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While it is normal for a dog or cat to become occasionally gassy or flatulent, when the problem is more chronic, this can indicate more than just an inconvenience to an animal guardian in the line of fire. Most pets with chronic gas or flatulence often have an underlying intestinal imbalance or improper bacterial overgrowth in their intestinal tract. Since over 75% of our immune systems resides and starts in the digestive tract, imbalances at this level can eventually lead to many sorts of chronic systemic issues as well, including chronic skin/ear allergies, joint, airway and urinary tract issues, all because of a “leaky gut”. |
That is why it is important not to ignore that chronically gassy pet. The most important initial action in solving this problem is in looking at that pet’s diet. Many gassy pets are on processed commercial dry pet foods, which often contain an excess amount of grain often used as a cheap and economical protein source. Dogs and cats did not evolve to digest large amounts of grain, so when eating such foods, incomplete digestion often leads to such gas. Unless your pet has a kidney, liver, or special urinary tract problem, meat-based high protein, high fat, low carb foods are much closer to what dogs and cats evolved to eat.
Natural diets such as Eat Great Be Well, Pet Guard and Wysong are all excellent commercial diet choices. Properly made homemade diets as found in Donald Strombeck’s book or Richard Pitcairn’s book are even better. Adding digestive enzymes and probiotics such as NaturVet Enzymes & Probiotics can often help in digestion, as well as restoring and maintaining normal gut bacterial populations. This is even more important when a pet is under physical or emotional stress, or on any sort of chronic antibiotic therapy.
Other useful products include Prozyme to help in digesting nutrients as well. With dietary and supplement therapy, not only can the inconvenience of gassy pets be often solved, but animal guardians are also promoting long term good health at the same time as well.




























