Why Do Dogs Fart in Their Sleep?

What’s one thing that is worse than your dog’s fart clearing the room during a game night? A fart that’s terrible enough to choke you in your dreams and wake you up. You’d find yourself up at 2 a.m. googling, “Why do dogs fart in their sleep?”

Dog farts are a normal and hilarious part of life. However, it may be a source of concern when you find out that your dog is farting more than expected in his sleep. If your pooch seems gassier than usual, it could be a sign that something weird is going on in its digestive tract. This could be because of food intolerance, allergies, a sudden change in diet, inadequate exercise, and many other conditions.

If you’re worried or curious about your dog’s night toots, keep on reading. In this article, we talk about why dogs fart in their sleep and how to help this condition. There’s no time to waste; grab your gas mask, and let’s get to the bottom of this!

Is It Normal for My Dog to Fart in Their Sleep?

It is normal for dogs (like their human owners) to fart while sleeping. In the intestines, bacteria produce gases while breaking down ingested food, and these are often released as a toot or a burp. In most cases, your dog’s night farts are typical and shouldn’t cause any worry. But, if these farts become excessive or there is a change in the smell or sound of your canine’s farts, he may have gastrointestinal issues.

Food intolerance, swallowing excess air, parasites, and digestive tract issues are examples of issues that could cause your dog to fart more during his beauty sleep. If your dog begins to break wind more often than usual, check if you recently introduced a new diet. His stomach could be having issues adjusting to this new meal. 

Brachycephalic dog breeds are usually gassier than other dogs. Due to their smaller airways, they take in air more through their mouths than their noses hence increasing abdominal gas. Such dog breeds include Boston Terriers, Lhasa Apsos, Pugs, Bulldogs, Bull Mastiffs, and others. If your dog is brachycephalic, it should not surprise you if he breaks wind more than your other dogs at night.

Why Does My Dog Fart so Much when Sleeping at Night?

There are many reasons why your dog could be farting a lot at night. Most of these reasons are digestive issues like food intolerance, abrupt diet changes, eating too much human food, and digestive tract diseases. When dogs eat or drink water too fast, they can swallow a lot of air and release it through farting. Also, a dog that is sedentary or overweight is more prone to excessive flatulence.

Garbage in, Garbage out! The food your dog takes determines the kind of poop you will clean up and the farts you will smell. If you provide your companion with food that hurts his digestive tract, you should expect chronic flatulence. Avoid low-quality foods that contain artificial preservatives, artificial dyes, dog food fillers, and common allergens like corn, wheat, and dairy.  

In some cases, excess flatulence can mean that your dog is dealing with one underlying issue or the other. Diseases like diarrhea, parasitic infections, and irritable bowel disease can cause excess gas. These underlying diseases often show other symptoms like fevers, vomiting, lethargy, constipation, dehydration, and excessive drooling.

How Do I Stop My Dog from Farting While Sleeping?

Firstly, it would be unreasonable for you to want to prevent your dog from farting if this is a normal digestive action. Yet, if your dog’s backdoor breeze has become excessive or smells weird, I can see why you’d be looking for remedies. Although there are many hacks for relieving your dog, the best way to help your gassy friend is to ensure that he is healthy and, if needed, change his diet and give him food that digests easily. You should also get your vet to prescribe gas medicine and the right daily probiotic to maintain proper gut health for your pooch.

When your pet starts to toot more than usual at night, your first suspect should be your dog’s food. With your vet’s go-ahead, you should offer your dog a low fiber or bland diet. If your dog is a fan of dumpster diving, he may have ingested something that his stomach is sensitive to. If you’re not sure about what your pet ate, the best thing to do is consult your vet.

For a dog that tends to gulp down food in seconds, slow feeders help to slow down eating and reduce the amount of air swallowed. Exercise helps with bowel movement, so you should take your companion for a walk and play session after his evening meal to get his gut moving. If the stench of your dog’s toot clears the room out, treats that contain zinc acetate can help reduce the odor.

Conclusion

There are many reasons why dogs fart in their sleep. Although farts are part of your dog’s digestive process, they can be pointers to a wrong diet, bad practices, or underlying illnesses. If your dog’s farts seem unusual, reach out to your veterinarian and keep a close eye on his diet and eating habits. With a few fixes, you’ll be back to getting an odor-free night’s rest.

Author

  • Brad

    Hi I'm Brad, the founder of bulldogpapa.com. Having been a vet of 6 years I work alongside our team to provide valuable insight into your dog's health. I have a frenchie myself named Senzu who is my pride and joy!