Gassy dogs can make for quite a bit of comic relief when watching movies. It is pretty funny sometimes, to be honest, even when your actual dog has bad gas. However, it gets to where you start to worry a lot about whether it might be a sign of a more serious issue, especially if the problem starts pretty suddenly.
In fact, dog flatulence isn’t taken lightly where it counts the most since so many studies have been done to learn more about what can bring this about in dogs. So, while a gassy dog is not always a cause for alarm, it is important to know what you can about the condition to know when it might be a danger to your canine.
27% of households in the United States with a pet did not visit a vet, which shows how tough it can be for some people to get the right information for their dog’s health. I understand this, so I’ve put together this little guide to answer your most pressing questions when your dog has bad gas suddenly. So with that all said, let’s get right into what you need to know!
Do you have a specific question about your dog having a bad gas? Then use the table of contents below to jump to the most relevant section. And you can always go back by clicking on the black arrow in the right bottom corner of the page. Also, please note that some of the links in this article may be affiliate links. For more details, check the Disclosure section at the bottom of the page.
Here's what we'll cover:
Why is my dog so gassy?
Well, if you have a dog that has bad gas, the most likely reason that it is having that issue is that there was something in its diet that it cannot eat and digest properly. This is also known as a dietary indiscretion.
If you have a dog that doesn’t stick to regular foods and, instead, eats all sorts of foods, including table scraps, then you’re likely to have to deal with a lot of dog flatulence.
This happens because dogs can’t digest a lot of the things that we can, which results in them getting fermented by the bacteria in the intestinal tract. These bacteria produce a lot of gas, which is what causes excessive gas in dogs most of the time.
For this reason, you’ll want to keep your dog on its own diet and not let it successfully beg for food off your plate when you’re having a meal.
What causes excessive gas in dogs?
There are quite a few causes of dog gas, and knowing these can help prevent them from giving your dog gas in the future. A gassy dog can stink up the place in no time!
So, let’s get right into the different things that can explain why your old dog suddenly has bad gas.
Dietary Indiscretion
As we discussed before, dietary indiscretion is one of the primary causes of dog gas, so it is important to keep an eye on the things that your canine eats.
There are a lot of foods that dogs have difficulty digesting and eventually cause gas. Some of these foods include beans, foods high in fat, soybeans, peas, vegetables like broccoli and cabbage, and spicy foods.
You also want to ensure that your dog hasn’t accidentally eaten spoiled food, as this can result in sudden bad gas for your dog.
Lactose Intolerance
We know a lot about lactose intolerance in humans, but did you know that dogs can be lactose intolerant too? In fact, a whole lot of them are. Small amounts of foods or liquids that contain milk might not cause any issues, but if your dog scarfs down a bowl of milk or a block of cheese, you likely don’t need to ask why your dog has bad gas suddenly.
Maldigestion
If you’re certain the food you give your dog is fine, yet you still have to contend with a gassy dog, it might not be related to the diet itself. In this case, it might be that your dog has a maldigestion problem that makes it hard for its body to properly utilize nutrients and food in the gastrointestinal tract. Again, you’ll need to talk to your vet to determine if this is the issue.
Dogs That Eat Fast
When dogs eat like they’re late for work, they tend to swallow a lot of air in the process. When this happens, these air bubbles enter their intestinal tract, trapped until they come out of the other end as a fart. This cause usually doesn’t result in horrible-smelling farts.
Certain Dog Breeds
Certain breeds of dogs are more likely to swallow air when they eat simply because of their anatomy. This is primarily made up of brachycephalic dogs like Pugs, Shih Tzus, Lhasa Apsos, and others.
When it comes to what causes excessive gas in dogs, this is the one cause that you can do very little about.
What to do if your dog has bad gas?
If your dog has bad gas suddenly, the first thing you want to do is observe its diet closely. For example, are you feeding your dog milk, is there any food they don’t eat regularly, or might they simply be chowing down on meals their digestive tracts aren’t built for? You can fix this by cutting some things out of your dog’s diet, like high-fat foods and milk, and sticking to a consistent diet.
You also want to ensure your dog isn’t eating food that might be spoiled out of anyone’s trash. Also, refrain from those table scraps, no matter how much your little mutt begs and begs!
If your dog eats at the speed of light, you can get a for this purpose. It will slow down how quickly it gobbles down the food in its bowl.
Of course, if you can’t nail what might be causing gas in your dog, or if your dog has bad gas and diarrhea, you should visit the vet to find out what’s going on before it gets worse. The same applies if your dog is gassy and not eating.
What can I give my dog for gas?
If your dog has bad gas, there are a few things you can give it that might make things a bit better for your canine (and you, who has to smell those farts!).
- Medication such as antacids or simethicone
- Adding probiotics to their diet as supplements
- Feeding your dog edible treats that contain specific substances, like activated charcoal, zinc acetate, and Yucca schidigera. These have been shown to help if your dog flatulence is getting a bit too stinky for you to cope with.
Thanks for the blog graphics: Canva.com
Thanks for the blog graphics: Canva.com
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