Flatulence in dogs: these home remedies can help
There you lie unsuspectingly next to his dog on the sofa and suddenly this: It stinks violently. Flatulence in dogs is unpleasant for you as an owner, but it can be even more unpleasant and even painful for your four-legged friend. What causes flatulence, and what home remedies help? Read here.
As in humans, there are several possible causes of flatulence in dogs. In most cases, it is because your four-legged friend is not getting the right food. Only rarely are serious diseases responsible for unwanted gases. If you know the causes, you can take the proper measures.
The dog has severe flatulence: Causes in the diet.
An incorrect diet is one of the most common causes of flatulence in dogs. Often, specific components of the food are not correctly processed by the body. Bacteria then decompose the insufficiently digested food mush in the rectum. This decomposition process is responsible for foul-smelling gases.
Dog food that is difficult to digest, such as dairy products, legumes, or fatty food, can lead to flatulence. The same applies to ready-made food, especially if the grain content is very high. Dehydrated food, which contains a lot of soy, often hurts the digestive process of dogs.
Other diet-related causes include food changes, food allergies, food intolerances, or eating spoiled food or dead animals. Some dogs also can no longer tolerate their usual food as they age. Tip: Observe your dog particularly well when you change its diet.
Other causes: Diseases and lack of exercise
Rarer, but entirely possible, are diseases of your four-legged friend, the symptoms of which include flatulence. These can consist of pancreatitis or intestinal disorders such as infections or tumors. Also, a parasite infestation – for example, by worms – can be behind the flatulence.
A less severe cause of flatulence is lack of exercise. If your furry friend has been lying on his lazy skin for too long, it can happen that the intestines also become very sluggish, which can lead to one or the other fart.
Air swallowing can lead to flatulence in dogs.
Does your dog belong to one of the brachycephalic breeds? This refers to animals with very short muzzles, such as boxers or bulldogs. These dog breeds sometimes swallow a lot of air when eating, drinking, or barking (aerophagy), which – once migrated through the body – pushes out again as flatulence.
Treat flatulence in dogs: What home remedies help?
If you want to relieve flatulence in dogs, you can resort to specific home remedies. The following applies: try out different treatments because the four-legged friends are different, so that one measure may help more, the other less.
Caraway: Home remedy for flatulence in dogs
The use of certain spices and herbs can – as in humans – have a positive effect on flatulence in dogs. Caraway seeds, for example, could be your remedy of choice.
Mix a few cumin seeds into your dog’s food. Caraway tea is also a possible variant – for this, the caraway seeds are boiled for about ten minutes and then strained. You can inject the cooled cumin tea into your dog’s teeth and lips, for example, with a syringe (without a needle!) if he does not drink the tea from the bowl.
In addition to pure caraway tea, fennel-anise-caraway tea has proven to be a good water substitute. You can also get this ready in tea bags. Fennel and aniseed also have a calming effect on the gastrointestinal tract.
Further measures against dog flatulence
In addition to using stomach-friendly spices and herbs, you can also add a teaspoon of orange juice to the food. The fluid helps against hyperacidity, stimulates digestion, and thus has a mild laxative effect at the same time.
Another home remedy for flatulence in dogs is healing clay from the pharmacy, which can help normalize gastrointestinal activity. You can mix this into the dog food. Alternatively or as a supplement, exercise could also help. Physical activity stimulates the intestines and can make flatulence disappear into thin air.
In many cases, a change in diet helps with flatulence.
Although not a natural home remedy, but in many cases effective: a change in diet. Flatulence is often the consequence of an incorrect dog diet. Cheap food or intolerances can be the cause, so that a diet change can be the right way.
If your dog’s gastrointestinal tract is overloaded, it can help if you temporarily feed your four-legged friend a light diet. Gentle foods are mainly easily digestible foods such as unsalted rice, cooked chicken, or carrots.
The dog has flatulence: When does he need to see a vet?
If your dog only struggles with occasional flatulence, home remedies can help. However, flatulence in dogs can also indicate a severe condition. If the flatulence is chronic, it will also be excruciating and uncomfortable for your pet.
In case of doubt, or if you are unable to find out and fix the cause of the flatulence, be sure to contact your veterinarian.
Since flatulence in dogs is usually due to an incompatible diet, your veterinarian can give you tips on the typical breed requirements for dog nutrition. Usually, high-quality dog food and easy-to-digest items can fix the bloat. But what if there is more to it than that?
Is the dog sick? Veterinarian knows advice
But sometimes, they can also be a symptom of an illness that needs to be treated by the vet. Suppose you notice other symptoms in addition to the flatulence, such as diarrhea, vomiting or constipation, a cramped posture with a hump, or a behavior change. In that case, you should go to the veterinarian as soon as possible. In this case, painful colic, gastrointestinal infection, or intestinal inflammation could be behind it.
Flatulence can also indicate problems with the pancreas. Suddenly, flatulence is also a warning sign of intestinal obstruction – an emergency! Do not wait for the next day, but immediately call the emergency service of the veterinary hospital in your area.
