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My Dog Has Bad Gas, What Can I Give Him? 9 Tips

My Dog Has Bad Gas What Can I Give Him

Before you change your dog’s name into ‘Stinky’ because of his smelly gas, give him a chance…

There are ways to turn that around. 

Many remedies are available to reduce your dog’s flatulence…

And in this article, the best remedies are handpicked for you and your pooch.

Continue reading to discover:

  • How can probiotics help reduce your pup’s flatulence.
  • 3 kinds of probiotics that are available for your dog who has bad gas.
  • 9 tips to help reduce your dog’s bad gas (the last 2 tips are long-term solutions).
  • And many more…

My dog has bad gas, what can I give him?

If your dog has bad gas, you can give him probiotic supplements or yogurt. You can also try ginger, charcoal, and yucca. Offering him other human food isn’t an option. Instead, you can try giving him antacids or gas-x. Sometimes, circumstances call for a poop-eating deterrent.


How do I get rid of my dog’s bad gas? 9 tips


#1: Probiotic supplements

In your dog’s gastrointestinal (GI) tract, there are billions of good bacteria present…

These bacterias are called gut microbiomes.

According to research, these bacteria have a special role in your dog’s body. Namely:

  • Metabolism.
  • Assisting their immune system.
  • Protecting your dog against pathogens.

These gut microbiomes are more commonly known as probiotics.

Now, when bad bacteria overpower these probiotics…

Uh-oh…

It’ll cause your dog to have bad gas. 

Not only that, but he might also experience the following:

  • Diarrhea.
  • Cramping.
  • Bad breath.

The good thing is there are many available probiotic supplements for your pooch.

You can use these supplements to help reduce Fido’s bad gas.

Plus, these probiotics come in a lot of forms…

Dog foods with probiotics

There are available dog foods that have added probiotics.

This comes in handy because it’ll be easy to give to your pooch.

Moreover, some also contain prebiotics.

What’s that?

Prebiotics are high in fiber and difficult to digest. That’s why they can serve as food for probiotics instead.

You can try this expert-made dry dog food with probiotics by Purina.

Warning: Both prebiotics and probiotics are sensitive bacteria. 

They can easily be affected by air, temperature, and moisture.

So make sure to note how the dog food is made and packaged. Once you take it home, store it in an ideal place.

If you don’t, that might change the quality of the food.

Probiotic chews

You can also opt for soft treats that have probiotics for your dog.

Again, this is an easy way to give them probiotics.

It’s a known fact that dogs go crazy for treats.

Try these soft probiotic chews that are pumpkin and papaya-based.

Probiotic powder

Using this kind of probiotic requires more effort.

You have to add the powder to your dog’s food every time.

But, this type of probiotic is a better choice.

As I said earlier, bacteria in these kinds of products are sensitive.

With the powder-kind, live bacterias are present and sealed inside a sachet. That controls the moisture and air that it might receive.

Try this vet-recommended powder probiotic for dogs by Purina. You can add one packet of this powder once a day to your dog’s food.

It’s also safe for dogs of all ages and sizes.

#2: Yogurt

Give Your Dog With Bad Gas Yogurt

This is an excellent source of natural probiotics for your dog.

Yogurt has live cultures of good bacteria. As I said, such can help with your dog’s bad gas.

Not only that, but yogurt is also rich in calcium and protein.

However, AKC reminds dog parents of one thing, and it’s:

You must choose the right yogurt for your pooch.

This is important because some yogurt products contain xylitol. That’s an artificial sweetener that’s toxic for dogs.

Moreover, you should choose a yogurt product with low lactose.

Why?

That’s because most dogs are lactose intolerant…

If you give him a lot of yogurt, it might only make his farts worse.

And you surely don’t want that experience for you and Fido…

With that, here are what you should be looking for in yogurt for dogs:

  • Plain.
  • Low-fat or non-fat.
  • No artificial flavors.

The best way to go is with high-quality greek yogurt. Those kinds also contain a lot of live cultures of probiotics.

Now, add the carefully-chosen yogurt to your dog’s food.

A tablespoon of the yogurt to their usual dry food would do.

Experts also advise on following the 10% rule.

“What’s that?”

It’s the rule where the yogurt won’t make up more than 10% of your dog’s daily calorie intake.

#3: Ginger

This is something that can be lying around your kitchen…

Thus, you might instantly solve the issue with your dog’s bad gas.

Take ginger from your pantry and cut it into small cubes.

Only cut up a little portion. You won’t need the whole ginger.

Then, prepare your dog’s food.

Once that’s done, sprinkle the small amount of ginger in Fido’s usual food.

How does it help?

Ginger has properties that can aid your pup’s digestion.

This is effective if the reason for your pup’s farts is eating garbage or table scraps.

Moreover, VCA Hospital says that ginger has a lot of other benefits. 

Ginger, as traditional tropical medicine, can help as the following:

  • Antioxidant
  • Anti-nausea.
  • Aids in vomiting.
  • Anti-inflammatory.
  • Support for your dog’s mind.
  • Stimulant for the circulatory system.

Warning: Despite its many benefits, you should only give ginger to Fido moderately.

It becomes unhealthy if you feed it to them frequently.

Moreover, ginger should be out of reach for dogs that are:

  • Allergic.
  • Experiencing a bleeding disorder.

With that, let me emphasize only sprinkling a little amount of ginger in your dog’s food.

That amount can already do wonders in your pooch’s tummy.

#4: Carminatives 

Sometimes, dogs fart for a healthy reason…

Your fur baby’s tummy undergoes the same process that yours does.

After a meal, gut microbiomes break down the food to extract the much-needed nutrients.

During this process, there’s a by-product…

It’s hydrogen sulfide gas, and it gets trapped in your dog’s stomach. 

The only way to let that by-product out is through farting…

And most of the time, it’s not a very pleasing fart.

With that, I say, dogs are naturally fart-monsters from time to time…

That aside, the only problem left for you is to endure this unpleasant smell…

But what if you can’t?

Then, there are carminatives to the rescue.

“What are those?”

They’re medications that help relieve flatulence. Some of the agents present in those carminatives can also help reduce the foul odor of Fido’s farts.

Those carminative agents are the following:

  • Zinc acetate.
  • Yucca schidegera.

Moreover, activated charcoal can also be a carminative agent…

And not just that, when those 3 that I mentioned are mixed together…

Oh, it can do wonders.

Carminative agents

Take it from this study:

Researchers studied 8 adult dogs. 

Their goal is to reduce unpleasant flatulence odor in dogs.

They used the 3 agents that I mentioned. 

The experiment is done by incorporating those agents in treats. 

After 5 hours, researchers studied the characteristics of the subject dogs’ gas.

The results show that the agents can decrease the production of hydrogen sulfide. That means that the unpleasant smell is reduced.

Here’s the data on it:

AgentHydrogen sulfide reduction 
Activated charcoal71%
Yucca schidigera38%
Zinc acetate58%
Combination of the 386%

With that, you can opt for any medications that have those agents.

There are also dog foods that have some of those components in their ingredients.

Note: It doesn’t affect total gas production. It can only help with the smell.

But as I said, sometimes it’s normal for dogs to have bad gas. It’s normal, especially after every meal.

Continue reading: 11 Reasons Why Your Dog Suddenly Has Bad Gas + 5 Tips

#5: Definitely not using people food

This is something that you should avoid giving your dog…

You should practice this even when they don’t have bad gas.

That’s because some of our food can make dogs gassy.

Dogs have a hard time digesting some of our food.

Those kinds of food stay in their intestines for a longer time. Then, they ferment there and cause bad gas.

What exactly are these foods?

I’m talking about:

  • Beans.
  • Soybeans.
  • Oily meals.
  • Spicy foods.
  • Steamed vegetables like cauliflowers and broccolis. 
  • Dairy products. As I mentioned earlier, the majority of dogs are lactose intolerant.

So, avoid giving your dog table scraps. As much as possible, stick on giving him food that’s made for him.

#6: Antacids

If your dog’s farts are becoming a little too frequent, get him checked by a vet.

There, the vet might prescribe oral antacids.

Those are medications used to lower the amount of acid in your dog’s stomach.

Warning: Only give antacids to your pooch if the vets advise you to.

That’s important because there are many reminders in giving Fido this medicine.

The dosage should always be accurate. As much as possible, you shouldn’t also skip any doses.

There are also side effects like:

  • Constipation.
  • Diarrhea or loose stools.

If anything other than those side effects show, tell the vet immediately.

#7: Gas-X

Simethicone is a type of medication that treats gas and bloating.

It also helps with the pain and discomfort that pressure and fullness bring.

Gas-X is among the most well-known brands that contain simethicone.

It’s also safe for dogs. Despite that, you must consult a vet first before giving it to Fido.

That’s because you need to know the proper dosage for your dog. It’ll depend on their size and condition.

Moreover, understand that this medication doesn’t entirely treat your dog’s bad gas. 

Then, what does it do?

It makes the process of expelling gas faster. Along with that, it also assists in letting the gas pass through.

So, gas is still in the equation.

But your pooch would feel better because they won’t struggle in farting.

#8: High-quality food

This is more of a long-term solution…

To prevent and stop bad gas, you should feed your dog high-quality food.

That’s because low-quality food can cause poor nutrition on your canine.

And if they have a nutritional deficiency, they’re more prone to have bad gas.

Low-quality food contains a lot of additives. The only purpose of those is to make your dog full…

Then, they’re not actually receiving their needed nutrients.

Moreover, your dog can be sensitive to these additives…

With that, they produce bad gas.

Instead, feed your dogs high-quality food.

You can opt for expert-made dog foods, whether dry kibble or wet canned food.

You can also add meat, veggies, and fruits to Fido’s diet. But only those that they’re allowed to eat.

#9: Poop-eating deterrent

You must be wondering what this tip is doing here…

I added this because your dog’s bad gas might be caused by coprophagia.

What’s that?

It’s the term used to describe your dog’s tendency to eat poop.

If your pup is coprophagic, they’re bound to release bad gas.

Then, your canine would also have bad breath

Sometimes, they’ll smell like period blood or similar to a fish.

Because, c’mon, it’s poop that they ate.

Despite it being a weird habit, poop-eating is part of normal dog behavior.

Your canine’s mother used to eat his poop. She did it to keep her den clean for her litter.

Then, some dogs simply like the taste of poop.

Other times it’s caused by fear of getting scolded by you. So, to save themselves, they just eat the evidence against their crime…

That aside, you can still stop this behavior.

You can give your pooch a poop-eating deterrent.

When you add it to their food, their stool becomes undesirable for them. With that, they’ll refuse to eat it anymore.

Note: If you have a lot of dogs, give all of them the deterrent mixture.

That’s because coprophagia dogs actually prefer other canines’ stools.

So, to make sure, make every dog poop in your house undesirable.

Try this stool eating deterrent by NaturVet. It also works as a breath aid.