Frequent Gas in a Dog

When your dog clears the room with an innocent toot, he's got gas issues that are likely caused by something in his diet. Do some sleuthing to determine what's been causing nightly noises, then change Handsome's diet. This should clear up most of his gas, allowing you to breathe easier.

Most often, some element of a dog's diet is responsible for the smells and sounds of gas. Causes include food allergies, overeating, poor-quality puppy chow, eating spicy table scraps, eating high-fat or high-fiber items and eating food that is hard for a dog's system to break down. If your dog eats too fast, he may end up swallowing air that eventually finds it way out the other end. Try to recall what Handsome ate before he became gassy to troubleshoot this problem.

Since lactose can be challenging to break down, avoid feeding dairy products such as cheese or milk. Beans, including soybeans, are difficult for dogs to digest. They can cause doggie flatulence just as they can bring about human gas. Low-quality dog food often contains preservatives and other items that challenge a dog's tummy, so switch to a higher-quality food to reduce flatulence.

A healthy brand of dog food should contain little to no ash, corn, cornmeal or wheat. Rather than meat byproducts, it should list meat (or fish) as the first ingredient. Corn and wheat are common allergens in dogs, so switching to a corn- and wheat-free food can clear up underlying allergies. The ASPCA recommends foods carrying the Association of American Feed Control Officials, or AAFCO, seal for their nutrition. As Handsome adjusts to the healthier food, his gas should decrease and his stool should appear firm rather than loose.

Regular flatulence may have an underlying medical condition, such as inflammatory bowel disease, a bacterial infection or allergies to certain food items. It's time to schedule a vet appointment if changing up your dog's food and holding back on certain foods doesn't clean up Handsome's gas issue.