stomach

Question
I have a german sheapard dog. For the last two days a strange noise has
been coming from her stomach especially when she lays down. It sounds
almost like a persons stomach who is hungry, in which a fairly loud
gurgling sound is omitted. For my dog is louder than a humans and
extremely more frequent. She also has a tendancy to lick her stomach more
w/the sound. The obvious would be too say shes hungry, but she gets fed
every night and her pan is always filled to the top.
???


Answer
Hi Nathan,

Has your dog shown any signs of weight loss (despite having a normal or increased appetite), diarrhea or flatulence? There is a pancreatic insufficiency which German Shepherds are prone to that has the symptom of increased stomach noises.

If there are any signs of weight loss, vomiting or diarrhea then it would be best to discuss this with your vet.

The rumbling noise is produced by the passage of gas through the intestinal tract, it's known as borborygmus.
It is also helpful to avoid situations that provoke nervousness and to prevent greedy fast eating, both of which result in air swallowing.

Anti-gas enzymes supplements such as Digel, Maalox and Mylanta might help. Talk to your vet for the correct dosage. Additionally the routine use of plain yogurt with "live active cultures" (Lactobacillus acidophilus) can be used. Try adding one tablespoon daily to the dog's food.

Diets high in soybean, whole-wheat products, bran, lactose (mild sugar) and fats can cause gaseousness. Spoiled foods and foods high in protein or fats are also likely to produce gas. Changing to a highly digestible, low-fiber diet of moderate protein and fat content might help. If you consider changing food, do so slowly over a period of 4-5 days so that you don't upset your dog's stomach.

I hope I've been a help. Best of luck,

Patti