Humans and dogs have many things in common, including farts. Some dogs tend to be silent but deadly, while others often scare themselves with their loud farts. If you’ve ever wondered about your dog’s fart sounds, here’s all you need to know.
Do dogs farts make noise?
You are sitting on the couch relaxing with your dog, when they release the tear gas. Perhaps it takes you by surprise, because you didn’t even get a warning sound. Perhaps the sound was loud enough to startle you and your dog. It’s natural to wonder if dog farts can make noise, and why.
Why Do Dogs Fart?
Farts, scientifically known as flatulence, is a normal bodily function for mammals.
When you eat food, it travels to the stomach. The food is broken down by bacteria, enzymes, and digestive juices. This breaking down process causes gas, which must be released by the body. Typically, the gas is released through the anus, which creates a fart. It can also be released through the mouth in a burp.
Silent But Deadly Dog Bombs
One of the worst things about dog farts is that they can sneak up on you like a ninja in the dead of night. One minute you are sitting there breathing normal air, and the next your nose is assaulted with dog fart stench.
It’s possible for farts to not make any noise, especially for dogs. It’s because their system is shaped differently than ours.
What actually causes fart noises is the gas escaping from the anal sphincter. The sphincter is a ring of muscles at the end of the anus.
In people, the sphincter is very tight. It has to be to keep poop from falling out. Our intestine is essentially vertical. When we stand upright without a tight sphincter, our poop would fall out once it moved to the sphincter opening.
Dogs don’t have this issue. They don’t stand vertically upright. Instead, they are in a position where their body is horizontal. This means there’s no gravitational pull on their poop. This allows their sphincter to be much more relaxed, because it doesn’t have to work hard to keep their poop inside.
Are Dog Farts Always Quiet?
Science says that dog farts should be quiet because their sphincter is relaxed. However, many dog owners have heard their dog fart loud enough to rival their own. So what makes dog farts noisy?
How do dog farts make a noise?
If dogs bodies are designed to allow them to pass gas silently, why do some dogs fart so loudly? It turns out there are a few factors that can cause dog farts to make a noise. If you don’t believe dogs can fart loudly, spend a few minutes on Youtube. It will be time well spent.
Pressure
You now know that your dog’s sphincter is more relaxed than your own. This means that gas can pass through it more easily, reducing the odds of noise.
However, pressure also plays a critical role. If you’ve ever blown up a balloon and then let it go, you may have noticed a sound similar to a fart as the air was expelled.
You may have also noticed that the more air that was in the balloon, the more noise it would make when it was released.
A high amount of pressure has the same effect as a tight sphincter. The air struggles to get through the opening, which is what causes the noise.
Volume
Volume is directly related to pressure. The higher the volume of gas, the more pressure it will create. Back to the balloon example. When you fill a balloon, it has much more pressure than one that’s half full. You can squeeze a half full balloon easily, but a full balloon is much harder to squeeze.
The higher the volume, the higher the pressure. The higher the pressure, the louder the noise.
Why don’t dog farts always make a noise?
Some dog farts are extremely loud, while others are silent. Why does your dog sometimes have loud farts and have silent killers at other times?
Sphincter
Dogs have a more relaxed sphincter, which allows gas to pass through the sphincter more easily than in humans. It’s possible that the sphincter relaxes and contracts to some degree, making it tighter at some times than others.
This certainly happens in humans. If you’ve ever experienced a scare, you might have felt your sphincter tighten. If you are trying to hold back a fart or you really need a bathroom break, you will also tighten your sphincter.
Perhaps dogs are the same way, and tighten their sphincter during some situations.
Volume and Pressure
Volume and pressure are determined by the amount of gas in your dog’s stomach. This is determined by the food your dog eats, and how they eat it. Some foods cause more gas, which causes more volume and pressure.
Size
Size is another factor in how loud your dog’s farts are. You may notice that small dogs rarely make a noisy fart, while large breeds can sound like a fireworks show.
The larger the dog, the more food they need to eat. The more food they eat, the more gas is produced. Larger dogs also have a larger stomach, which allows them to hold more gas. When they release the gas, they will have a higher level of pressure and volume.
Why does my dog fart so much?
If your dog is farting frequently, you may wonder why. There are many factors that can cause your dog to fart more often than normal, from their breed to their diet.
Size and Breed
Your dog’s size is a factor in how much gas they produce and how much they fart. As mentioned earlier, the larger your dog is, the more food they need. With more food comes more gas.
Size is also a factor in breed, with all breeds having a different size range. However, there’s another reason breed affects your dog’s fart.
Dogs with pushed in noses have difficulty breathing through their nose. They also have a shorter airway which affects their breathing. These are known as braciatric breeds. They include pugs, bulldogs, and mastiffs.
If your dog is prone to wheezing, snoring, or excessive drooling, they may be a braciatric breed.
Because these breeds can’t breathe well through their nose, they primarily breed through their mouth. Breathing through the mouth can result in some of the air going into the stomach, where it is released as a fart.
Diet
Diet plays the biggest role in how your dog farts. Some foods are harder for your pooch to digest than others, and cause more gas. Others can cause stomach upset.
Difficult to Digest Foods
Have you ever heard the saying, “Beans, beans, the musical fruit. The more you eat, the more you toot?” There are a few variations on this, but the theme is the same. Beans and other legumes are known to cause excess gas in humans. They contain raffinose, which is hard for you or your dog to digest.
High Fat or High Fiber foods can also cause gas. These foods are harder for the body to break down, which results in more gas.
Dairy
Adult dogs are typically lactose intolerant. After they are weaned, they lose the lactase enzyme, which is what breaks down the lactose in milk. This, of course, results in excess gas when your dog ingests lactose.
Spoiled or Expired Food
Spoiled or expired food can also cause your dog to have excess gas. Some dogs are known to eat dead animals or sneak spoiled food out of the trash can. This can contain bacteria that cause digestive upset and excess gas.
Your dog’s food can also expire. Dry dog food is good for one month after the bag is opened. The fats in the food break down over time. It loses some of its nutritional value and taste, and can also lead to gas.
Food Allergies
Just like humans, dogs can develop allergies. Common food allergies include eggs, chicken, wheat, dairy, beef, and soy. These ingredients are common in most dog foods, and many dogs are allergic to more than one food.
How They Eat
If your dog is a fast eater, this also contributes to farting. These dogs don’t even pause when food is put in front of them, devouring all of it in a very short amount of time.
This causes excess air in the stomach. It also makes it a bit harder to break down food, because it hasn’t been chewed properly.
Parasites
Intestinal parasites can also cause excess gas in your pooch. Other signs of parasites include white specks or worms in your dog’s poop, weight loss, swollen abdomen, and diarrhea or vomiting.
Gastrointestinal Distress
Gastrointestinal distress can cause abnormal farts as well. If your dog has vomiting or diarrhea along with gas, they likely have gastrointestinal distress. This can be caused by bacteria, viruses, or parasites. Colitis or IBS can also cause excessive farting due to gastrointestinal distress.
Organ Dysfunction
It’s rare, but pancreatitis or liver disease can also cause severe farting. Other symptoms include vomiting, diarrhea, fever, and lethargy.
Can I get my dog to fart less?
Depending on what’s causing the farting, you can get your dog to fart less.
Diet
The first step to cutting down on your dog’s fart bombs is to adjust their diet. Avoid human foods that cause gas, like legumes and dairy. Avoid or limit high fat and high fiber foods as well. Ensure that your dog isn’t eating spoiled or expired food. If your dog is only eating dog food, try switching to another food.
Allergies
If you suspect your dog has food allergies, you’ll need to get an allergy test from the vet. Once you know their allergens, you can find dog foods without those ingredients.
Eating Behavior
If your dog is a fast eater, consider getting a bowl designed to slow them down. These bowls have interesting designs that look similar to a maze, which keeps your dog from gulping down their food.
If your dog only eats once a day, begin feeding them twice a day. Smaller amounts of food more often can make it easier to digest.
Parasites
If you suspect your dog has parasites, you’ll need to visit the vet. They will test your dog’s poop to check for parasites. If your dog does have parasites, your vet will give you anti-parasite medication to get rid of them.
Gastrointestinal Distress
Gastrointestinal distress needs to be evaluated by your vet. There are many causes, from a virus to IBS. Treatment will vary based on the cause of the distress.
However, a good diet can help ease the symptoms of some gastrointestinal issues.