Friday, September 11, 2009

Dog Has Gas and Bloating

Q: My dog Lilly has gas and bloating. I can hear her tummy rumbling at night after she eats. Her stomach makes all kinds of noises and her tummy bloats up like a balloon. She is such a cute dog but can clear the room with her gas. I have tried switching her food and am using a food for sensitive stomach but it doesn't seem to help. Is there anything I can try? Liz in Wisconsin

A: Absolutely. When pets have rumbling noises in their tummy and gas and bloating, it is an indication of poor digestion. They can have digestive upset for a variety of reasons:
food allergies, being older in age and having less enzymes available to digest the food, food intolerance, poor quality of food. Since there are so many factors involved, it is optimal to speak with a veterinary professional. At AskAriel.com we do offer telephone consultations to help pet owners develop a custom diet that will work for Lilly. Each pet is different so there isn't a magic formula that works for everyone. Chicken is often a culprit for many pets however. Also, grains such as wheat, corn and barley can cause allergic reactions including inflammation in your dog's intestinal tract. For starters, you need to get Lilly on a hypoallergenic diet. Also, supplements such as Soothing Digestive Relief and Probiotic + Pet Colostrum will help greatly too.