It’s not something you necessarily want to talk about in public, but does your dog suffer from flatulence and gas? It probably doesn’t embarrass your dog as much as it does you. There’s nothing like having a serious conversation with a friend at the dog park when the melodious sound of gas emerges from Fido!
You’ll be happy to know there are some simple cures for dog flatulence and gas that you can start at home. Before you approach trying to cure your dog’s flatulence problem, it’s always a wise idea to take your dog in for a routine physical. Let your veterinarian know about your dog’s problem so he can rule out more serious reasons for your dog’s problems with excessive gas. In most cases, no obvious cause will be found.
What causes dog flatulence and gas? Not surprisingly, it could be your dog’s diet. If you feed your dog a lot of human food, you may be contributing to the problem. Dog’s have digestive symptoms that are a bit different from our own and they can have a problem digesting some human foods. The first step you want to take in curing your dog’s flatulence problem is to eliminate or limit human food.
What should you feed your dog to minimize his problems with gas formation? You should choose a high quality dog food that lists a good quality protein such as beef, or chcken as the first ingredients on the label. Many of the lower quality dog foods have filler substances in them that are not easily digested, resulting in worsening of your dog’s flatulence and gas problem. These foods may be a bit more expensive, but it’s probably worth it if you want to keep your dog healthy and free of flatulence.
A simple technique you can use to minimize your dog’s problem with gas is to add a bit of live yogurt cultures to your dog’s food. The live yogurt cultures contain bacteria that will help to wipe out the nasty gas forming bacteria that are causing problems for your dog. Some dogs may have problems digesting milk products. If this is the case with your dog, try using a soy based live yogurt culture in your dog’s food. As an added bonus, the addition of active yogurt cultures can help to boost your dog’s immune system and protect him against disease.
Another solution that you can use along with the live yogurt cultures is to give your dog charcoal biscuits which can help to absorb some of the foul smelling odor and gas. You should be able to find these at your local pet store.
Hopefully, these remedies will help to eliminate your dog’s flatulence and gas problem so he can socialize without embarrassment.
