Yes that's the title of this blog. Many many dog owners have asked me all kinds of questions about dog farts and spent way to much time describing their dogs’ farts to me. So here is some medical insight into dog farts for the masses. For starters, the proper terminology to describe the gas exiting your dogs’ hind end is “flatus” not flatulence. Flatulence is the excessive formation of gas in the stomach or intestines that then results in either a belch or flatus.
Where does all this gas come from?
For some breeds, specifically the ones with a squished face, the gas is actually air that is swallowed while panting or during vigorous eating; this gas is odorless. In addition, the gas can come from the fermentation of foods in the colon especially fiber, poorly digested protein, and non-absorbable sugars like lactose. Other sources include ingestion of foods which are maldigested or poorly absorbed by your dog, allowing them to then digested by bacteria, which produce gas from them.
How to reduce your dog's flatus
If you have a flat/squished face breed your options are limited, as these dogs tend to swallow air often. Dogs with a very small nose and flat face can benefit from surgical correction of their closed nostrils, which can allow them to breath out of their nose better, reducing open mouth breathing. If your dog's excessive flatus is related to diet, you may want to consult with your veterinarian about trying a highly digestible diet, which will reduce residue in the colon. At home, you may also consider avoiding treats or food such as legumes, fruits, or those that contain lactose (dairy) as these all tend to ferment. Lastly, take your dog for a walk 30 min after a meal to encourage them to defecate.
So there you have it, dog farts/flatus. That should be more information than you ever expected on a blog. The funny thing is, there is actually a lot more medical information on this topic, much more than I ever expected to find in print.
Bulldogs, like this photogenic English from David_Maggie's photostream, are known for their excessive flatus. However, we're not implying that Porkchop has any.
--Dr. Hamilton
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Dr. Hamilton is an oncology resident at Michigan State's Animal Cancer Care Clinic and a regular contributor to Wag Reflex.
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