As a dog parent, you are always concerned about your dog’s health. However, regardless of how much you care for your dog, it can sometimes be inevitable that they become gassy. Then, you probably begin to wonder, “Why does my dog fart so much?” Let’s find out in this article.
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Why Does My Dog Fart So Much?
Not all dogs fart frequently. So, once you bring home a dog that farts excessively, you might get shocked at first and probably wonder what is wrong with your dog. Farting is normal in dogs, just like in humans, but it might be concerning if your dog suddenly begins to fart more frequently than normal. Here are the common reasons why your dog may fart a lot:
Your Dog’s Breed Is Predisposed to Being Gassy
Certain breeds are susceptible to being gassy due to the ingestion of air called Aerophagia. Mostly, these are the Brachycephalic dog breeds that are predisposed to excessive flatulence as a result of Aerophagia. These breeds are the ones with flat faces with generally shorter noses. Moreover, these dog breeds get excess air when they eat or drink. So they get rid of this excess air by farting.
Dogs with longer snouts and are not brachycephalic may also experience excessive flatulence. However, with non-brachycephalic breeds, excessive flatulence is rarer, even though they may still fart once in a while which is normal.
Type of Food That Your Dog Eats
Dog foods aren’t all as healthy as their label claims to be. Moreover, even the worst dog food brands claim various health benefits for your dog. But, poor-quality dog foods potentially contain plenty of additives that may harm the digestive tract of your dog or cause an unwanted reaction.
Some dog foods contain carrageenan that is known to cause Inflammatory bowel disease and certain cancers in dogs. However, this additive is still found in some canned dog food brands. This additive may not only cause flatulence but also harm the digestive tract of your dog with long-term feeding.
Some human foods aren’t suitable for dogs. However, your dog might still be ingesting these by eating off table scraps or by stealing food from the table. Some table food may cause your dog to be gassy, so they may begin to fart excessively shortly after the ingestion of certain types of human food.
A Food Allergy or Intolerance
Dogs may also have food allergies or intolerance. However, food allergies and intolerance in dogs may have various symptoms that are not only limited to flatulence. Oftentimes, food allergy or intolerance in dogs is accompanied by diarrhea, vomiting and excessive farting.
Food intolerance may also happen with a sudden change in your dog’s diet. However, as your dog soon adapts to the new diet that you introduced, this food intolerance may or may not go away. Observe your dog for some signs of food intolerance and revert your dog’s diet to the previous one if persistent flatulence still occurs. On the other hand, for allergies, the intake of the allergen must be stopped immediately.
Ingesting Food Too Quickly
Some dogs might get too excited when they eat and they gobble up food too quickly. Moreover, this may cause your dog to ingest excess air or Aerophagia that may alter on cause flatulence. There are some slow feeding bowls available for dogs to help prevent this from happening.
The prevention of ingesting excess air while eating is the reason why your dog should eat slowly if it experiences flatulence shortly after eating too fast. The same goes for water since drinking plenty of water too quickly may also cause your dog to ingest more air than normal. Using water bottles with nozzles may also prevent your dog from ingesting too much air while drinking.
What Are the Illnesses That May Cause Excessive Flatulence in Dogs?
Many illnesses may cause excessive flatulence in dogs. Mostly, these are the illnesses that involve the digestive tract. However, some breathing problems may also be attributed to the gassiness that your dog is feeling. Here are the common illnesses that may cause gaseousness in your dog.
- Inflammatory bowel disease
- Histiocytic ulcerative colitis
- Intestinal parasites
- Parvovirus
- Problems in the pancreas
- Enteritis
- Bacterial infection in the gastrointestinal tract
- Food allergy or intolerance
- Other illnesses in the digestive tract
If you think that your dog is experiencing any of the illnesses listed above, then you might want to get in touch with your veterinarian to have your dog checked. Also, some of these illnesses might be life-threatening to your dog if left untreated. So, early detection and intervention may prevent your dog from being too distressed due to these illnesses.
How to Prevent Farting in Dogs
Dog flatulence can be caused by a lot of things. However, for Brachycephalic dog breeds, they are naturally predisposed to Aerophagia and there is probably no prevention to their farts since it is due to their genetics.
For most dogs, providing the right nutrition may help prevent excessive flatulence due to food allergy or intolerance. Moreover, you may avoid dog foods that have certain additives that are known to be dangerous for dogs. Furthermore, prevent your dog from ingesting too much food or water too quickly to prevent ingesting too much air in the process by providing the right food bowl and water bottle.
Conclusion
Why does my dog fart so much? Your dog’s breed and diet may cause your dog to fart a lot. Moreover, Aerophagia is also another reason why your dog may fart more frequently than normal. But, even though your dog normally farts frequently, observe our dog for potential health issues that may also be causing excessive flatulence in your dog.
