DISCLAIMER/DISCLOSURE STATEMENT: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. The information contained in this site is for educational and informative purposes ONLY and is NOT advice. Also, this website and the information contained herein have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Please refer to our Disclaimer Policy for more information.
Last Updated on March 25, 2024 by Thee Puppypreneur
WHY IS MY DOG FARTING SO MUCH
Does your dog fart a lot? Or maybe you wonder why is my dog farting in its sleep. Or why do my dog’s farts smell so bad? There could be a couple different reasons for gas in dogs.
Gas in dogs can come from both ends whether it be burping or in the form of a dog fart. You will want to keep a close eye to see if this gas just started or if this is an ongoing thing.
REASONS FOR DOGS FARTING
FOOD
Food related issues are the most common reason for a dog fart. They are usually associated with something your dog is currently eating. Maybe you just switched to a new dog food.
Maybe, your dog was given some human food such as a vegetable or dairy product.
Maybe your dog ate something that was spoiled out of the trash can.
An introduction to a new, whole food product could be that your dog is getting used to it or it could be that your furbaby doesn’t agree with the new ingredients.
I know from experience that things like broccoli, potatoes, beans, or too much fruit or dairy can cause gassiness in a dog.
GASTROINTESTINAL ISSUES
Another reason is that your dog could have gastro-intestinal issues such as IBD or a newly discovered allergen you may not be aware of yet. Either way you will want to take your dog to the veterinarian to make sure.
WHAT CAUSES GAS IN DOGS
“Gas normally enters your digestive tract when you swallow air and when bacteria in your large intestine break down undigested carbohydrates.”1Symptoms & Causes of Gas in the Digestive Tract | NIDDK (nih.gov)
Undigested carbohydrates begin to ferment in the colon and this is how the gas is formed and a dog fart happens.
If the cause is swallowing of air this is usually because your dog is gulping down his meal at a rapid pace. It is normally best to feed your dog 2 to 3 smaller meals throughout the day to bypass this and sometimes like in the case of IBD you may even have to break it down into many smaller portions.
Another tactic that has been considered helpful in slowing down air gulping and possibly eliminating it all together is slow feeders like this one
HOW CAN I GET MY DOG TO STOP FARTING
NATURAL REMEDIES TO ALLIEVIATE GAS IN DOGS
There are a couple of different things you can do to ease the pain and discomfort associated with gas in dogs. One thing that I like to do is reach for my herbs and spices.
The all-natural way is my preferred go to but there are multiple options listed below for you to discuss with your veterinarian first to see which one might work best for your specific situation.
- Fennel seeds (Foeniculum vulgare)
- Peppermint
- Ginger root (fresh or ground)
- Simethicone (not all-natural)
FENNEL
Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) is great as an anti-inflammatory and carminative (which means it is good for relieving gas).
For my 80-pound little girl I usually give her about 1 teaspoon of ground fennel mixed in with her meal to aid in digestion, but it really should be given after the meal. However, some dogs may not like the smell or taste.
Another method is taking about 1 teaspoon of fennel seed per cup of water and put it in cold water and bring to a gentle boil for 20 minutes then strain.
Fennel should not be used in pregnant dogs.
PEPPERMINT
Peppermint (Mentha piperita) can also be used as it is not only a carminative but also an antispasmodic meaning that it helps soothe the muscles in your digestive tract.
Amazon.com: Peppermint Leaf Powder Organic – 4 Oz,(Starwest Botanicals) : Grocery & Gourmet Food
I use this as needed and not consistently. I give my 80 pound “child” a ¼ tsp. 3 times a day.
Some precautions of peppermint is that it should be closely monitored in dogs with liver or gallbladder issues or avoided all together.
GINGER
Ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe) has been used for 1000’s of years in China soothing upset stomachs and gas.
“Ginger acts directly on the gastrointestinal tract by increasing gastric motility and promoting adsorption of toxins and acids.”2Wynn, S. and Fougere, B., 2007. Veterinary Herbal Medicine. St. Louis ,MO: Mosby Elsevier Inc, p.560.
I usually take a very small amount maybe an 1/8 of tsp, a couple times a day, of minced fresh organic ginger and I put it in her food at random intervals throughout the day.
Or powdered ginger
or this alcohol-free tincture
Ginger is not recommended not be used in pregnant dogs or dogs with blood clotting disorders.
OVER THE COUNTER MEDICATIONS TO HELP RELIEVE DOG FARTS
SIMETHICONE
Finally, we have come to Simethicone. This is not an herbal supplement like the remedies I use listed above. This is commonly called Gas-X® and yes, I give this to my little child too sometimes.
I use a version just like this one
but I think the ingredients in this one is better since the one I use wasn’t listed on Amazon.
HOW MUCH SIMETHICONE TO GIVE A DOG
Unfortunately, the other one I have at home contains silica which is why I don’t use it often. However, the tablets I usually give are actually 80 mg tablets and I usually give her 2 at night if her gas is super bad. It works quickly for her and I see results almost immediately.
Consult with your veterinarian before starting anything new in your pet’s life.
Check out our other articles on herbs and their benefits for your furbaby such as;
