If dogs often burp, it is usually due to eating too quickly or an upset stomach. In certain circumstances, allergies, poisoning, intolerances, parasites, inflammation or even stomach upset can also be responsible.
Basically, a burp is gas from the stomach being let out through the esophagus. When you fart, it's the gases from your intestines.
In most cases, eating habits or food are responsible for gas development. Below you will learn about 9 most common causes.
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#1 Eating too quickly
Dogs learn as puppies that they have to fight for their food. Because if no teat is left free, they will go away empty-handed. This explains why many dogs eat food.
The pressure to eat is increased when several animals live in the household and they share bowls. In addition, brachycephalic breeds in particular are known for eating quickly:
- English bulldog
- Lhasa Apso
- German boxer
- Mastiff
- Boston terriers
- Shih Tzu [1]
The constant belching is just an expression of swallowed air and laborious digestion. Because you chew a little, large pieces of food end up in your stomach.
Breaking the habit of slinging is very difficult. That's exactly why several products have already been developed that can solve exactly this problem:
When dogs eat too quickly, they usually swallow large amounts of air. The resulting gas formation usually means that dogs have to burp unusually often and have to struggle with severe flatulence.
#2 Upset stomach
Dogs' digestive systems are much more vulnerable than humans. The reason for this can be explained in evolutionary terms.
Humans have been omnivores for millions of years. Dogs only developed this way through taming. Common causes of an upset stomach include:
- Leftover food from people
- Eating too quickly
- Dog eats grass or feces
- Bacterial imbalance
- Allergies or intolerances
- Dog ate garbage [2]
It can usually be recognized by the dog refusing food, getting flatulent or even burping frequently. Other typical signs of this are:
- Lack of motivation
- Increased saliva production
- Nausea and vomiting
- Dog is restless
- Constant licking of lips
- Sudden diarrhea
- Loss of appetite [3]
Normally this should resolve itself within a few hours of fasting. The next meal we recommend is something easy to digest, like rice with chicken.
When dogs struggle with an upset stomach, it is usually accompanied by bloating, loss of appetite and nausea. Affected dogs also drool a lot, burp unusually often and generally behave rather lethargically.
#3 Heartburn
There is a sphincter at the end of the esophagus. This should normally prevent the acid from passing from the stomach into the esophagus.
In puppies or very old dogs, however, it is more common for stomach acid to rise. Then there is talk of “heartburn”. Typical causes of this are:
- Severely overweight
- Too big meals
- Surgery with anesthesia
- Spicy or fatty food
- Diaphragmatic hernia
- Severe or chronic stress
- Side effect of medication
- Chronic vomiting [4]
Typically, affected dogs usually start licking for air and also licking their lips unusually frequently. Other classic signs include:
- Profuse drooling
- Dog vomits his food
- Pain when swallowing
- Dog gags white mucus
- Strong bad breath
- Restless behavior
- Dog refuses food [5]
In simple cases, fasting, changing your diet or dividing the food into smaller portions is completely sufficient. If not, I recommend seeing the vet.
Dogs with heartburn often experience pain when swallowing and lick their lips very frequently. In addition, affected four-legged friends often vomit half-digested food, have bad breath or even refuse their food.
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#4 Allergies and intolerances
Fortunately, food allergies are relatively rare in dogs. Intolerances, on the other hand, occur much more frequently – especially if you have a sensitive stomach.
The problem? Theoretically, every food can be a potential trigger. In practice, however, the following foods are usually behind it:
- Gluten and grain products
- Proteins from different types of meat
- Spices in the food
- Soy and soy products
- Cheap fillers in the feed
- Milk and dairy products [6]
The symptoms can vary greatly depending on the food. However, flatulence and frequent belching are common. Other symptoms include:
- swelling in the face
- Nausea and vomiting
- Redness on the skin
- Dog farts a lot
- Labored breathing
- Unusual weight loss
- Hyperactivity [7]
Even if hypoallergenic food seems like a solution, in practice it is almost always just marketing. However, it is better to have an allergy test done by your doctor.
If dogs are allergic to certain foods or are intolerant to them, this can usually be recognized by digestive problems. In most cases it manifests itself with severe bloating, constant belching, nausea and redness on the face.
#5 Stomach parasites
If there are parasites inside the dog, they are called “endoparasites”. These are usually the following worms:
- Heartworms
- Roundworms
- Ringworms
- Whipworms
- Tapeworms [8]
According to studies, around one in four dogs living in the wild are said to be infected with these worms. However, they usually only become dangerous in exceptional cases.
Here too, an infestation is usually recognizable through digestive problems. Among other things, increased belching can also indicate this. Other symptoms include:
- Worms in the stool
- Occasional cough
- Sudden diarrhea
- Worms in vomit
- Dog tires quickly
- Unexplained weight loss
- Bloated stomach [9]
A worm treatment is carried out here as a treatment. Because these types of parasites are so common, I also advise you to follow the vet's recommended worming plan.
Dogs with stomach parasites usually have digestive problems once they reach a certain size. What is typical here is that dogs constantly have diarrhea or even have worms in their stool. Flatulence and frequent belching can also indicate this.
#6 Unfavorable food
If the daily food does not meet the dog's nutritional needs or leads to constant digestive problems, then it is called an “unfavorable food”.
In most cases it is due to owners being stingy when choosing food and choosing the cheapest package. Other typical causes of this are:
- Strongly alkaline food
- Unhealthy fillers
- Expired or spoiled food
- Food with lots of grain
- Moisture or mold in the lining
- Very high fiber food [10]
You should also be careful with food in a donut shape or with holes. By design, these ensure that dogs swallow more air. Typical signs here are:
- Dog drools a lot
- Chronic diarrhea
- Visible flatulence
- Dog keeps burping
- Loud stomach noises
- Dog only eats treats
- Frequent vomiting
Here I recommend carrying out such a feed check. This not only gives you individual recommendations, but also a whole box of free food samples.
If dogs are fed unfavorable food, chronic digestive problems are almost inevitable. It can usually be recognized by constant diarrhea, loud stomach noises, frequent belching and severe flatulence.
#7 Poisoning
Poisoning usually occurs due to the ignorance of the original owner. That's because even common foods can have toxic effects on dogs.
Poison bait, on the other hand, is only the cause in exceptional cases. Many people are being deceived by the media here. The most common causes of poisoning in dogs include:
- Leeks and garlic
- Chocolate and cocoa
- Onions and avocados
- Raisins and walnuts
- Grapes and alcohol [11]
Whether and to what extent symptoms occur depends primarily on the amount consumed. Frequent belching is usually just one of many symptoms:
- Excessive panting
- Physical restlessness
- Sudden vomiting
- Dog salivates heavily
- Dog is shaking
- Loss of appetite
- Increased pulse [12]
This is a medical emergency. Without medical treatment, poisoning can lead to kidney and liver failure.
If dogs swallow toxic foods, it can lead to serious poisoning. It can typically be recognized by the four-legged friend panting heavily, starting to tremble and often burping. Sudden vomiting is also typical here.
#8 Inflammation of the stomach lining
There is a mucous membrane in the stomach that protects against aggressive stomach acid. Under certain circumstances it can also become inflamed – the so-called “gastritis”.
In most cases, it is caused by dogs swallowing something contaminated, such as old meat. Other potential causes include:
- Poisonings
- Allergic reaction
- Bacterial imbalance
- Fungi and viral infections
- Spicy food
- Ate garbage
- Medication [13]
What is typical here is that dogs vomit several times, burp more often and appear depressed. Other classic signs include:
- Dehydration
- Slimy diarrhea
- Blood in the stool
- Strong bad breath
- Increased need for sleep
- Dog vomits mucus
- Dark stools [14]
In most cases, the inflammation can be stopped with the help of antibiotics. However, treatment always depends on the underlying cause.
If the dog's stomach lining becomes inflamed, this is also noticeable in the dog's behavior. What is typical here is that the dog gets diarrhea and vomits more often. Listless behavior and constant belching are also typical.
#9 Stomach twist
Stomach torsion is every dog owner's nightmare. In theory, it can occur at any time and, if left untreated, can be fatal within a few hours.
As the name suggests, this is where the dog's stomach twists. Namely along the longitudinal axis. Known risk factors are:
- Eating too quickly
- Overweight
- Large breed of dog
- Raised feeding bowls
- Chronic stress
- Activity after eating
- To…