It’s normal for dogs to have days where their farts can almost knock you down…
But when loose stools accompany that…
Uh-oh…
That’s a cause of concern, and you must take action.
And it’s a good thing that you chose to start with this article.
Read on to discover:
- 7 tips for your dog who has loose stools and smelly gas.
- 3 ways to keep your pooch hydrated during this experience.
- 3 medical conditions that can cause diarrhea and bad gas to your dog.
- And many more…
Table of contents
Why does my dog have loose stools and smelly gas?
Your dog has loose stools and smelly gas because of something they ate. It can also be from stress, a fatty diet, or dairy consumption. Sometimes, it’s due to an underlying medical condition. So you have to analyze their stool and bring a sample of it to the vet.
What should I do if my dog has loose stools and smelly gas? 7 tips
#1: Check or remember what they ate
This might be a hard thing to do, but it’s not impossible.
Recall the things that your pooch has eaten since their condition started.
If it’s more recent, then this is easier for you.
Try to list all the things that your pup might’ve eaten.
Also, remember if there is any mess around the trash cans in your place.
That’s because your pup might be experiencing a ‘garbage gut.’
It’s when your dog has diarrhea and bad gas from eating food from the garbage.
This is considered a case of food poisoning.
What your dog must have eaten:
- Raw food.
- Dead animals.
- Undercooked meat.
- Expired dog or spoiled human food.
Then, the symptoms of food poisoning, according to PetMD, are:
- Lethargy.
- Dehydration.
- Reduced appetite.
- Acting scared and lethargic.
- For severe cases, your dog might experience seizures.
Another thing to remember is if you fed them table scraps.
That’s because some human foods are hard to digest for dogs.
I’m talking about the following:
- Beans.
- Soybeans.
- Spicy foods.
- Steamed vegetables.
Since those are hard to digest, they stay in your pup’s tummy for a long time.
Then, it causes them to have smelly gas. And when it’s time to excrete these foods, Fido might have a hard time doing so.
You might also like: My Dog Has Bad Gas, What Can I Give Him? 9 Tips
#2: Keep them hydrated
This is important when your dog has loose stools and bad gas.
That’s because diarrhea causes dehydration.
In fact, it’s not diarrhea that’s the leading cause of most deaths related to it. It’s dehydration to blame…
How does that happen?
When your pup has loose stools, they excrete too much water from their body.
Moreover, vomiting can sometimes accompany diarrhea…
With that, it’s another reason for your dog to lose water in their body.
And your pup can’t afford to lose a large amount of water in their system.
According to experts, 50% of an adult dog’s body is made up of water…
And even losing 10% of that amount can be dangerous to their health.
AKC gives us the symptoms of dehydration dogs:
- Dry nose.
- Sticky gums.
- Loss of appetite.
- Thick and ropey drool.
- Reduced energy levels.
- Panting without physical exertion.
With that, you must help your dog remain hydrated during this experience.
Here are things that you can do:
Helping your dog stay hydrated
#1: Constantly refill their water bowl with fresh and clean water.
#2: To encourage them further, you can add ice to their water. Only use ice cubes as they might choke on large chunks of ice.
#3: Feed them fruits rich in water. Watermelons are a great example.
#4: Give them an electrolyte-enhanced drink to maintain balance in their body.
#5: Hydrate their food by putting bone broth in their dry kibble.
#3: Reduce the fat on their diet
Fats are a much-needed source of energy in the body. They’re more energizing than carbs and proteins.
Not only that, PetMD says that fats can also help with the functions of the following:
- Nerves.
- Muscles.
- Body cells.
- Body tissues.
However, too much of a good thing isn’t always healthy…
Overconsumption of fatty foods can cause stomach problems in your pooch. That’s what causes their loose stools and bad gas.
Sometimes, it might also include the following:
- Vomiting.
- Lethargy.
- Reduced appetite.
- Abdominal pain, which would make them whine from time to time.
So, keep these fatty foods moderate in your dog’s diet:
- Bacon.
- Butter.
- Hot dogs.
- Fried chicken.
These are all dog favorites so it might disappoint Fido a bit…
But you’re doing it for them.
Moreover, it doesn’t mean that you’ll remove fats from their diet altogether.
They still need it as a source of energy.
Vets recommend 10% to 15% of fat in an adult dog’s diet.
Warning: Anything more than that requirement can be dangerous.
Diarrhea and vomiting wouldn’t be the end.
Your dog might develop pancreatitis if they overeat fat in their diet. Such a condition can also cause loose stools.
That’s why you must consider pancreatitis to be a reason for this experience.
Pancreatitis in dogs
The pancreas is a crucial organ in your dog’s body.
It’s assigned to produce enzymes that help digestion.
Moreover, it’s the center of production for insulin. Such a hormone regulates glucose in your dog’s blood.
But in pancreatitis, this organ is inflamed.
Other signs of pancreatitis in dogs according to vets:
- Fever.
- Nausea.
- Lethargy.
- Vomiting.
- Abdominal pain.
- Lack of appetite.
#4: Stop feeding them dairy
Lactose is a type of carbohydrate. It’s also a carb that most dogs are intolerant to.
You can find it in dairy products like:
- Milk.
- Butter.
- Yogurt.
- Cheese.
- Ice cream.
- Whipped cream.
So, when your lactose intolerant pooch eats dairy…
Uh-oh…
Get ready for some smelly farts and loose stools from Fido.
These are other symptoms of lactose intolerance according to VCA Hospitals:
- Bloating.
- Vomiting.
- Abdominal discomfort.
With that, remember if you’d recently fed your dog any dairy…
AKC says that most dog parents accidentally discover this intolerance.
Moreover, they also say that large amounts of milk can cause the same reaction. That can happen even if your pup’s not lactose intolerant.
Lastly, you might be wondering of something:
How did your dog survive their mother’s milk when they’re a puppy?
That’s because when they’re young, your pooch still has a high amount of lactase.
What’s that?
It’s the enzyme that’s assigned to break down lactose.
Now, research says that lactase activity decreases as your dog grows old.
Intolerance starts when they eat food other than their momma’s milk.
Continue reading: 11 Reasons Why Your Dog Suddenly Has Bad Gas + 5 Tips
#5: Analyze their stool
As a dog parent, it’s time to get past the grossness and analyze your dog’s stool.
Now, why is this necessary?
Vets say that you can determine the nature of your dog’s diarrhea by doing this.
There are things to note, like:
- Color.
- Consistency.
- If blood is visually present in the stool.
- Smell. If it smells metallic, that means that blood is present.
- If there are any foreign objects present. Like a tiny piece of their toy or plastic.
In terms of consistency, what exactly should you look for?
(I’ll be talking about feces as straightforward as possible)
These are stool descriptions from vets to help you analyze the situation:
Like a soft-serve ice cream
Your pup’s stool is very moist.
Despite that, it retains a shape similar to soft-serve ice cream.
But when you pick it up, it loses its form. It also leaves a residue on the surface.
Like a cottage cheese
This type of stool has an obvious texture. However, it has no apparent shape.
It also leaves a residue on the surface when you pick it up.
Like a thick or cream-based soup
This stool is watery and holds no texture.
It’s just a puddle that you can’t pick up. You’d have to wipe it from the surface.
And since you’re monitoring their stool, it’s easier to note the frequency of their pooping habits.
#6: Take a stool sample to the vet
Did you know? Diarrhea is among the common reasons why dogs are taken to the vet. That’s what this study says.
Moreover, it also tells us that your pup’s diarrhea can resolve out of the blue. When it does, you won’t know the reason for it.
Despite that, taking a stool sample is still an essential step.
That’s because this experience becomes a concern if diarrhea doesn’t go away in 2 days.
This is more important if diarrhea and bad gas are the only symptoms present…
So, you must take your dog to the vet.
Moreover, it’ll help if you collect stool samples from your dog.
Then, bring it to the vet and have the samples analyzed to the lab.
That’s because such an occurrence can mean that your dog might have intestinal parasites.
Intestinal Parasites in dogs
Many parasites can live in your dog’s gastrointestinal (GI) tract.
According to MSDVM, those parasites cause loose stools and smelly gas.
Those parasites can also make your canine experience the following:
- Anemia.
- Coughing.
- Weight loss.
- Bloody stool.
- Loss of appetite.
- Trouble breathing.
- Swollen abdomen.
Now, what are those parasites that invade your dog’s GI tract?
Here’s a table to identify those parasites and how your pooch got it:
| Parasite | How it’s contracted |
| Esophageal worms | Dog eats an infected beetle. They might have also encountered a transport host like rodents and chickens. |
| Hookworms | Ingesting larvae or received during nursing. Sometimes, it enters directly through skin penetration. |
| Roundworms | Passed from their mother through the placenta. Sometimes received from mother’s milk, too. |
| Stomach worm | Dog eats an infected host. Some examples are beetles, crickets, mice, frogs, or cockroaches. |
| Tapeworms | Eating infected animals or fleas. |
| Threadworms | These are either swallowed or penetrate their skin. They can also be from breast milk. |
| Whipworms | Dogs can get it from eating infective eggs. |
#7: Recall any stressful situations
Lately, has your pooch been stressed?
If you’re not sure, check if anything like this has happened lately:
- Traveling.
- Moving to a new place.
- You introduced another fur baby to the family.
- Changes in their environment. An example is replacing furniture.
Those experiences can cause stress in your pooch.
Then, that stress causes them to have a condition called colitis.
According to vets, it’s when your dog’s colon gets inflamed.
It makes your dog suffer loose stools and smelly gas.
Specifically, for this reason, it’s called stress colitis. It’s the usual reason for colitis in dogs.
Your pup might undergo this condition for 3 to 5 days.
During this occurrence, it’s best to watch their diet.
You can also tell Fido’s vet or schedule an appointment. There, the vet might prescribe medication to resolve the inflammation.