Gassy!

[Guest Jincxerific]

Hi everyone, my name is Jincxerific, and I have a farting greyhound.

 

I've had Jincx now for almost a year (!) He's had the typical room clearing farts, to a greater or lesser extent, since he came to live here.

 

I started him on Acana Pacifica, which he did not tolerate at all (loose stools), though the gas was not so bad. I switched to Acana Chicken and Burbank Potato, which he did better on, though after several months worth his stools were still not optimal and neither was his coat. IOW, I felt there was room for improvement. Plus he was still gassy.

 

Thinking maybe an excess of chicken was the culprit, I tried TOTW High Prairie Formula next. Well, he did great on it. Beautiful shiny coat, nice poops, good energy etc.

Except.......his flatulence was out of control. Since his bed is in the living room, where we spend 90% of our time, it got to be pretty unbearable. I even invested in beeswax candles, hoping they would miraculously de-stinkify the room. Nope. (Those things are expensive, BTW!)

 

After reading through all the food posts here, I bit the bullet and bought Iams in the green bag.

 

Sigh

 

His poops are immense and a little loose. I understand this might improve. However, his coat is already dull and flaky and his energy is low. On the other hand his farts have diminished greatly and when he does let one rip, it's not nearly as awful.

 

He's got a clean bill of health. He just had a dental, no issues there. He doesn't tolerate yogurt or probiotic powders. (immediate diarrhea)

I'm sort of at a loss on what to do. I am planning on finishing out the bag of Iams hoping things will even out. I guess I'm looking for different perspectives/ideas from the knowledgeable folks here. Maybe I'm obsessing too much?

 

Thanks!

[Guest AngelPup]

Please take this with a grain of salt since I don't even have a greyhound yet, so no experience. But I was wondering if it would be safe to give him one of those Gas-X pills with his meals? If it's THAT bad, I'm not sure if would help, but it might lessen the severity. ? I would definitely ask your vet about it.

[Guest Eyeblaura]

I fed Enzo Iams green bag for a year after we got him. His gas was always horrid and his poops ok but not stellar and a lot of it. He had a bought with HGE and had been turning his nose up at the Iams so after we got him back on track I decided to switch foods.

 

I switched to a grain free (Nature's Domain) and added a probiotic powder once a day since he was coming off the flagyl and he has been significantly less stinky since. He still farts but when he does it is not paint peeling and it is not nearly as often. And his poops are firm and much less of it since switching from the Iams. I'm not sure what helped the gas more though the probiotic or the grain free food.

Edited February 18, 2013 by Eyeblaura

[Houndtime]

If the Iams is working for you, add a fish oil capsule every day for his coat. My dogs are on Iams and have beautiful soft coats, but, I have always added fish oil.

[greg1229]

I give my hounds a heaping tablespoon of plain low fat yogurt with their meals. Whenever a new foster comes it they usually have serious gas issues changing over to a new food. It has really helped the gas issue. The yogurt has good bacteria for the intestines.

[Guest blueberri]

Sparky had a huge improvement on Orijen Adult blend, but was still dropping wallpaper-peeling farts frequently. On the 6-fish variety it was unbearable, and his breath smelled like rotten fishheads.

 

We went raw out of desperation, with a dog with ongoing severe diarrhoea, and skin issues (he looked like a lamington with all that dandruff!). Instant resolution. His breath is better than mine, and I don't remember the last time he farted... He's very sensitive to other input, and on the night he stole some bread rolls I darn near locked him outside for the night because the stink was horrific. But, having spent months umm-ing and ahhh-ing over going raw (it seems such a commitment!), I finally have a happy, healthy hound with a stunning shiny dense coat, fresh breath, white teeth, small formed non-offensive stools (as opposed to our yard looking like a horse had been let loose!) and no discernable flatulence. Halleluia! I think the green tripe has a lot to do with it.

[a_daerr]

We also feed Iams- no issues with teeth, coat, diarrhea, or gas anymore. At first, there was an increase in poops because they were still getting used to the influx of fiber. It took about a month before things started leveling out. In the wintertime, I also supplement my guys with fish oil. Their skin gets dry from the cold weather and running the furnace in the house. The fish oil makes a huge difference in a really short amount of time.

[greyhead]

Negative fecal tests don't mean there aren't any worms, just that the worms aren't shedding eggs that can be detected on that day. With the consistency of this problem and the poor coat condition, I'd be tempted to run another fecal test. And maybe another one after that. Best results may be obtained from lab equipment rather than your vet's. You should discuss these possibilities with your vet and see what he/she says. Good luck.

 

P.S.: It took nine months and three fecals from three different vets before we found that one of our dogs was by then loaded with hookworm. Just sayin'.

[Guest ultraviolet79]

Would you consider doing a raw diet? My dogs' gas has decreased about 95% after switching to raw. One of mine was about as bad as how you describe yours, so it's a significant improvement!!!

[Guest FinnsMom]

When we first got Finn he was extremely stinky and about six weeks later he passed a very long, live tapeworm, which I took to the vet. I opted to do another fecal test, at a cost of $30, that would be sent to a proper lab. I was given a jar with solution in it and told to collect 3 to 4 poop samples over the period of a week. It came back positive for hooks and worms do cause gas, which could very well be a main cause.

 

Finn is now 100% raw fed and rarely farts, and when he does it's no more worse than when hubby does it. LOL Whereas before, I'd end up with a headache because I work from home and he sleeps by my desk. LOL

[Guest TheLast13]

I give my hounds a heaping tablespoon of plain low fat yogurt with their meals. Whenever a new foster comes it they usually have serious gas issues changing over to a new food. It has really helped the gas issue. The yogurt has good bacteria for the intestines.

 

Same here!

[Guest HeatherLee]

Gambler was very gassy when I got him and I tried giving him a little yogurt and it got worse! It's a good thing he's so cute, haha. Fecal counts were negative too, turns out he farts a lot when he's nervous. I'm seriously considering going raw with him but am concerned about the cost.

[Guest Jincxerific]

Wow! So many responses!

 

In a nice ironic twist, we've been dealing with a human stomach bug for the last day or two, so now everybody's stinky. I'll try to address everyone's suggestions in this post.

 

1. I know for sure Jincx doesn't handle yogurt well, but I might give the probiotic powder another go. I'll definitely finish out the Iam's bag to see if he adjusts.

 

********** Ha! Just had to take a break from writing this reply to take Jincx out, he was farting so much! Tonight I added a heaping tsp of venison tripe to his food, I think that was the culprit.

 

2. I appreciate the info about worms, I had no idea it wasn't just a cut and dried diagnosis. I'll be contacting the vet to see about more tests.

 

3. I've always wanted to feed raw. My first dog is sensitive to chicken, that combined with a dearth of freezer space makes it somewhat impractical for me right now. I might keep an eye on craig's list for chest freezers, tho.

 

4. I do add fish oil to his food. I think I'll up it from 3 pumps to 4.

 

I really appreciate everyone's advice, I think I have a good plan for tackling the flatulence now: I'll keep him on Iam's and see if his poops and coat improve. If the gas continues, I'll try the probiotic powder again. Meanwhile I'll have the vets do some more tests to check for worms.

 

Thanks!

[Guest widowcali]

I totally gave up and started giving all the dogs Wellness Core dry (I switch between the Salmon and the Lamb) with a bit of canned mixed in to hide their Glucosomine and MSM supplements. That seems to have taken care of loose stools and the gas.

 

Although, my moms dog (chow mix) started doing the room clearing's a couple of weeks ago. His stool seemed fine, but he was doing multiple, and audible, farts daily.

 

So I picked up some Acedopholis (sp?) at Sprouts yesterday and started it on all the kids last night. He has had, maybe, 2 farts since then and nobody else is gassy.

 

If you haven't tried Acedopholis (get the cold stuff in one of the healthfood store cold sections), you might want to. I've tried it a few times before, so I know this is not a one shot thing. Someone will have gassy issues or volcanic tummy issues and I will get a small bottle to add to their food. I'll finish off the bottle, frankly it is pricey and doesn't have a long shelf life, and then everyone will be fine for a year or so. I generally only have to do this once a year.

[Guest Doggone]

I totally gave up and started giving all the dogs Wellness Core dry (I switch between the Salmon and the Lamb) with a bit of canned mixed in to hide their Glucosomine and MSM supplements. That seems to have taken care of loose stools and the gas.

 

Although, my moms dog (chow mix) started doing the room clearing's a couple of weeks ago. His stool seemed fine, but he was doing multiple, and audible, farts daily.

 

So I picked up some Acedopholis (sp?) at Sprouts yesterday and started it on all the kids last night. He has had, maybe, 2 farts since then and nobody else is gassy.

 

If you haven't tried Acedopholis (get the cold stuff in one of the healthfood store cold sections), you might want to. I've tried it a few times before, so I know this is not a one shot thing. Someone will have gassy issues or volcanic tummy issues and I will get a small bottle to add to their food. I'll finish off the bottle, frankly it is pricey and doesn't have a long shelf life, and then everyone will be fine for a year or so. I generally only have to do this once a year.

[Guest Doggone]

How much do you add to the food, and do I add it at both breakfast and dinner?

I just adopted Autumn, and so far, gassiness seems to be her only issue, so I guess I might be very lucky!

Btw, I'm keeping her on the same food she ate in her foster home, plus, not only does she NOT seem nervous, but it's almost as if she's been with me for years. Maybe because she's a 7-year-old brood mama, and had 16 puppies, this quiet, peaceful new life is like paradise .

[Guest Jincxerific]

Well the results are in and Jincx has.........WHIPWORMS! Yay!

 

 

No, seriously, I'm glad it's a problem with a definite solution. He's getting a dose of de-wormer tomorrow and another one 2 weeks later. I understand the eggs remain in the soil for several years, tho, and reinfestation could occur. Unfortunately snacking on rabbit poop is an issue as well. I read somewhere that a prophylactic dose of wormer should be given every 2 months for 5 yrs to prevent that. Does anyone here do that?

[a_daerr]

Well the results are in and Jincx has.........WHIPWORMS! Yay!

 

 

No, seriously, I'm glad it's a problem with a definite solution. He's getting a dose of de-wormer tomorrow and another one 2 weeks later. I understand the eggs remain in the soil for several years, tho, and reinfestation could occur. Unfortunately snacking on rabbit poop is an issue as well. I read somewhere that a prophylactic dose of wormer should be given every 2 months for 5 yrs to prevent that. Does anyone here do that?

 

I don't, just because Drontal is SO expensive. It's like $40 a pill. Panacur is less expensive, and you can get it without a prescription.

If you use Trifexis, Advantage Multi, Sentinel, or Interceptor for heartworm prevention, those ones should also cover whipworms.

[Guest Jincxerific]

It was Panacur I was considering using bi-monthly. I didn't realize it was available w/out a prescription. I can't decide between doing that or something like Triflexis. With two dogs that would get pretty expensive, though if you factor in the flea protection it might be more economical.

 

Anyway, Jincx already seems to feel better. Poor misunderstood fartmonster. I guess I get to start all over finding out which foods/treats agree with him and which don't.

[a_daerr]

It was Panacur I was considering using bi-monthly. I didn't realize it was available w/out a prescription. I can't decide between doing that or something like Triflexis. With two dogs that would get pretty expensive, though if you factor in the flea protection it might be more economical.

 

Anyway, Jincx already seems to feel better. Poor misunderstood fartmonster. I guess I get to start all over finding out which foods/treats agree with him and which don't.

 

It does get expensive. The other thing I recommend (that I do for my cats) is generic Drontal through the_medicinestore on Ebay or Amazon. One cat goes outside and hunts rodents and birds, so I have to de-flea and de-worm all three of my cats every month. Drontal is $20+ a pill at the vet's office, but it works out to about $2.90 pet cat for us.

[Guest Alysmom]

Hi -- we have the rabbit droppings issue here -- Trifexis according to our vet is the way to go. Also on the gas.... my beloved that passed away last summer had horrific, terrible, awful, room-clearing gas. I tried EVERYTHING - probiotics, pumpkin, yogurt, worming and about 20 different foods, including cooking fresh chicken and rice for him. The final solution was found only about 2 years before he passed -- it was grain free food. He absolutely could not tolerate grains. No corn, wheat, soy, rice, oatmeal -- none. 100% grain free and the gas was gone -- unless he ate too much rabbit droppings, but it was never as bad as when he consumed grains. It was the only thing that worked.....