Flatulence

Your pet's digestive tract is full of enzymes and bacteria, which the body uses to transform kibble into energy. A little gas is a natural part of this process. When your pet is unusually flatulent, however, or the smell is unusually foul, you can be pretty sure that something is putting his bowel out of balance.

"A gassy pet is often a worm-infested pet," says John Brooks, D.V.M., a veterinarian in private practice in Fork, Maryland. Tapeworms and roundworms are often to blame because they irritate the lining of the intestine and interfere with proper digestion. White specks or spaghetti-like strands in the stool are common signs of worms, he explains.

When worms aren't to blame, your pet's diet often is. Many pet foods contain beans, bran, whole wheat, and fat, which are difficult for the body's digestive enzymes to break down. As a result, these and other ingredients collect in the colon and ferment, causing large amounts of gas.

Also, dogs and cats love milk, but it doesn't love them back. Many pets, like humans, lack the enzyme (lactase) that the body uses to digest the sugar (lactose) in milk, says Jane Brunt, D.V.M., a veterinarian in private practice in Towson, Maryland. A bowl of milk will often make dogs and cats very gassy, she explains. They may have diarrhea as well.

Food allergies cause problems, too, says Dr. Brooks. If your pet is allergic to ingredients in his chow, the intestines won't work as well as they should. Eating too fast can also cause gas because pets will swallow a lot of air, which has to go somewhere -- so out it goes, many times a day.

Dogs don't always discriminate between an open garbage can and their food dish, and spoiled, smelly food doesn't get sweeter when it wafts into the air hours after a garbage raid. Cats don't go after trash as much as dogs do, although canned cat food can also cause some fairly noxious emissions.

It takes a healthy intestinal tract to absorb nutrients properly. Pets that are sick with intestinal viruses, intestinal cancer, or other digestive problems will often have a lot of flatulence. Pancreatic problems may also be to blame. The pancreas is the organ responsible for producing digestive enzymes. When it isn't working well, your pet won't properly digest his food, causing gas, loose stools, and possibly weight loss, explains Dr. Brunt.

See Your Vet If...

• There are white specks or round strands in your pet's stool
  
• You have been feeding your pet milk
  
• He has been losing weight or having diarrhea
  
• Pushing on your pet's belly causes her pain
  
• Your dog or cat hasn't eaten for 24 hours or more
  
• Her abdomen appears bloated
  
• She has eaten rodent poison, antifreeze, houseplants, or other harmful substances
  
• Your pet has been vomiting for more than a day or is vomiting blood
  
• There are worms or other parasites in the stool
  
• She has had diarrhea for 24 hours or more
  
• There is blood in the stool or it looks dark and tarry
  
• She is scooting across the floor, or the anal area looks swollen
  
• Your pet has gained or lost substantial amounts of weight
  
• She is having side effects from medication, like appetite loss or vomiting
  
• There are growths in the anal area
  
• There is a bulge in her throat
  
• She is drooling much more than usual
  
• Your pet vomits shortly after eating
  

Next Steps:

• What you can do for your pet
  
• What your vet can do
  
• Find out other causes of flatulence

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