Flatulence
by Nancy Korman
Defeating Flatulence
OK – flatulence doesn’t really qualify as a first aid topic, but then the gagging and retching it causes could be! Consider the prevention of those reactions a first aid treatment!
There are few things more distasteful than having your beloved pet clear the room with unwanted odors. Many pets have at one time or another even managed to embarrass us when the in-laws or your boss visit. Or how about that night you made a wonderful dinner and Fluffy made everyone lose their appetite just as you served the meal?
Flatulence in pets is quite common, but that doesn’t mean there is nothing you can do about it. There are several things to be done.
Probably the most important thing that needs to be done is to closely examine your friend’s diet. If you’re feeding a commercial food high in grains, you may have found the problem. Many dogs get gas from dry foods that have their main ingredients in the form of grains. Also, some dogs are allergic to certain grains including corn and more commonly wheat. Their reaction to these grains can result in flatulence. Soy is another common culprit in causing too much wind.
If possible, switch your pet over to a natural raw diet that excludes grains. If that is not possible, at the minimum, feed a good quality commercial food that has meat as its primary source of protein. Many times this is all that needs to be done.
Another problem in the diet can be dairy products. Many animals, like people, are lactose intolerant and the result can be more gas. It’s easy to remedy – just remove all dairy products from the diet. Usually yogurt is OK and in fact, the bacteria in yogurt can sometimes be a help. Give your little dogs and cats about a ¼ teaspoon, 1 teaspoon to dogs 15-20 pounds and 1 tablespoon to larger dogs.
If your pet eats her food very quickly due to perceived (or real) competition from other pets, you may want to feed her in a separate room so that she will slow down. The air that gets ingested by gulping the food has to come out somewhere…. Better to prevent the swallowed air in the first place.
Activated charcoal can be given to your pet when needed for a couple of days. Try ¼ teaspoon for small animals and ½ teaspoon for larger ones. The charcoal will absorb the gas from the system. This is best used only occasionally since minerals will be leached out with the gas by the charcoal.
There are a couple of homeopathic remedies that are indicated for flatulence. Nux Vomica can be used if the cause is from overdoing it with rich foods. When too many vegetables have been eaten – like cabbage – give Carbo Vegetabilis a try. Two other remedies that may be indicated are Calcarea Carbonica and Lycopodium. A Materia Medica and Repertory should be consulted to find the best fit to your animal. You can give the lower potencies, 6C, 12C or 30C, every couple of hours or so if the gas is really bad. When symptoms start to go away, you can discontinue the dosage.
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