My puppy has flatulence problem - what can I do?

Question

My puppy is 5 months old and since we got him (9 weeks) he has had a problem with severe flatulence. We have weened him onto a few different high end foods, but he still has the problem. The vet checked his stools, and they are fine. The only human food we give him are bland proteins, like fish or chicken.

This is not only embarassing, but I worry that he has a belly ache. It is a daily problem throughout day and night, but mostly at night.

Has anyone else experienced this? What can I do?

Answer 1

Exercise helps move gas out of the intestines, and if you take the pup for a walk and he relieves himself, even more gas will be released.
Soybeans are often the culprit with a frequently gassy dog. Some pet foods are comprised with 25% soy, which is a source of protein, but can be tough for your dog to digest. Changing foods to a higher quality brand of food (transition gradually, though) can help. I say to transition slowly because when switching foods, it takes awhile for the bacteria in your dog's colon to adjust to a new diet. If you switch too fast, it can cause not only more flatulence, but also some upset stomach/diarrhea. Also, keep the table food down for now, as it may be causing gas. And don't let your dog get ahold of any dairy! Does your dog overeat? If so, that can cause overloading of the stomach which causes things to sit there and ferment for awhile ... and yes, that will make gas much more offensive!
Does your dog eat too quickly and gulp his food? This causes air to be swallowed that leads to excess gas. Try putting a large, heavy object in his food bowl (like a big, clean rock or tennis ball ... something big enough that he has to work around it, and big enough that he won't swallow it!). This will make your pup eat more slowly. Don't use an elevated feeder, as previously mentioned, since most vets would agree that it can contribute to the occurence of Bloat (which can be a lethal problem). People used to believe that elevated feeders prevented it, but now it seems that it may contribute to the occurence ... just stick with the big object IN the bowl!
Also, some dietary supplements can cause gas, so unless your dog NEEDS the supplements, don't use them.
There is an anti-gas product sold by vets called CurTail that contains an enzyme that helps digestion. Or, if you want something that you don't have to go to the vet for, try activated charcoal. While pretty messy, it can absorb the odor pretty effectively. Since your pup is still young (and small, I'm sure), add about 1/4 teaspoon to his food daily ... bump it up to 1/2 teaspoon once he gets to adulthood. You can also use plain yogurt, since most contain digestion-friendly bacteria that help decrease flatulence. And most pets can handle yogurt perfectly fine, even those that are very intolerant of dairy products. At his age/size, I'd add about one teaspoon to his food daily (or give it plain ... most dogs like the taste!), and about one tablespoon once he gets larger.
If nothing works ... see your vet since it may be a medical issue that requires more investigation.
Good luck!

Answer 2

Some breeds are more prone to this than others. It might just be that your dog is one of those breeds. Dobies and labs are known for being able to clear a room. My dobie is on excellent food, doesn't get human food, and she still has the rankest smells coming out of her rear. Again, nothing wrong with her health wise, she just farts alot, especially when she gets excited. The only recommendation I could give you would be to buy the best food you can afford to avoid as many fillers as possible(these ingredients can cause more gas). My dobie is currently on Wellness and is a lot better than she used to be when I had her on various other foods(Science Diet, Nutro, Solid Gold, Purina). Other foods you could try would be Innova, Canidae, and California Natural.

Answer 3

i have the same problem you do. we've had our pup since he was 3 months old. he'll be 5 soon and he's had bad gas ever since we got him. we've tried everything the pet store and the vet have suggested. it's cut down some but still he rips them when he's around us.

raise the food and water dish from the floor. something like the 2 below. i actually got a food tray from ikea and it works.

i've heard yogurt has worked, i've tried it and nothing.

and we feed him this supplement that should help with the stink, like i said, it's cut the issue down, but it's still happening.

i've read and did all the suggestions given and nothing.

Answer 4

Most store foods have a high amount of grains in them. The fibre in them does it. Try him on a home made food of mince(chicken or lamb), pasta and diced vegetables. Cook about 500gm mince, 100gm pasta and 200gm veges. Feed him 2-3 small meals a day.

Answer 5

Dont feed him chicken, cuz its more than likely someone in your house made it and its still greasy, also wet dog foods can make them fart. keep him on a regular diet on dry food, at petsmart the stuff is called, Stink Stopper, although i wouldnt try it just because its not really FDA approved or anything like that, its just like somthing some weird guy made up in his basement one night when his dog was farting

Answer 6

puppy flatulence problem

Answer 7

Try puppy food that is rice based instead of chicken based.
Cut out all human food too
Make sure that his dog treats are rice based too
Good luck to you

Answer 8

At petsmart they have gas medicine for dogs. You could try that. Good Luck!

Answer 9

don't give him human food, but add some beano to his regular food

Answer 10

http://dogs.about.com/cs/generalcare/a/flatulence.htm