You’re watching TV and suddenly hear a loud toot. Your Chi, who has been sleeping on the floor, jumps and hides under the coffee table, embarrassed and scared at the same time. Wait a minute: do Chihuahuas fart?
One would think that farting was only limited to boxers, pugs, and bulldogs.
That isn’t true. The fact is: all dogs fart.
Like in humans, farting in dogs is a natural way of releasing all of the trapped air from their intestines. It is a necessary bodily process and, in the majority of the cases, nothing to be overly concerned about.
However, consistent farting accompanied by foul odor is unnatural and could indicate a health issue or even food allergies or sensitivities.
Let us find out why do Chihuahuas fart and what to do about it.
Do Chihuahuas Fart?
Some dog breeds are notorious for farting. Typically these include boxers, pugs, bulldogs (brachycephalic breed), as well as huskies and golden retrievers.
French bulldogs are also infamous for their farts – this breed is gassy almost all the time.
Chihuahuas, on the other hand, do not feature in the list of dog breeds that fart a lot.
That does not mean that your Chi will never fart. All dogs fart and your Chi will too. Farting in Chihuahuas might occur due to several reasons.
In the next section, we will cover all of the reasons why some Chihuahuas fart.
Why Do Chihuahuas Fart?
Here are some reasons why Chis might fart:
1. Food sensitivity
Have you changed your dog’s food recently? Have you been feeding it treats or snacks that you hadn’t tried before?
Perhaps certain ingredient in these new item/s does not agree with your dog’s stomach and could be the reason why your pet is gassy.
Dietary changes are one of the most common causes of dog fart.
2. Additives in commercial dog foods
Commercial dog foods often contain many additives like food colors, flavors, dyes, carrageenan, and even fillers like corn, wheat, and soy. Moreover, low-quality dog foods are packed with starches and simple carbs that are hard to digest for our tiny dogs.
Some of these ingredients can cause gas and bloating in your Chi’s tummy leading to dog’s fart. Often, these ingredients are known to also cause skin allergies, digestive upsets, and vomiting or diarrhea in sensitive dogs.
3. Underlying health issues
A Chihuahua with underlying health issues like IBD or IBS (irritable bowel syndrome), pancreatitis, and certain tumors could also suffer from gas and bloating.
IBD flare-ups usually occur when your pet eats something it is sensitive to – either a protein or a grain in its diet. This could result in symptoms like belching, stinky fart, and vomiting, and/or diarrhea.
4. Intestinal parasites
Have you dewormed your Chi according to the schedule given by your veterinarian? Sometimes, worms or intestinal parasites could also be responsible for farts, indigestion, and appetite changes.
Some of the worms that commonly affect dogs include roundworms, pinworms, hookworms, and tapeworms.
5. Eating from the trash can or begging for table scraps
Do you feed your Chihuahua table scraps? We are all guilty of doing that, aren’t we?
Human food can also cause excessive flatulence in dogs. Baked goods like cookies, dairy-based foods, and even certain vegetables can all result in a gassy Chihuahua.
Your pet might also raid the trash can when you aren’t at home. If your Chi eats something that does not agree with it, then too the result could be gas and farting.
Even if you have a disciplined dog that will never raid the bins, your Chi may have eaten spoilt food. This is also a cause for stinky farts.
6. Eating too fast
If your Chihuahua eats too fast, then it might end up swallowing a lot of air along with its food. The trapped air in the intestine can lead to canine flatulence.
7. Lack of exercise
A Chihuahua that is a couch potato is more likely to become gassy. Exercise stimulates the movement of gas through the dog’s intestine and also facilitates its easy passage. Exercising your pet can also keep it regular and the gas will be eliminated through the bowel movements.
Make sure your pet is getting adequate exercise if it is very gassy.
How To Stop Chihuahua’s Farting?
Here are some tried and tested ways to stop your Chi’s farts:
1. Change its food
Low-quality commercial dog food is usually packed with starch, additives, fillers, and carbohydrates that could be hard on your Chihuahua’s digestion.
Your pet could also have suddenly developed food allergy to one of the ingredients in the food that it has been eating all along.
If the current food contains a ton of fiber combined with grains like wheat, corn, soy, etc. then too your Chi might become gassy.
Speak to your vet and change to another, easy-to-digest, high-quality dog food. You can also try feeding it a bland, home-cooked, and smaller meals for a few days to see if it makes a difference.
Try the Hill’s Science Diet for Sensitive Skin and Stomach in Mini Dog Breeds. It is a vet-recommended dog food containing natural, easy-to-digest ingredients.
2. Avoid certain ingredients
If your Chi has been eating certain ingredients, it may be time to completely eliminate them from its diet. These ingredients are proven to produce nasty gas accompanied by foul odor. Here is a list of ingredients to completely avoid if you want to stop your Chi’s excessive farting:
- Broccoli – could result in stinky farts.
- Beans – beans are the most notorious gas-causing foods
- Dairy products – most dogs are lactose intolerant
- Corn – this is a filler and very hard to digest for dogs.
- Inexpensive dog food – this has no real nutrition.
3. Say NO to table scraps
Even if your Chihuahua begs with its cute eyes, please refrain from feeding it table scraps. Many human foods can cause nasty gas in dogs and some are even toxic to your pet.
4. Exercise your Chi
Walk your Chihuahua two to three times a day (for at least 15 minutes) to prevent obesity as well as flatulence. Exercise also stimulates the bowels and allow the gases to pass out with ease. This will reduce flatulence.
Moreover, regular walks will keep your Chi regular in its bowel movements. Once it has daily bowel movements, the gas will also be under control.
5. Slow down its eating speed
When a dog eats rapidly, it swallows a ton of air and that can cause flatulence.
To reduce your Chi’s eating speed, switch to a slow-feeder bowl or add some tennis balls in its bowl along with the kibble or dry dog food. Your pet will have to navigate around the balls as it tries to eat its kibble. This can considerably slow down its eating speed.
Alternatively, try the elevated dog bowls. These too considerably slow down fast eaters. We recommend the Spot Mediterranean Elevated Food and Water Bowls .
6. Prevent your pet’s trash-eating
Spoilt and rotten food can cause gas and flatulence and could even make your Chihuahua very sick.
Cover all trash cans tightly and keep them out of your Chihuahua’s reach. If your dog eats off the road during its walk, consider muzzling your pet.
7. Deworm your Chi
If your Chihuahua eats grass regularly, then do deworm it. Deworming helps eliminate parasites which could be the cause of excess gas or farting.
Speak to your vet or use an OTC deworming product like this one.
8. Treat underlying health issues
Health problems like IBD or inflammatory bowel disease, certain tumors, intestinal bacterial growth, or gastroenteritis can also cause unusually stinky and smelly farts in Chihuahuas.
Treat these issues with medication and also make all of the necessary dietary changes after consulting your vet.
9. Feed it yogurt
Plain, unsweetened yogurt contains pre and probiotic bacteria which can regulate your Chihuahua’s digestive system. They also enhance the gut flora and add beneficial bacteria to it. Beneficial or friendly bacteria help improve digestive health and could stop those smelly farts.
Add a tablespoon of plain yogurt to your pet’s daily diet.
10. Feed it fiber-rich foods
Pumpkin puree or canned pumpkin contains a ton of fiber and also adds roughage to your dog’s diet. Roughage eliminates all of the accumulated, undigested waste in your pet’s digestive tract and pushes it out.
Add a tablespoon of pumpkin puree to your Chi’s meals to see if it makes a difference. You can also feed fiber-rich foods like apples, brown rice, carrots, and beet pulp to keep your Chi from getting constipated and gassy.
11. Probiotic supplements
Vets often recommend probiotic digestive supplements and treats to eliminate gas in dogs. Always consult your vet before using these supplements.
Many of these supplements contain probiotics with digestive enzymes that can eliminate gas, prevent constipation, relieve allergies, boost immune health, and also benefit your Chi in numerous ways.
12. Medications and herbs
If none of the above methods helps and your Chi is still gassy, your vet might recommend medicines like zinc acetate, simethicone, dry activated charcoal, pancreatic enzyme supplements, and yucca schidigera to provide your pet much-needed relief.
When Should You Be Concerned about Your Chihuahua’s Farts?
An occasional fart or belch is normal in all dogs. However, if the problems continues for several days and is accompanied by foul odor, please see your vet.
If your Chihuahua appears to be in pain or has vomiting, diarrhea, and other symptoms alongside farting, then too you must not ignore it.
Do Chihuahuas Understand or Know When they Fart?
Yes, all dogs have a highly developed sense of smell. They can easily detect sulfurous odors.
Many dogs walk away when a human farts in the room. Naturally, they can also smell their own farts.
A small percentage of dogs, especially Chihuahuas, get confused or scared when they fart loudly. The sound is rather unexpected and sometimes, it happens while they are sleeping. That can scare your tiny dog causing it to jump or startle.
If Chihuahua owners laugh or scold their Chi when it farts loudly, it can make things worse for the dog. A dog might not understand what it did wrong and might hide or run away for being admonished.
Do Chihuahuas Get Embarrassed When They Fart?
Humans will never really know what goes on in a dog’s mind.
The act of farting itself may not be embarrassing to a Chi but if you get embarrassed when your Chi farts in front of guests/visitors, then it might read up on your body language and feel embarrassed too.
If you laugh at your Chi when it farts, then too it might get embarrassed and hide or run away.
Again, the very act of farting isn’t really the source of embarrassment but your reaction could make your dog feel embarrassed.
FAQs on Do Chihuahuas Fart?
1. Can dogs fart on purpose?
Yes. It is possible for dogs to fart at will. Farts are caused by flatulence. Flatulence develops due to fermentation of food inside the pet’s intestine when it eats something that does not agree with it.
If there is gas build-up in your dog’s tummy, your pet might feel the urge to push and squeeze to release the trapped air. This could cause farting.
2. How many times a day do dogs fart?
Gassy dogs like French bulldogs and pugs are known to pass gas nearly 15 to 20 times a day.
3. Can farting occur in your Chihuahua’s sleep?
Yes. In majority of the cases, Chihuahuas fart in their sleep when their abdominal and sphincter muscles are relaxed. During sleep, the trapped air in the intestine easily out resulting in farting.
4. Which dog breeds fart the most?
Some of the gassiest dog breeds are Boxers, Doberman Pinschers, huskies, pugs, pit bulls, Golden retrievers, bulldogs, and soft-coated wheaten terriers.
Conclusion
Do Chihuahuas fart?
Yes, Chihuahuas, like all dogs, can become gassy and might fart to release the trapped gas. However, the breed does not feature in the list of the gassiest dog breeds.
Causes of flatulence in Chihuahuas include eating too fast, eating spoilt or low-quality food, consuming too many table scraps, or certain health issues like IBD or intestinal parasites.
We cannot entirely stop our Chihuahuas from farting but switching to a slow feeder dog bowl and a high-quality dog food could eliminate flatulence and farting in your Chi.
