Does your German Shepherd have frequent, stinky flatulence, and are you concerned about whether this is normal?
Like all dogs, German Shepherds may fart a bit every day. Farting, also known as flatulence, is caused when there is an accumulation of gas in the small intestines or stomach. If your German Shepherd is farting excessively, however, this may be an indication of something wrong. Poor diet, eating too fast, food intolerances, obesity, or even diseases can all be causes of excessive farting.
This article will discuss the reasons that your German Shepherd may be farting so much, whether you should be concerned, and what you can do to help slow it down.
Do German Shepherds fart?
Well, do German Shepherds fart? Yes, they do! All dogs will fart at least sometimes, just like humans. It is usually perfectly normal and has no cause for concern. However, if your dog is constantly or excessively farting, you may be concerned. More gas than usual, or gas that seems to make your pup uncomfortable, maybe a sign that you should be on the lookout or deeper issues.
Is it normal for my German Shepherd to fart a lot?
As we mentioned above, farting is usually perfectly normal! However, excessive farting may not be. Keep reading to discover some reasons that your German Shepherd may be farting a lot. If none of these reasons seem to apply to your dog, the next step will be to consult a veterinarian for a professional opinion.
What can cause my German Shepherd to fart?
The first thing to ask yourself when your German Shepherd suddenly starts farting a lot is whether they have had any sudden lifestyle changes. Have you recently changed their food, or have they begun taking a new medication? These are both things that can cause excessive farting if they do not agree with your dog.
In addition to the actual farting, you should pay attention to other signs of gas and discomfort in your German Shepherd. Is your dog very bloated, or is their stomach rumbling loudly? Are they having diarrhea or other bathroom issues?
Next, examine the following list of things that may cause excessive farting:
- Poor Diet
- Food Intolerance
- Eating Human Food
- Eating Too Fast
- Obesity
- Other Diseases
We will go into more detail about all of these factors in the following sections.
Poor Diet
If your German Shepherd is eating poor quality food, especially if you recently switched them to this food, they may begin to fart frequently. Pay attention to whether the farting began when you changed the food brand.
To make sure that a food brand is a good quality and healthy for your dog, you want to make sure that it does not contain a lot of unhealthy filler ingredients, such as soy, carrageenan, and corn. These are all ingredients that, when present, may cause digestive issues in your dog—leading to, you guessed it: excessive farting!
If you are worried that your dog is allergic or reacting poorly to one specific ingredient in the food, you can use the ingredients list to conduct a process of elimination with various different brands of food. This will help you identify exactly which ingredient is the one causing your dog to fart so much.
Food Intolerance
This goes hand in hand with the previous section. Just like humans can be lactose intolerant or gluten intolerant, dogs may be intolerant to certain ingredients in their food. If they are not able to properly digest certain ingredients, this can lead to excessive fermentation within the intestines and colon, leading to excess gas and indigestion.
In dogs, some intolerances which are quite common include ingredients such as gluten, soy, beans, and high-fat diets. In addition, most dogs are lactose intolerant. This means that any dairy products will upset their stomachs and cause excessive farting.
So, be careful when using human food such as cheese as treats for your pup. When you think you are rewarding your dog, you could actually be causing them—and you!—discomfort.
Eating Human Food
To continue from the last section, human food, in general, is not ideal for dogs. Although it may be tempting to feed your dog table scraps, especially when they just look so pathetic begging, the truth is that it can be very bad for your pup. Human foods contain many of the ingredients which dogs are actually intolerant to, and they are not always able to digest it well.
Human food also usually has little nutritional value for dogs. So, the food can not only cause your dog to fart a lot, but it can also lead to other issues such as obesity, which in itself can lead to more farting.
If you feed your dog human food sometimes, you may be thinking that the last time you fed them whichever food as a treat, it didn’t cause farting! However, you should keep in mind that these foods will not always cause indigestion. It depends on the amount that the dog is fed.
Sometimes a little bit will not cause farting, but just a little more will. It is safer not to feed your dog table scraps at all.
Eating Too Fast
Eating too fast can cause not only farting, but also vomiting. If your dog absolutely inhales their food, chances are they are also swallowing a lot of air when they swallow their food. This air builds up in the intestines and the only way to release it is through lots of farting.
One way to slow down your dog if they are a very fast eater is to invest in a puzzle bowl, also known as a slow feeder. These bowls have maze-like bottom surfaces which prevent your dog from getting huge mouthfuls of food, forcing them to slow down and eat at a more reasonable pace.
Obesity
If your German Shepherd is overweight, they will be more prone to chronic farting than a dog that is active and in shape. If your dog does not get regular exercise, then their intestinal tract is missing out on the regular stimulation that helps them to digest food more easily and healthily.
Other Diseases
Lastly, excessive farting can be a sign of another underlying disease or other health condition. Some of these diseases, such as IBS (also known as irritable bowel syndrome), inflammatory bowel disease, canine colitis, cancer, intestinal parasites, and more, can cause excessive gas production, leading to lots of farts. If you are worried that a disease may be causing your German Shepherd’s farting, you should take them to a vet.
How can I stop my German Shepherd from farting?
Stopping your German Shepherd from farting is a matter of addressing the underlying cause of the excessive gas. Read over the categories above and try to determine what may be causing your dog’s farting. For example, if you feed your dog a lot of table scraps, you should immediately stop doing so.
Switch Their Food
If you are wondering if your dog’s food may be causing their farting, try checking out the ingredients list to see if it is full of cheap fillers. If it is, switching the brand of food to something higher-end may make a difference.
If you have switched your pup’s food to something without fillers and they are still having excessive gas, consider whether they may be allergic or intolerant to some other ingredient in the food.
You can conduct a process of elimination to try to figure out which ingredient is causing the upset in your dog. However, you may also consider seeing a vet, who may be able to perform tests to figure out if your dog has any allergies.
When changing your dog’s diet, you should never do so abruptly. Sudden diet changes are one of the factors which can lead to excess gas, after all! Make sure you make the change gradually.
Try a Slow Feeder
As we mentioned in the section about eating too fast, a slow feeder (or puzzle bowl) may be a good option if your dog is inhaling a lot of air while eating. These bowls force your dog to slow down and take more reasonable mouthfuls while eating, which can reduce the buildup of air in their intestines.
Exercise
Exercising your dog is crucial, especially if your pup is already out of shape or overweight. Ensuring that they are in good health will reduce the risk of excessive flatulence caused by understimulated intestines.
See a Vet
Lastly, you should always keep the opinion of your veterinarian in high regard. If you have checked off all of the potential causes of excessive farting in this article and you are still not sure what is causing your dog’s flatulence, or if you do not know where to start, you can never go wrong with consulting your vet. They are professionals and are there to help you.
Conclusion
Do German Shepherds fart? Yes, they do, and it’s usually perfectly normal! However, if your German Shepherd farts an excessive amount, especially if this behavior began suddenly, then there may be a deeper underlying issue. Food intolerances and poor diet, fast eating, diseases, and obesity can all be causes of excessive flatulence.