What's That Smell? Flatulence in Dogs

Every dog experiences flatulence from time to time. While it's certainly unpleasant for our noses in the short term, it's usually not a big problem. Where do these smells come from, and what can you do about them?

Many dog owners know the situation: you're sitting comfortably with your dog in front of the TV in the evening, or enjoying a lovely meal with guests at the dining table, when suddenly a horribly smelling dog fart pollutes the air. Only quickly opening a window or holding your nose for a long time saves us from the 'stench'.

Occasional flatulence is usually completely harmless. However, if your dog experiences regular flatulence, it's often the result of an unsuitable diet. In rare cases, it can also be an indication of a serious illness.

Why Does a Dog Fart?

Flatulence occurs because gases produced during digestion by intestinal bacteria in the large intestine need to escape the body. If your dog cannot sufficiently digest the Carbohydrates (NfE) or proteins contained in their food in the small intestine, these will reach the large intestine in excessive amounts. There, they are fermented by microorganisms, producing foul-smelling, sulfur-containing gases.

Common causes of flatulence include too many, and especially hard-to-digest, proteins in the food. Particularly difficult to digest are connective tissue-rich offal like tripe, lungs, or gullet, and chews made from rawhide, pig ears, tendons, or pizzle sticks.

Dogs have quite different individual capacities for digesting Carbohydrates (NfE), so for sensitive dogs, too high a Carbohydrates (NfE) content in the food can also lead to flatulence. Poorly broken down or hard-to-digest Carbohydrates (NfE), such as those found in peas and beans, have the same effect. Too many fermentable dietary fibres in the food also promote the occurrence of flatulence.

Sometimes, an abrupt change in food can also trigger flatulence in dogs.

In short-nosed dog breeds like French Bulldogs, Pugs, or Boxers, flatulence can also be related to swallowing a lot of air while eating. However, the flatulence resulting from this is usually not very odorous.

When Should You See a Vet?

Although flatulence is usually harmless, it can sometimes be an indication of gastrointestinal diseases. If it occurs very frequently and your dog also shows other symptoms such as diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal pain, or fever, the cause should be clarified by a veterinarian.

How Are Diet-Related Flatulence in Dogs Treated?

An important measure to prevent flatulence is to introduce any food change slowly. Over the course of a week, a little more of the new food should be mixed with the old food, allowing the digestive system to adapt to the changed composition.

Dogs prone to flatulence should receive high-quality, easily digestible food that contains plenty of muscle meat, little offal, and well-digested Carbohydrates (NfE).

Find a food for your dog that is adapted to their individual digestive capacity. Many ancient dog breeds, for example, have no problem with a high protein content but are sensitive to a lot of Carbohydrates (NfE) in their food. Other dogs, however, struggle with too high a protein content in their food ration. 

Dogs prone to flatulence should not receive treats made from tripe, spleen, or lungs, nor any chews made from rawhide, ears, or tendons. Meat-based chew sticks are better suited for them.

Feeding in several small portions spread throughout the day can also help reduce flatulence in dogs.

Ensure plenty of exercise! This stimulates intestinal peristalsis and ensures that the intestinal contents do not remain in the large intestine for too long. Extended walks also increase the chance that any gases produced are released outdoors and not just in the evening in front of the TV.