News You Can Use
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What ' s That Smell?
by Cheyenne Pratt, Technician, Calico Creek Veterinary Clinic
Beans, beans the musical fruit, the more you eat, the more you … well, you probably know the rest. Dogs may not eat many beans but they do pass gas just like humans. Oddly enough, there is a recognition day called“ Dog Farting Awareness Day.” This international holiday began on social media a little over ten years ago and is observed every April 8th to bring awareness to canine digestive health.
Regardless of breed, age or size, ALL dogs fart but some breeds are gassier than others. Brachycephalic breeds( dogs with flat noses) such as Bulldogs, Boxers, Pugs, Mastiffs, etc., have difficulty breathing through their nose, so they swallow a lot of air breathing through their mouth. The air that goes into the stomach must come out, resulting in flatulence. The same thing happens with dogs that eat too quickly because they ingest a lot of air while gobbling down their food. This is common in multi-dog households, as dogs that eat together are often competing for food. Separating dogs while they eat may help prevent this. Dogs that lack regular exercise often pass more gas, due to their digestive system moving slower, causing gases to build up. Adding exercise to your dog’ s daily routine may be helpful in reducing gas. Diet also affects how gassy a dog is. It’ s normal for dogs eating a high fiber diet to produce more gas. Since a dog’ s digestive system is different than ours, feeding them table scraps or fatty foods can make them gassier too. Dogs can also be lactose intolerant like people, so dairy products will make them extra gassy.
Sometimes excess gas can be caused by an imbalance of bacteria in your dog’ s gastrointestinal tract. A dog’ s gut contains both good and bad bacteria that can be negatively affected by stress, illness, medication, or diet change. In this case, your gassy pup may benefit from a probiotic. Probiotics support the healthy bacteria in the gut and maintain balance, resulting in better digestion, improving your dog’ s immune system and overall health.
It’ s completely normal for dogs to pass gas daily and is a sign their digestive system is working properly. If your dog’ s gas habits suddenly become more frequent or extremely smelly without any sort of diet change, it ' s worth mentioning to your veterinarian. Definitely call your vet if your dog is experiencing other symptoms, appetite or weight loss, vomiting, or diarrhea. Excessive, smelly flatulence could be the result of intestinal parasites, an infection, inflammatory bowel syndrome, or something more serious.
If you’ re looking for a good laugh, check out“ Walter the Farting Dog” on YouTube, the first of a series of children’ s books published in 2001. It made the top of the New York Times bestselling children’ s books list! Walter is based on a real dog that farted his way through a series of adventures.
Pawsitively Pets-- April
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Recalls:
Elite Treats of Boca Raton, Florida: Recalling a single lot of Elite Treats Chicken Chips for Dogs( 6-ounce bags), due to potential contamination with Salmonella. Info: 561-901-5310.( 2 / 24 / 26)
Gold Star Distribution of Minnesota: Issued a voluntary recall of various brands of pet foods, due to potential contamination, including Salmonella. For complete list- dogadvisor. com. Info: 612-617- 9800.( 12 / 26 / 25)
Consumer Supply Distributing, LLC of Iowa: Recalling Country Vet & Heartland Harvest Dog Biscuits for possible Salmonella contamination. Info: 712-202-5609.( 12 / 24 / 25)
Fromm Family Foods of Wisconsin: Recalling one lot of its Bonnihill Farms BeefiBowls Beef Recipe frozen dog food, due to potential plastic contamination. Info: 1-800-325-6331.( 12 / 3 / 25)
Raw Bistro Pet Fare of Cannon Falls, Minnesota: Recalling select lots of its Grass-Fed Beef Entrée frozen dog food, because of possible contamination with Salmonella. Info: 507-291-3153.( 10 / 10 / 25)
Foodynamics of Wisconsin- Recalling Raw Dog Barkery, BellePepper Cats, and Kanu Pets brands- Chicken Hearts and Chicken Heart Slices freezedried treats, because of potential Salmonella contamination. Info: 262-421-5339.( 10 / 9 / 25)
Source: dogfoodadvisor. com, amva. org
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