudinal axis, so that all gases are trapped in the stomach and the blood supply is blocked at the same time.
According to statistics, around one in 160 dogs is said to suffer from gastric torsion. [1] In addition to a hard stomach, there are usually other symptoms:
- Severe pain
- Fast heartbeat
- Severe flatulence
- Heavy breathing
- Restless behavior
- Gagging without vomiting
- Profuse drooling [2]
It is currently unclear what causes gastric torsion. However, according to statistics, large breeds and older dogs are affected significantly more often.
Surgery is usually necessary to correct it. Here the accumulated gas is first released and then the stomach is turned back into its original position.
The sooner you see the doctor, the better your chances of treatment and survival. If left untreated, it usually leads to a painful death. [3]
Dogs with gastric torsion experience increasing abdominal pain, have visible bloating, often gag in a row, and develop an unusually hard stomach. This is a veterinary emergency that requires immediate treatment.
#2 Ascites
In cases of ascites, fluid accumulates in the abdominal cavity due to illness. Doctors also refer to this as “ascites”. Typical symptoms of this are:
- Rapid breathing
- Strong thirst
- Sudden vomiting
- Moaning when lying down
- Lack of motivation
- Bloated and hard stomach
- Rapid weight gain
- Lack of energy [4]
As a rule, this abnormal accumulation of water is just a sign of another underlying illness. The most common causes include:
- Liver diseases
- Bacterial infection
- Stomach cancer
- Internal bleeding
- Bladder rupture
- heart failure
- Low protein content in the blood [5]
Since the causes of this can be very diverse, it is important to consult a veterinarian for diagnosis. An ultrasound examination and a blood test are usually sufficient.
Treatment then depends on the cause. In the case of bacterial inflammation, medication is often sufficient, while in the case of a tumor, surgery is necessary.
In dogs with ascites, fluid increasingly accumulates in the abdomen. The entire abdominal cavity becomes larger and noticeably harder. In addition, this disease can usually be recognized by the fact that dogs groan when they lie down and have little energy.
This website is for sale.
#3 Flatulence
Every dog's digestive system is different. Certain foods can therefore produce gases during digestion, which manifest themselves as flatulence.
For most dogs, slinging is the main cause. Because if the food is not pre-digested well enough, the stomach and intestines have to put in an extra layer. [6]
This is especially true for always-hungry breeds such as Labrador Retrievers, Rottweilers and Beagles. Other typical causes of flatulence are:
- Gas-forming foods
- Food allergies
- Inferior dog food
- Poisonings
- Human food leftovers
- Diet change
- Food intolerances
- Dairy & Soy [7]
The hardening on the abdomen is caused by gases. So you shouldn't feel any lumps or bumps. There is usually only cause for concern if the problem is permanent.
Since flatulence is usually caused by eating too quickly, an anti-gobbling bowl like this can help. Because it systematically ensures that dogs eat more slowly.
In addition, it helps to divide the daily food into 3-6 smaller portions. If this is too stressful for you, then such an automatic feed dispenser can also help you.
Flatulence in dogs is expressed, among other things, by the entire abdominal cavity swelling and becoming harder. The most common causes include eating too quickly, a sudden change in diet, as well as intolerances and allergies.
#4 Peritonitis
All of the dog's organs are covered with a thin skin – the so-called «peritoneum». When this membrane becomes inflamed, doctors speak of “peritonitis”.
Such inflammation is most often caused by bacteria that come from an external wound. Other typical causes include:
- Liver abscesses
- Sharp bone splinters
- Gallbladder rupture
- Inflammation of the pancreas
- Swallowing toys
- Bladder rupture [8]
Peritonitis can usually be recognized by swelling and hardening of the abdominal cavity. Other common signs include:
- Lack of motivation
- Sudden vomiting
- Whine when picked up
- Fast breathing rate
- Severe pain
- Blood around stool
- Dog refuses activity
- Shock-like behavior [9]
In most cases, immediate surgery is necessary for treatment. Antibiotics are then often used to combat the infection.
This disease is also a medical emergency that can be life-threatening if left untreated. So early action is the be-all and end-all here. [10]
Dogs with peritonitis usually have an unusually hard stomach and severe abdominal swelling. Among other things, such an infection can also be recognized by rapid breathing, listless behavior and blood in the stool.
#5 Cushing's syndrome
When danger threatens, the dog's body usually releases adrenaline and cortisol in order to make the body as efficient as possible in an emergency.
This mechanism is still essential for survival. However, Cushing's syndrome increases the production of stress hormones regardless of the life situation. [11]
The stress hormone level is therefore permanently elevated and the dog is constantly on alert. It can usually be recognized by the following symptoms:
- Excessively strong thirst
- Constant hunger
- Occasional hair loss
- Big belly
- Stomach gets harder
- Restless & nervous behavior
- Constant urge to urinate
- Sudden tremors [12]
In around 80% of cases, the cause is a pea-sized tumor in the pituitary gland. For treatment, this tumor is usually removed through surgery.
Depending on the cause, medication may also be sufficient for treatment. The vet should be consulted here. [13]
In its advanced state, dogs with Cushing's syndrome usually develop a round, hard stomach. This disease can also often be recognized by hair loss on the stomach, restless behavior and severe hunger and thirst.
#6 Internal bleeding
Various injuries can cause dogs to bleed internally and cause blood to pool in the abdomen. Typical causes here are:
- Car accident
- Poisonings
- Fight with another dog
- case of increase
In addition to a hardening of the stomach, there are usually other symptoms. This includes:
- Black diarrhea
- Pale gums
- Fast heartbeat
- Lack of ability to concentrate
- Dog growls when petted
- Feeling of weakness
- Shallow breathing
- Depressive behavior [14]
If you suspect this, you should consult the vet immediately. This will examine the dog visually and then carry out an ultrasound and x-ray examination.
If blood loss is excessive, an immediate blood transfusion may be necessary. The respective therapy depends on the suspected cause.
Various accidents can cause internal bleeding in dogs. Blood often accumulates in the abdomen, causing the abdomen to become larger and harder. There are also usually other injury-related symptoms such as shallow breathing and blood in the stool.
#7 Roundworm infection
Roundworms are one of the most common parasites in puppies and strays. It is most commonly transmitted through mother's milk in puppies from infected mothers.
Dogs can also get threadworms by eating someone else's feces or even infected mice, birds and other small animals. Typical signs here are:
- Permanent abdominal bloating
- Feeling of weakness
- Little white worms in the stool
- Noticeable hard stomach
- Diarrhea and vomiting
- Tummy sensitive to touch
- weight loss [15]
To make a diagnosis, the vet usually examines some feces. If there is a severe infestation, the worms themselves are found in the stool. In the early stages only the eggs are often visible.
Roundworms can usually be treated very effectively with the help of medication. It is only important to act early so that the worms do not spread any further.
The recommended worm treatment usually takes place in 2-3 stages. In the first step, all live worms are killed. Then the eggs also have to be removed. [16]
If dogs are infected with roundworms, this can manifest itself as a swollen and hard stomach. In some cases, the worms can also be identified in the feces themselves. A worm treatment is usually sufficient for treatment here.
#8 Stomach tumor
Fortunately, stomach cancer is one of the rarer types of cancer in dogs. According to studies, only around 0.5% of all dogs diagnosed with cancer suffer from it. [17]
Tumors in the abdominal cavity are not always malignant. In certain circumstances, your four-legged friend can also be lucky. It can usually be recognized by the following symptoms:
- Chronic vomiting
- Blood in the stool
- Bloated and hard stomach
- Labored breathing
- Sudden incontinence
- Lack of motivation
- Alternation between loss of appetite and cravings
- Black and shiny chair
- weight loss [18]
To diagnose this, an x-ray and ultrasound examination is usually carried out by the vet. The treatment then depends on the type and severity of the tumor.
If the cancer has not yet spread and is still relatively small, it is usually surgically…