Expert: Patti - 9/29/2006

Question
Hi,

I have a 10 year old German Shepherd male.  Always been really healthy.  For the last 1-2 months he has had excessive borborygmus (stomach noises).  Especially when we are sleeping (sometimes it gets so loud that it keeps me and my fiancee up all night...all 3 of us sleep in the same bed).  Some nights it's the odd quiet sound here and there, sometimes it's louder and pretty consistent.  Sometimes I'll wake up and it will be really loud and when I take him out in the morning he'll rush to eat grass and then come home and not touch his food.  After coercing him to eat, it gets much quieter.  But sometimes it'll start up again 30 minutes later.
Flatulence is also an issue most nights...but the sounds is what worries and bothers me the most.

For the first 10 years of his life he was getting fed 1 large meal a day of Science Diet (Senior the last few years).  About a month ago I was recommended to feed him more often (2-4 times a day) and to change his diet.  We started feeding him more natural foods as well (boiling chicken with broccoli and cauliflower, rice and chicken sometimes, plain yogurt, eggs, etc.).  It seems to help, but not completely.  He'll still have his bad days once in a while and it still makes quieter noises even on his good days.  No vomitting, minimal weight loss (was 116 lbs 3 months ago, last week at the vet he was 113 lbs...he's not overweight at all...he is just a massive dog...when he was 4 years old he was 160 lbs, but he's in good shape now), almost no diarrehea (one day in the last month).  He does seem to itch and bite himself under his legs.  Pretty normal activity level.

My vet didn't do any tests, but just said to give him "a cookie when it happens or some Maalox".  I mean it might help for the moment, but I want to get to the underlying cause of it, not just some temporary fix.

Anything I could do to fix this?  Could you give some recommendations on diet?  (on the net I was reading a high in fibre is bad for this, my vet said give high fibre cookies, so I'm really confused).  Also, at some point I want to put him back on a majority dog food meal, considering his age and condition any foods stand out?

Thanks a lot!

Answer
Hi John,

Actually, the antacid really might help your dog. Excessive formation of gases in the stomach or intestine is usually associated with noticeable flatulence, belching, borborygmus (stomach noises), abdominal distention, or any combination of these signs.

Flatulence, and borborygmus occur in healthy pets, but may also develop as a consequence of gastric, small intestinal, or colonic disorders.

So, the antacid is a simple and inexpensive remedy to try, and if it doesn't work, then it's a part of your dog's medical history. Sometimes knowing what hasn't worked is helpful in making a diagnosis.

Your vet was correct about the high fiber cookies. If you add fiber to your dog's diet, food will get faster to the intestines and gases will have less time to develop. You could also add about two teaspoons of canned pumpkin to your dog's meals for added fiber. Don't add too much, it can also cause a diarrhea.

I know when my dog's don't have a milkbone just before bedtime, they're more likely to throw up the next morning. It might help stop the rushing outside to eat grass. It's a simple fix, so it's worth trying to see if it works for you.

This type of problem sometimes requires a lot of work to diagnose. It helps to start with the simple stuff, such as checking a stool sample for worms and other intestinal parasites, especially giardia. Since giardia is hard to find, even when looking for it, sometimes vets just go
ahead and treat a dog for it to rule it out. A general blood chemistry and complete blood cell count would be a likely next step. If there is a systemic problem then it would be best to treat the problem identified to see if that helps. If everything checks out okay, then it is necessary to do testing for gastrointestinal diseases.

While it may seem like less than perfect approach, it actually makes a great deal of sense the rule out the simple stuff, then move forward if answers do not present themselves.

Besides seeking a definitive diagnosis, you might try feeding your dog smaller portions, two, three, or even four times a day, like you had mentioned. You should be sure that your dog's meals are "served" in a quiet, isolated location, in case there is competitive eating with another pet. Limit water intake after meals too, particularly if your dog regularly drinks large quantities of water at a time. Smaller portions served more often is better than a lot at once.

If possible, your dog should be walked outdoors within 30 minutes of his meals. This encourages defecation and elimination of intestinal gas. Less active dogs are at higher risk for objectionable flatulence.

I wouldn't have thought broccoli and cauliflower would help a dog with gas, but you say it seems to work. There are prescription dog foods, such as the Hills i/d line, you can get through your vet which might work, if you're tired of preparing homemade food.

If your vet is uncomfortable pursuing a diagnosis ask him to refer you to a veterinary internal medicine specialist or veterinary school for a second opinion.

I hope I've been a help. I know how frustrating it can be.

Please let me know if I can be of further help.

-Patti