Dog farts can be the stuff of nightmares! Cuddling your dog is the best therapy in the world until the tranquility is broken by the noxious odor of the dreaded dog fart! In a moment, a little puff of butt wind can ruin the whole mood. Why can a dog fart clear an entire room?
We share our bedroom with three golden retrievers; Thor, Khaleesi, and Salem! On normal nights this arrangement works for all of us. Last night, Salem, who is only 7 months, had eaten a rather large squirrel present the cats had left in the yard. I was happily tucked into bed reading my book my husband was snoring away when all of a sudden a fog horn sounded from the floor beside my bed. I had to literally run for the hills. The room smelled so awful I couldn’t stand to be in there!
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Why does a dog fart smell so Bad?
Just like in people, what goes in must come out. Dog farts are a release of gases built up in the digestive tract. Most farts are made up of oxygen, hydrogen, and carbon dioxide so more times than not you don’t even realize that Fido has passed wind. It’s when the wind contains hydrogen sulfide it becomes accosting. That’s because hydrogen sulfide smells like rotten eggs! YUCK! It is a by-product of normal digestion, but certain foods will create more of this noxious gas than others. Think about your gas for a minute, you know certain foods will make you gassier than others, well it is the same thing with your dog. Foods containing more sulfur will create more hydrogen sulfide gas when broken down.
What causes dogs to fart?
There are actually a ton of contributors to your dog’s anal symphony. Gas, to an extent, is a normal part of life. I have included some common causes of increased flatulence in dogs to help you better understand Fido’s farting habits.
Swallowed Air
Some flatulence is simply a result of your dog swallowing air while he eats and drinks. Breeds with short muzzles like pugs, Shih Tzus, and Lhasa Apsos and dogs who speed eat tend to experience this type of gas. The quicker your dog consumes his food causes more air to enter the digestive system so the trick is to slow him down. There are many slow feed bowls that prohibit Fido from just gulping down dinner.
Certain Foods Create More Smelly Dog Farts
Foods like broccoli, cauliflower, Brussel sprouts, sprouts raw meat and poultry, contain sulphur to begin with so the more you feed your pooch these snacks the more he will fill your home with the aroma of pooh gas!
Intolorances to ingredients
Dogs, just like people, can be intolerant to some types of food. Food intolerances are not allergies this just means they don’t digest it as easily. I feel for these poor pooches, I really do! I am, myself, lactose intolerant. I can’t eat dairy products without getting an upset stomach. I love it just as much as the next person, but man you don’t want to sit next to me after I eat a bowl of ice cream! Dogs are no different. Some are, just like me are lactose intolerant others can have issues digesting grains like wheat. If your noticing an increased rate of flatulence after eating certain ingredients you may need to start eliminating substances from their diet.
Garbage Dog Farts
Nothing can mess up a dog’s digestive gases more than getting in the garbage. There is a plethora of already decaying food that smells like heaven to your dog! It’s IRRESTISBLE! Unfortunately, bacteria on already decaying foods and foods not normally in your dog’s diet can increase the stink AND occurrence of the dreaded dog fart. Obviously, dog farts aren’t high on the list of reasons your dog shouldn’t eat out of the garbage, but we will add it to the list.
What to do to improve your dogs farts?
Keep your dog active. Regular activity will actually work the farts out outdoors rather than indoors sparing you from wearing your gas mask to bed. Keeping a raised activity level and healthy weight will help to increase the digestion rate and therefore work offending gas out quicker.
Changing your dog to a higher quality diet may also improve the frequency of dog toots. Some of the lower quality foods contain more fillers. These are normally more indigestible fibers that produce more gas during their digestion.
When Is It Time To Call the Vet?
For most of us, our dog farts are not a concern. They are infrequent and do not really bother anyone, but there are some dogs out there who don’t stop farting. As soon as you notice any dramatic change in your pup’s digestive behavior, or you’ve tried a few remedies with no luck it’s time to give your vet a call. Foul smelling gas or increased rate of flatulence can actually be a symptom of a bigger problem. There are quite a few health issues that can cause an increase in a dog’s gassiness. Something as simple as intestinal parasites can be the culprit, or of course the more severe illnesses like canine colitis, irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease, or cancer either way your vet will help you get to the bottom of your dog bottom.
Farts aren’t necessarily bad, in fact, it’s a sign that the digestive tract is still chugging along. What goes in must come out and all that. So count your blessings as you’re reaching for your gas mask in the middle of the night. Hopefully, the gas will pass, and tomorrow will smell like flowers again.