Gas is an inconvenience in humans, let alone in dogs. “My dog has bad gas. What can I give him?” This is one question most dog parents find themselves asking at some time or another. The good news is that you can take simple steps to help release the excess gas buildup in your dog.
The following are some ways to relieve gas in your dogs.
1. Skip dairy products
Bad gas can be caused by feeding your pooch the wrong types of foods. But just what are these?
The answer would be most dairy products.
This is because most dogs are lactose intolerant and unable to digest milk, cream, and other dairy products properly. The inclusion of dairy could be why your dog is bloated and releasing gas.
2. Enough exercise
Overweight dogs are more prone to gassiness. As a result, it is important to help keep your dog in shape. If you notice your dog is showing symptoms of excess gas, you should create an exercise routine to keep your dog’s weight in a healthy range.
3. Encourage your dog to eat slowly
Most dogs are gassy because they eat too fast and swallow too much air. If you realize that your dog clears their plate too quickly, it could be the reason for its flatulence.
The solution is simple. Find out why your dog is in a hurry and fix it.
If your dog eats too fast because it shares a food bowl with another dog, you must separate its food servings.
If your dog eats quickly because it is hungry, you should serve it food more frequently.
And if the dog just can’t help itself, you should consider serving its food in deeper food bowls, so it becomes more difficult to gobble the meal.
4. Massage your dog
A good massage can go a long way towards soothing your dog and easing their discomfort. You can do so in the following steps.
- One: Gently use your palm to feel the abdomen for regions of discomfort. These parts would feel tense and stiff compared to other parts.
- Two: Once you find these spots, gently massage the area. Avoid applying too much pressure or squeezing the abdomen.
- Three: Do this until you can see or sense some relief. Or till you can feel the region become less tense.
5. Just add ginger
Sometimes the solution to your dog-gas problem can be simply adding ginger. Ginger is a go-to to defuse stomach-related issues in both animals and humans.
You can add powder or raw ginger to your dog’s meal. It’s not advisable to feed only raw ginger though, as it can be hot.
You also can get ginger as a pill; all you will need to do is administer it like any other pill. Adding 10 to 25 mg of ginger for each pound of your dog’s body weight is advisable.
Common causes of gas in dogs
Prevention is indeed better than cure. Now that you know what to do when your dog has gas, it is time to learn the common causes and figure out how to avoid gas in the first place.
1. Spoiled or low-quality diet
The same way you are careful what you eat is the same way you should endeavor not to feed your dog the first thing you lay your hands on at the store. They might all look the same, but different brands offer foods with different nutritional values.
Consequently, the wrong blend of ingredients or even spoiled food could mess up your dog’s digestive system. You must be careful when shopping for dog food; take note of the expiry date to ensure you don’t give your dog expired food.
2. Diet change
Asides from the quality of your dog’s diet, another thing that can cause your furry friend to become gassed up is suddenly changing their diet.
A dog’s stomach is delicate, and sudden changes could adversely affect the dog. As a result, it becomes crucial to slowly introduce a new diet so the system can get used to the transition.
3. Gastrointestinal issues
If none of the above reasons apply, chances are that your dog is living with a medical condition like irritable bowel syndrome or is infested with intestinal parasites. In this case, you must contact your veterinarian as soon as possible for a proper diagnosis.
Summary
Dogs develop gas the same way humans do. It usually boils down to the diet or a medical condition. Use this article as a guide, and hopefully, you’ll be able to ease and help prevent gas in your pet.
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