I had a terrible experience with my male Boston Terrier and his stinky constant gas explosions and diarrhea. I changed his food constantly which did not solve the problem since I got him in 2010 as a puppy. Finally I said no more so I took him to his vet. After he was weighed and checked, he was found to be overweight.
He was at an obese 37 pounds, where he should be in the 20s. The vet put him on a Royal Canin Veterinarian diet with venison and potatoes. He gets 1/4 to 1 cup of food a day and no treats. He tries not to eat the food, but it is all I give him except a dentastix at night so he has no choice. It has been 3 weeks on the diet and he is down to 33 1/4 lbs. No gas, no diarrhea, and no farting.
I am a happy person and he is a non stinky dog. Now if I could cure his snorting and snoring when he sleeps that would be a winner, but loving him is enough.
Source: My Vet
This page contains the following solutions.
Large dogs tend to eat their food too fast and inhale air which causes gas. By placing a tennis ball in the bowl, they must eat slower. This reduces the amount of gas your dogs will have.
Here are the questions asked by community members. Read on to see the answers provided by the ThriftyFun community.
We have a wonderful dog who is a Lab. He is a great pet, but he has awful gas. When this occurs it stinks up the whole room and makes us sick to our stomach. It is so bad that I have a large can of Lysol by my chair to freshen the air after his episode.
We have not switched his food and he does not get table scraps. I am wondering if anyone knows why this is happening all the sudden and if there is anything we can do for him and us, because I'm sure he has to be uncomfortable also.
By angela77 from IA
We were feeding our Boxer Ol' Roy dog food and it was awful. After we changed to Purina Lamb and Rice, we stopped having this problem. Also, when we have fed her canned cheap dog food she had gas. We also never feed her raw hides. It bothers her stomach and I read it isn't good for dogs. J. B.
While a trip to the vet might be in order, until you can get him/her into see the vet. You can give them a tablespoon of fenugreek seeds (I brown mine in a bit of olive oil or real butter) and mix it into their food, and while it doesn't stop the gas. It changes the odor and makes it more tolerable.
I have also give my dogs a tablespoon of canned pumpkin and that seems to help also. Most dogs are like people; when they have to go they get gassy, so a long walk might be in order also, but the fenugreek really works.
Add some yogurt to the food. Works like a charm! Good luck.
Your dog sounds like he has a digestion problem. You should ask the vet about this. You didn't say how old the dog is. Some dogs, like Bulldogs and Boston Terriers, normally pass a lot of gas because of the way they breathe, but I haven't heard of labs having that problem.
Luci is a 10 week old Boxer. I feed her a very nutritional food 3x a day. The problem is her flatulence, it's silent, but very deadly! It's embarrassing when we are out and when guests come over. She can literally clear a room. She doesn't seem to have any discomfort and is regular in her bm. Is there something I should do differently or just get used to apologizing?
By Amberly Garcia from TX
Just in case this isn't from natural causes only, it may also be worms. They cause flatulence and the odor is strong.
My 12-year-old dog has bad gas been going on for a month. I found out she's been eating out of the cat litter box when she can. She's also been wheezing like she has asthma or sounds like when my cats have hair balls and they start wheezing before they start gagging on the hairball.
My dog sounds like that. What can I do?The breathing sounds you describe sound like the sound a dog makes with heartworms. It is very serious and you need to see a Vet right away.
I have a 3 year old Boston Terrier and she has become increasingly gassy over the past few months. It's so nasty, it could knock you over. I don't know how to express the glands nor is that something I think I want to do myself! Are there any other options?
Maybe she's allergic to something in her food. Did you change brands just before this started?
Gas and anal glands are two different things (also two different odors) If she is "scooting" and you notice a musky odor, then she'll need her anal glands expressed. A veterinarian or a groomer can do this for you.
1. Have you changed her diet recently? Added anything?
2. What kind of dog food are you feeding? Avoid dog foods sold in grocery stores, WalMart, etc. Feed the brands that are sold in pet stores. I feed Innova but Canidae, Wellness, Royal Canin, etc. are also good brands.
www.squidoo.com/
www.dogfoodanalysis.com/
3. Did she get into something she shouldn't have?
4. Check with her breeder and ask for recommendations wrt the gas, dog food, etc.
Hope this helps.
Actually that breed of dog just has bad gas. A really good friend of mine has three Boston's and all three of them pass horrible gas, the vet told her it was the breed of dog, something to do with their digestive system. I know thats not good news for you, however the febreeze candles work well. LOL
Since the dog's problem has increased; look carefully at EVERYTHING the dog has been eating in the last few months whether or not you've given it to them. What seems like a tiny scrap of a snack could be making your home an unpleasant place to be! :)
That includes vegetables. They can give pets worse gas than you'd imagine.
The name of the food is irrelevant. You do want to pay careful attention to the foods and go through an elimination process to see what makes the problem better or worse. Compare the ingredients on the food when you notice a change and look for foods that eliminate the ingredients that make the problem worse.
Seems tedious but it's what you've got to do. Since you said the problem was worsening you really need to look hard at the changes in the last few months; no matter how small they might seem and start from there.
Also, I'd look up some boston terrier groups and ask them what they've heard about the problem to possibly give you a starting point.
My one year old Boxer has gas. I've seen a vet and x-rays showed gas. I changed her food to grain free (Rachel Ray) and she still has gas explosions along with eating grass to throw up the gassy stomach fluids.
I don't want to put her on Pepcid and other suggestions? Help!I have a 6 month old Pitbull. He has had gas for three days. It is bad. What can I give him for it?
By Renee H. from Washington, DC
I have a Great Dane and she has horrible gas. I would like if at all possible to avoid going to the vet. Is there anything I could do from home?
By Chrisitna D
I need a solution to a "bad" gas problem with my Boston Terrier.
By Joann Reisenbigler from San Diego, CA
What can I give my dog for gas until I can get her to the vet?
