There you are at the end of the day; on your couch relaxing with a movie and popcorn; dog sleeping at your feet; and WOW! He did it again, and you never saw it coming! Your best doggy friend just emitted his unpleasant aromatherapy for the entire world to smell: flatulence, better known as “gas”.
Have you been in that situation before? If you think it makes you ill, how do you think he feels?
His stomach is rumbling and it’s very uncomfortable for him. So, for both of your sakes, you can do something about it. To better understand what to do to treat flatulence, you need to understand what causes it.
Some dog breeds such as the Boxer, can notoriously emit more gas than other breeds simply because of their internal physiology. Then too, individual dogs also have their own genetic systems, food allergies, or health conditions.
Flatulence can be caused by a number of things including parasites, illness, or bad food. You may want to consider seeing a veterinarian to rule out any physical problems first. Once that’s done, your vet may suggest a prescription to deal with the problem. However, most dog owners have found that simply changing their dog’s diet does wonders. There are a few general rules you can try until you find the perfect fit for your individual dog.
More often than not, it’s your dog’s diet that is the culprit. Overwhelmingly, canine nutritionists have found that natural food right from the kitchen is the best remedy for your dog’s flatulence because it’s the easiest for your dog’s system to digest. It’s also the most nutritious, it produces the healthiest dogs, and it’s much less expensive so it’s a win-win situation for all of you.
Here are a few things you can start with.
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Use a blender to combine mixed vegetables such as carrots, corn, and peas, and add that to a mixture of left over turkey or chicken (without the bones or skin) and wet oats. Dependant on the size of your dog will determine how often you mix it. Just refrigerate between feedings.
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Always use carrots as the bulk of your vegetables since they supply oodles of various vitamins and minerals.
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Also include fresh greens like spinach leaves and lettuce in your vegetable blend.
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Celery supplies good blood flow throughout your dog’s systems so add it to your vegetables, too.
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Don’t ignore fruits by also adding apples in the blender mix since they’re a very high source of vitamin C.
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Parsley is good for his thyroid and metabolism, and it helps keep his breath a little fresher.
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For digestive disorders such as flatulence, add kale or peppermint to your blender as well.
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Foods to definitely stay away from are onions, potatoes, and cucumbers since they are gas-makers, not gas-breakers.
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Onions in any form are also included in the list of DANGEROUS foods since they can actually kill your dog.
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Other toxic foods your dog should never eat are chocolate of any kind, garlic, avocado, any fruit seeds or cores, potato peelings, rhubarb leaves, raisins, grapes, broccoli, coffee beans or grounds, or alcohol. Each of these can be deadly for your dog, so don’t test the outcome by taking a chance.
If you truly want to appreciate your dog again, why not consider leaving the prepackaged dog foods behind and trade them for real food by giving this a try. Your dog will love you for it … and … you’ll actually be able to focus on the end of that movie instead of the end of your dog!