There are several factors that can influence the digestive process that can lead to your dog or puppy having flatulence (gas), but among the main factors are changes in the intestine.
Digestion in Pets And Gas Formation
Most of this flatulence are gases formed by methane, hydrogen sulfide, or carbon dioxide.
The digestive system includes everything related to the admission of food, that is, the organs involved in the journey that food makes are lips, gums, teeth, tongue; with its transport: pharynx and esophagus; with its digestion: stomach, intestine, pancreas, liver: and finally, with its expulsion to the outside: anal region.
Digestion starts from the pet’s mouth when the canines consume the food. Structural changes as in brachycephalic breeds such as Pugs, Boston terriers, bulldogs, or Shih-Tzus that, due to their conformation, carry an accumulation in the gastrointestinal tract due to increased swallowing of air during food intake.
Other causes that can lead to flatulence are
- A digestive disorder, due to a poor diet can lead to intolerance of some foods.
- Food residue in the colon.
- Poor absorption of carbohydrates, which can upset the balance of helpful bacteria in the digestive system.
- Constipation, since the longer food residues remain in the colon, the more time they have to ferment.
- A sedentary lifestyle can also lead to increased flatulence in canines.
- A change in the bacteria in the small and large intestines.
The importance of the health and preservation of the gut microbiome in pets
Within the digestive system of our pets there is a world which, over the years and the great advances in technology, we have been discovering and understanding how it works and how fascinating it can be.
Within the article about tips for the canine digestive system, there is something called the microbiome, which are good microorganisms “resident in the intestine and the number of microorganisms that live there is so enormous, which report that it is one of the most densely populated communities, even more than the soil than the subsoil and oceans. They are indispensable for the correct corporal growth, the development of the immunity and the nutrition of the pet”.
Recommendations to improve digestion in our dogs
Among the recommendations for the protection of the digestive system of our pets, it is recommended to give the necessary amount of food for the pet divided into several portions during the day because, if the problem is the speed at which it is consumed, without having a process of complete chewing and swallows too much air, with this tip we will help to reduce aerophagia.
If you are going to make any changes in the pet’s diet, it is necessary to do it gradually, since changes in food from one day to the next can generate the accumulation of gases.
An exercise routine or walks that the pet does will lead to more regular motility in the digestive system.
If your dog or puppy is suffering from too much gas, ensure that you contact the veterinary or professional breeder as soon as possible. Notes from our friends at Mini Goldens 4 You, who now offer Miniature Bernedoodle puppies for sale