Has your pooch been farting too much lately and you are wondering what could be the matter? Farting, better known as flatulence is no joke and can be a symptom of a more serious underlying issue. A trip to the vet, therefore, is a must to rule out any serious gastrointestinal illnesses.
A GI illness could put the microflora in the dog’s gut out of balance. These microscopic organisms release gas during digestion which causes the farting.
Most of the time, however, the main cause of those smelly farts has a lot to do with the diet. If, for instance, the pooch is ingesting food that is hard to digest, then this can easily cause flatulence.
And then there is the canned dog food which many people believe is a healthy choice for your dog only to learn later that it is not when they come back home to find a completely different “atmosphere.”
But why does pooch to let out such smelly gas after eating canned dog food?
Canned dog food and smelly farts
Some canned food smells terrible. While it may be thought of as healthy dog food, however, dig a little deeper and you will find that this couldn’t be further from the truth.
Some of the ingredients in canned dog food could shock you. For Instance, euthanized animals, roadkill, rancid animals, animal intestines, euthanized dogs and cats, rodents, recalled human meats, waste from fast-food restaurants, and moldy grains all find their way into canned dog food.
Look at it from that perspective and it is no longer surprising why it smells so bad. And of course, what goes in must come out. If the dog food is smelly, your pooch will have an imbalance in its microflora resulting is smelly farts.
And when your dog ingests such food, you will be making regular visits to the vets and spending a fortune on various health issues.
Other causes of smelly farts in dogs
Dairy products
Most people are not aware that some dogs are lactose intolerant. Dairy products don’t always make dogs sick. However, they are hard to digest which causes flatulence and an upset stomach. The result is an awful smelling fart.
Change in diet
If you are planning on changing your dog’s diet, do so gradually. Above all, this provides time for your pooch’s digestive tract to adjust thus preventing an upset stomach and smelly farts.
You will also prevent other issues such as diarrhea and vomiting. In addition, try feeding them smaller meals much more frequently than two large meals a day. The food will result in less gas in the dog’s digestive tract.
Spices
Some people have a habit of feeding their dogs scraps. However, this human food usually contains spices that your dog’s GI tract will simply not agree with resulting in flatulence.
Instead, it is much better to avoid giving dogs scraps from the dinner table.
High-fat diet
Many people will also feed their dogs a high-fat diet which is known to cause flatulence. In addition, some of this food is often straight off the dinner table. This is one more reason to avoid feeding your dog scraps from the dinner table.
High-fiber foods
In humans, fiber-rich foods can help push the content in the intestines much faster through the gut. Similarly, the same is true for dogs.
By feeding high fiber foods, any food including trapped air in the intestines will come out much faster causing your dog to fart more.
Hard to digest foods
Even when you are preparing homemade food for your dog, always make sure that you avoid foods that are difficult for the dog to digest. These could easily cause an upset stomach and flatulence. However, you can solve this by providing your dog with foods that have high-quality protein. Avoid dog foods that are grain-free.
Difficult to digest foods include soybeans, peas, beans as well as spoilt foods.
Swallowing air
In many cases, the cause simply comes down to the dog swallowing too much air as they are eating. In addition, if your pooch has a healthy appetite, he will want to gobble down food as quickly as he can.
You can slow down your dog’s eating by encouraging lifestyle changes. For instance, An effective way is to add a tennis ball in the dog’s bowl. Once the dog figures out that not everything is edible in the bowl, they will learn to slow down on their eating.
Also, ensure that the environment you are feeding your dog is non-competitive. If you have multiple dogs, feeding them next to each other may trigger a competitive urge causing them to gobble down food faster and therefore swallowing air. Instead, try feeding them in different rooms.
Taking your dog on regular walks
One of the quickest and best ways to reduce flatulence in dogs is to take them on regular walks. If you have been feeding your dog canned food that smells bad and you have finally decided to change the dog’s diet to easier to digest home-cooked meals, exercise can help clear the dog’s gut much faster.
Also considering that overweight and obese dogs are at a much higher risked of developing chloric flatulence, including exercise can help the pooch burn off calories and maintain a healthier weight.
Some easy to digest meats for dogs
For the smart dog owner, home-cooked meals are a great choice. You can maintain control of what your dog is eating, and provide your pooch with easy to digest meals that will not cause smelly farts.
However, while many people agree that dogs need a good amount of protein to remain healthy and thrive, it is important to note that not all protein is the same and the best will be a protein source that is easy for your pooch to digest.
Eggs are a great source of protein, contain much-needed vitamins and minerals and are super easy for the dog to digest. Fish is also a great protein source followed by lamb, chicken, and beef.
