Why does my Bulldog fart so much? If your pooch is becoming a loud fart machine, you have to check what’s happening in its tummy. Flatulence is normal for most deep-chested canines like Bulldogs, but you have to watch out whenever it gets excessive. Too much farting can be a sign of an underlying health problem that needs immediate veterinary care.
In this post, I will discuss the common reasons why Bulldogs become too gassy and what you can do about it. Just remember that this doesn’t replace the professional advice of a veterinarian.
Why does my Bulldog fart so much?
Just like humans, dogs can fart due to a lot of things. It’s considered normal if it just happens once in a while. But if your Bulldog is ripping one after another, you should consider the following reasons:
🐶The dog’s diet
The main cause of excessive flatulence on Bulldogs is their diet. Your pooch’s diet may have too much carbohydrates. Carbs ferment inside the digestive system since it contains lots of starches and sugar. As the carbohydrates ferment, it will produce gas as the by-product. Hence, excessive farting.
Aside from this, you’re probably giving your Bulldog table scraps. While many human food items are safe for canines, it’s not wise to keep tossing leftovers to your dog.
Our food is packed with salts, preservatives, coloring, and tons of flavoring. All of these can trigger gas production on your Bulldog’s tummy. And if you’re giving your Bulldog dairy leftovers like cheese, cake, and other creamy food, expect that the doggo will be farting non-stop.
Moreover, cruciferous vegetables like cauliflower, broccoli, beans, cauliflower, and cabbage are notorious ‘fart-starters’. Aside from causing flatulence, it also makes the gas smell bad.
Lastly, dog food products with low quality can also trigger gassiness on your Bulldog. This is why you should invest in a healthy option and not just the cheapest find in the market.
🐶The dog’s food bowl
If your Bulldog’s diet is fine, you should consider changing its food bowl. As you know, Bulldogs are humongous eaters. They will keep chomping on food as long as there’s something in their food bowl. In the process, the pooch swallows a lot of air. This air will exit the body through burping or farting. And for Bulldogs, the latter is more common.
A slow-feeding food bowl is an excellent solution here. Unlike other food bowls, this has a maze-like structure on the bowl’s surface. This will prevent your pooch from making large bites or slobbering on its food.
The best part here is that slow-feeding dog bowls also stimulate your pet’s mind. It also prevents the occurrence of gastric torsion, the life-threatening distension of the stomach due to too much air and food.
🐶Food intolerance and allergies
Food intolerance is a digestive response when the body can’t breakdown a specific food item. This shouldn’t be mistaken or interchanged with allergies, which is an immune system response.
Food intolerance will wreak havoc on a dog’s digestive system once the pooch ingests a food item that the body can’t process. It will lead to bloating, stomach pain, vomiting, diarrhea, and one hell of a farting spree.
Most of the time, symptoms of food intolerance occurs a few hours upon ingesting the food item. Take note that this condition doesn’t go away on its own. It’s important to diagnose this condition and avoid the food items causing the intolerance. That way, your Bulldog won’t suffer from excessive gassiness.
On the other hand, allergies can also cause excessive flatulence on Bulldogs. However, this isn’t always evident since the symptoms often manifest on the skin.
🐶Lack of exercise
Lack of exercise will cause stool to move slower than normal. In turn, it will continue to produce gas in your dog’s tummy. The smell of the farts will be ‘deadly’.
Also, lack of physical activity can easily make a Bulldog obese. Aside from its large appetite, this dog breed is more of a couch potato. They won’t run around and burn energy if you don’t encourage them to do so.
🐶Parasites
Parasites are one of the reasons many dog owners overlook when it comes to flatulence. Worms live inside your dog’s tummy and feed on the canine’s nutrition. And just like any living creature, these worms will expel waste matter. The waste matter will cause gas formation, thus excessive farting.
Aside from increase flatulence, you will also notice your dog losing weight despite proper nutrition. Vomiting and diarrhea will also ensue. In worst cases, the worms will be coming out of your dog’s anus.
On the bright side, parasitic infestations in dogs are easy to treat. Immediate consultation with the vet will help curb the infestation and minimize the impact on your dog’s health.
🐶Inflammatory bowel disease
Another possible reason you should watch out for is inflammatory bowel disease. This condition causes chronic irritation on a dog’s intestinal tract. It can happen to any breed, not just Bulldogs.
IBD can cause excessive farting, but it’s not the only symptom. Also, some dogs with IBD may not exhibit too much flatulence. If you’re noticing any changes in your dog’s digestion, it’s best to seek the vet’s advice.
Most of the time, IBD is diagnosed through ultrasound or X-ray. The vet needs to see the Bulldog’s digestive system to spot any abnormal growth, swelling, or presence of fluid. If these initial tests didn’t yield a solid diagnosis, the veterinarian will have to perform a tissue biopsy and endoscopic procedure.
In this video, PetMD lists down the common reasons why dogs tend to fart too much:
How to stop your Bulldog from farting too much
Your Bulldog’s excessive farting can be treated with the right approach. The following are some of the most effective ways to tackle the problem.
✔️Check the dog’s diet
The first thing you should do is assess your dog’s diet and identify what might be causing excessive farting. I suggest going back to the dog food’s ingredients list and see if it has too many grains. If grains are the first ingredient of the dog food product, it’s best to switch to a new one. A meat-based food choice is always the best for healthy canines.
If there are any questionable ingredients on the list, don’t hesitate to ask your dog’s vet. You can also bring the doggo to the vet’s clinic if you suspect an intolerance or allergic reaction.
Also, if you need to switch your Bulldog to a new diet, you should do so slowly and carefully. The vet will usually recommend shifting the dog’s diet little by little to allow the digestive system to adjust. Also, you should only perform one diet change at a time.
Moreover, you should increase the dog’s fiber intake. Fiber speeds up the movement of waste matter in your dog’s tummy so it will not produce too much gas. It keeps the digestive system going, which also reduces the fermentation period of some food ingredients.
✔️Add more physical stimulation
If your Bulldog is a couch potato, it will help to give it more exercise. However, don’t expect a Bulldog to be as energetic as a Golden Retriever. Also, you should choose low-impact activities since Bulldogs are prone to orthopedic problems due to their stocky bodies.
A short walk around the neighborhood and playtimes indoors will help a lot. Aside from reducing your dog’s farting, it will also keep obesity at bay.
✔️Break down meals into small servings
Next, consider breaking down your Bulldog’s meals into multiple servings a day. That way, your pooch won’t gobble down an entire meal too fast. As you know, this habit is the reason why dogs ingest too much air and fart loudly.
You can also get a slow-feeding dog bowl if you’re not home to serve your dog multiple meals. A slow-feeder bowl will make it impossible for your Bulldog to make big bites and rush their meal.
✔️Add probiotics
Another great way to reduce your dog’s flatulence is by adding probiotics to their diet. Probiotics are good bacteria that balance the gut flora. This will help kill bad bacteria that cause too much gas production. Aside from that, probiotics aid with digestion, so you’re hitting two birds with one stone.
You can choose a dog food product with probiotics or purchase a probiotic treat. These products are infused with live organisms and can be taken by your dog like a typical snack.
For my Bulldogs, I get the Zesty Paws Probiotic Bites. It’s packed with both probiotics and prebiotics as well as pumpkin to help with your dog’s digestion. So far, it has reduced my Bulldog’s tummy problems, including vomiting, diarrhea, flatulence, and constipation.
Nevertheless, it’s always worth it to ask the vet. Your dog may need a different supplement based on its overall health condition.
✔️Ditch the table scraps
Lastly, stop giving your Bulldog table scraps. This habit is problematic for a lot of reasons. First, table scraps are unhealthy for dogs and it will just make your Bulldog gassy. Second, tossing leftovers whenever your dog begs by the table promotes behavioral problems. In no time, your Bulldog will whine and bark if you don’t give them some.
If you want to give your dog some snacks, just stick to their treats and kibble. Also, you should factor in the snacks on your canine’s overall calorie intake per day. This will prevent obesity since Bulldogs are quite susceptible to such a condition.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Is it bad if dogs fart a lot?
A: Farting once in a while should be harmless for dogs. But if your Bulldog is suddenly ripping one too often, you should have it checked by the vet. Usually, gassiness can be a sign of underlying conditions or a much-needed diet change. You can only pinpoint the right reason if you’ll consult with a veterinarian.
Q: Do dogs know when they fart?
A: Dogs have a sensitive sense of smell so they surely know when they fart. Some Bulldogs will even become shy about it and hide their face in a corner. And if the smell is too strong, your pooch may walk away from the scene to escape the wrath of their farts.
Q: What causes stinky dog gas?
A: If your Bulldog’s farts are knocking you down, it means that the dog’s diet has too much carbs. Carbohydrate sources like beans, milk, peas, and grains ferment inside a dog’s tummy. In turn, this will produce more gas, which will trigger your dog’s flatulence. Cruciferous veggies like broccoli, asparagus, and cabbage will make your dog’s farts stinky as well.
Q: Why does my Bulldog’s gas smell like rotten eggs?
A: A dog fart that smells like rotten eggs contain too much sulfur. This is due to high amounts of red meat, grains, and lentils in your dog’s diet. To fix this problem, you can consider switching your pooch to a different dog food product. However, this should be done with the supervision and advice of a veterinarian to prevent potentially adverse effects.
Q: Can I give my dog Pepto-Bismol for gas?
A: Some vets recommend the use of Pepto-Bismol on healthy dogs. The dosage should be no more than one teaspoon for every 10 pounds of your dog’s weight. Also, you shouldn’t administer Pepto-Bismol more than once every eight to 10 hours. But before you do this, I suggest that you call the vet and ask if it’s safe for your dog’s condition. As you know, each dog is different and so are their reaction to various medications.
Q: Which dogs fart the most?
A: Some of the notorious farters in the canine world are English Bulldogs, Boxers, Pugs, Pit Bulls, Beagles, and Golden Retrievers. Most deep-chested canines are on the top list of gassy dogs.
Final words
Why does my Bulldog fart so much? It can be due to the canine’s diet or other factors like lack of exercise and underlying health problems. Whatever it is, you should take action to treat the problem. This will ensure that your Bulldog is in good health at all times. Most importantly, the advice of a veterinarian will make everything easier for you.
