Loud Tummy Sounds - What Are They?

[jshell]

After a couple of weeks of beautiful solid poops, Betty went back to a softer mix yesterday. Not diarrhea liquid, but soft. She ate yesterday but this morning isn't touching her breakfast. Her belly is also making loud squiggly noises. Some of these were earlier, before we even got up and went outside to poop. She pooped twice this morning, with one solid turd and then softer ones (but could still be picked up in bags). A couple of hours later we did a fairly full walk and she didn't seem to need to go any more. Now we're inside and she still hasn't touched her breakfast. She's curled up on one of her beds and those sounds have started up.

 

Does anyone know what these sounds are? Are they like our human empty belly sounds? Or is there likely still some wild digestion going on?

[DocsDoctor]

Sounds to me like she ate something that disagreed with her. Not necessarily her dinner, maybe a treat or something she picked up on a walk? With Doc I would just let him skip a meal or so and within 24 hours it normally sorts itself out.

 

Or it could be worms - how recently has she been wormed? Soft poops and a gurgly stomach have certainly indicated worms here, in the past - rapidly sorted out with a dose of Drontal.

[greysmom]

Definitely check for worms. Our vet said 3 negative fecals, well spaced, before you can say they are worm free.

 

After that, it just depends.

 

With our girl, Lilly, the "tummy squeaks" always indicate a flare up of her IBD symptoms. At that point, we try and get something - anything - in her stomach to try and forestall a bout of bloody diarrhea.

 

However, it could also mean that she simply needs to have her meals spaced out a little better so she doesn't get so empty, especially overnight. Many people find feeding a light snack - a *large* treat or some kibble held back from dinner - right before bed will clear this right up.

[greytpups]

This happens to our Katie quite frequently. In our case she's fine, just has a bit of a tummy upset. I just give her a pepcid and in a few hours she feels well enough to eat. However, it isn't accompanied by diarrhea.

[jshell]

Ultimately she did eat breakfast. But we still hope to see the vet later today. Tummy sounds have quieted.

[Feisty49]

This happens with Annie every couple of months, with this morning being one of those times. She has squeaks and gurgles with no interest at all in breakfast. Today she eventually did eat a couple of bites before our morning walk and her poo on the walk was not her usual formed/firm poo. It was squishy. I know she hasn't eaten anything out of the ordinary. She eats nothing that isn't given to her by me so I have no idea why this happens every once in a while.

[4My2Greys]

 

 

With our girl, Lilly, the "tummy squeaks" always indicate a flare up of her IBD symptoms. At that point, we try and get something - anything - in her stomach to try and forestall a bout of bloody diarrhea.

 

However, it could also mean that she simply needs to have her meals spaced out a little better so she doesn't get so empty, especially overnight. Many people find feeding a light snack - a *large* treat or some kibble held back from dinner - right before bed will clear this right up.

This was the case with Nadir. At times I would have to force feed him to forestall his condition worsening. His stomach would grumble so loudly you could hear it from one end of the house to the other.

[jshell]

It's awful when it's loud isn't it? And crazy how loud it can get! I think there might be cramping going on as well. The first time we ever experienced this, I decided to take Betty with me to work (about a half hour walk) to keep an eye on her that day, and halfway there she suddenly started leaning heavily to the side and walking funny. I was worried it was another neurological incident (she had just suffered one) but fortunately it wasn't that. I seem to remember the vet saying something about the stomach possibly cramping up. That was during a fun summer of digestive issues.

 

Today's prognosis: possibly a minor inflammation, and the poor thing is being put on I/D for a couple of weeks (partially to coincide with a round of Rimadyl for some lumbar issues).

 

But the vet's come and gone, the rain's coming down, I think it's time to take my old girl upstairs and setting for a late afternoon nap.

[cleptogrey]

in our house that usually calls for a couple of days of tylan powder. i get the rice cooker out as well, nothing like bland rice w/ a boiled handful of ground beef.

[Guest Scouts_mom]

My Mindy would get a loud gurgling tummy when she was nervous or stressed. It often happened when we visited family overnight. I was never sure if it was the strange house or the long drive. I would give her gasX or immodium and lots of light meals rather than a big dinner. She also liked tummy massages because I think it was cramping. The problem would always clear up after a day.

[3greytjoys]

One of our hounds (picky eater) often develops loud tummy noises if she goes too long without eating. Stomach acid/bile build-ups making her feel more lousy, then she refuses future meals that day. I try to avoid that cycle by keeping her on a careful feeding schedule of breakfast, dinner, plus dividing about 1/2 cup of her dinner meal to serve just before bed (as others mentioned).

If it happens in the future when Betty is off her current medical plan, administering Pepcid (10 mg.) helps combat the acid they develop on an empty stomach. Pepcid can help prevent them from later vomiting yellow bile too. We usually keep a few cans of meaty dog food for emergencies when a rare, high enticement is needed.