Last updated on May 23rd, 2021 at 04:48 am
There are many reasons why your dog may experience bloating and flatulence,
Gas X for dogs
including poorly digested food fermenting in his intestines, gulping air while eating, overeating, improper feeding, and not enough exercise. When your dog is showing signs of bloating (e.g. sudden low mood, pacing excessively, a harder stomach than normal, continuous failed attempts to vomit) you’ll want to do something to help him as soon as possible. If you’re like most people, you’re tempted to reach for Gas-X (a.k.a. Simethicone), but don’t.
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Is Gas-X safe for dogs
Giving your dog Gas-X can quickly mask a serious problem by giving them diarrhea. Some of the biggest things you can easily mask are bloat (most common in big, male dogs), pancreatic disease, intestinal disease, parasites, and irritable bowel syndrome. If you mask these things, it could lead to more problems down the road.Some of these health problems really are that serious. You’ll know if it’s more than a simple case of flatulence because your dog will have a hunched posture or he’ll adopt an unusual “praying” position when lying down. If your dog shows either of these signs, it’s vital for you to get him to a veterinarian right away.
It’s also important to note that Gas-X also contains antacids, which alter your dog’s stomach pH levels. This can lead to some problems since your dog needs a high pH level in their stomach to effectively break down his food while also protecting him from food-borne pathogens. If you take too much of the pH from his diet, you put your dog at risk of developing a bacterial infection, especially if you feed him raw meat.
Instead of trying to mask your dog’s flatulence, think of it as his body’s way of trying to correct itself. If you’ve already used due diligence to make sure your dog doesn’t have any serious health problems and the flatulence is still problematic to you, then there are some things you can use.
Alternatives to Gas-X
There are a few supplements you can add to your dog’s diet to help with flatulence, these include:
1. Foeniculum Vulgare
Fennel 100% Pure, Essential Oil (a.k.a. Foeniculum vulgare) is a reliable anti-gas remedy for dogs that’s been used for hundreds of years now. It has antifoaming and antispasmodic agents that stop flatulence without disrupting the normal pH balance in your dog’s digestive tract. Give your dog 1 ml (half the pipette dropper that comes with it) of this mixed with his food each day.
2. Probiotics for dogs
Probiotics (beneficial bacteria) help with digestion and cut down on flatulence by balancing out your dog’s intestinal flora. While there is yogurt with probiotics in them, they typically contain too much sugar. So, what you’ll want to do is opt for a probiotic supplement for dogs from a reputable brand. Give your dog one of these with his meal each day. If necessary, you can add in another one until you find the right dosage. It’s safe to give your dog as many as four per day.
Pet Ultimates Probiotics for Dogs
This is my preferred brand of probiotics.You just sprinkle it on their food and they don’t even notice it.
- Each scoop of Pet Ultimates Probiotics for Dogs contains two billion bacteria known to support regular digestion, healthy skin, renewed vitality.
- There are many benefits like reduced flatulence and bloating and firmer stools.
- It isUltra-concentrated and made at a certified GMP lab in United States.
- Suitable for dogs with a history of sensitives stomach as well as for dogs who need a little help recovering from a recent round of antibiotics.
- They have a 90 day money back guarantee.
Dosage and administration: Just sprinkle one scoop on the food once per day
Click here to read reviews of Pet Ultimates Probiotics for Dogs on Amazon
What All of This Really Means
The best way to prevent excessive flatulence or bloating in your dog is to fee him a meat-based diet in the form of a high-quality dog food like Wellness Core. This is important because many of the low-quality dog foods are full of grain and not enough meat, which is the main thing your dog needs. Too many grains cause flatulence, so you must restrict your dog’s intake of them.
Furthermore, it’s important to understand your dog can’t metabolize carbohydrates as well as humans can. Unfortunately, this is what many dog foods contain, especially the really inexpensive brands. When dogs have carbohydrates this contributes more to their flatulence problem. Carbohydrates really don’t add anything your dog needs.
Other ingredients you don’t want to see in your dog’s food include corn, soy, grain hulls, grain meals, or any kind of sugar, especially not as the first few ingredients. You also don’t want to see any meat by-products or generic meat meals (e.g. chicken meal, beef meal, etc.) in your dog’s food. If you see any of these ingredients, it’s time to switch to a better-quality dog food.
Also, it’s important you don’t free feed your dog, nor should you feed your dog just one large meal each day. Instead, he needs two or three small meals, like you do, each spaced a few hours apart. He also shouldn’t have to compete with other dogs for his food. By creating this type of eating routine, you’ll make sure your dog eats slower, which is important because otherwise he’ll ravenously swallow his food without chewing it. In doing so, he’ll also gulp in air. If this doesn’t work for slowing your dog down, then start ration his food and place it in a food-dispensing toy like those by Kong.
Make sure your dog doesn’t exercise too much before or after a meal. Excessive much panting, jumping, running, and playing with too much food in his stomach can also cause flatulence. Of course, exercise is still an important part of good digestion, but make sure it’s timed properly.
One other lifestyle change you’ll need to make for your dog is making sure he doesn’t drink too much water before or after these meals. This causes the food in his stomach to expand to a mass his stomach can’t handle. If your dog also swallowed air while eating, his stomach will expand even more. This is dangerous. Furthermore, you must understand water also dilutes the digestive juices in your dog’s stomach to the point it can’t work and gas builds up.
Can I give my dog Gas X
Using Gas-X isn’t a solution for your dog’s issues. Lifestyle changes, including dietary ones, are what’s necessary. Since your dog doesn’t know or understand why this is important, it’s up to you to make these changes for him. If you’ve done so and your dog is still having problems, we highly recommend using one of these alternative medications instead of Gas -X.
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