You probably spend a great deal of time with your dog, whether it’s during quiet evenings at home or playing fetch in the park. Every so often, you might notice your dog’s stomach making loud, gurgling noises. While these sounds can be concerning, they’re often a result of your dog’s regular digestive process and are completely normal.
However, there are occasions when stomach noises are caused by other issues that can be more serious. Benign or life-threatening, here are a few of the most common reasons that your dog’s stomach is making noises.
The 9 Reasons Why Your Dog’s Stomach Makes Loud Noises
1. Ate Too Fast
The faster your dog eats, the more air they ingest at the same time. Humans often have the same problem. If you’ve ever eaten something too fast and ended up with a stomachache, it’s because you took in too much air while you were gulping down your food.
Unfortunately, eating as quickly as possible isn’t always harmless. If your dog eats too fast all the time, they can develop bloat, which can be fatal and requires an emergency trip to the vet. Try to slow your dog down by introducing a slow feeder or feeding them away from other dogs or pets in the house.
2. Diarrhea
Caused by infections, parasites, underlying health issues, trauma, and many other issues, diarrhea can create loud stomach noises. If your dog has eaten something bad and has an upset stomach, loud noises can be an early warning for a messy bowel movement. Take your dog outside for a potty break just in case, especially if they seem uncomfortable or restless.
In most cases, diarrhea often passes on its own within 24 hours and doesn’t require a trip to the veterinarian. If it lasts longer than a day, though, or contains blood, it can be a sign of a more serious issue that you’ll need your veterinarian to diagnose and treat.
3. Gas
Depending on what your dog has eaten and how easy it is to digest, they might be suffering from a case of gas. The more difficult the food is to digest, the louder the grumbles of their stomach will be as your dog’s digestive system works to process it. While gas can be harmless — if not a bit smelly — it is often accompanied by stomach aches as the food passes through your dog’s system.
Gas is most common if your dog is sensitive to the ingredients in their food, you’ve suddenly switched them to a new brand or flavor, or the food is spoiled. If your dog has excessive gas all the time, it might be time to introduce a new food that’s easier for them to digest.
4. Hunger
Most people’s stomachs will grumble when they haven’t eaten anything for a while, and the same is true for dogs. Loud stomach noises can be due to their digestive system being empty and having nothing to muffle the sound of it working.
These pangs are generally harmless, if not a little discomforting in that “I’m hungry” kind of way. If you often miss your dog’s evening meal because of work, try an automatic feeder or ask a friend or family member to stop in to check on your dog. Some dogs also might prefer three or four small meals a day rather than two large meals.
Experiment a little, and see what helps your dog’s hunger pangs the most but be careful not to overfeed them.
5. Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)
Although similar to inflammatory bowel syndrome (IBS), IBD is when the digestive tract consistently becomes inflamed, which damages the lining and prevents proper digestion. While IBS is often associated with diet changes, infections, and stress. IBD is often caused by other underlying issues. It can be a result of genetics, allergies to food, parasites, weak immunity, or pathogenic bacteria.
The earlier that IBD is diagnosed by a veterinarian, the easier it is to manage. Its symptoms include diarrhea, vomiting, and weight loss. While the condition can’t be cured, it can be managed with antibiotics, steroids, and diet changes. Your veterinarian will help you find a treatment plan that suits your dog’s needs.
6. Intestinal Parasites
One of the most common health problems in dogs is the presence of intestinal parasites like roundworms, hookworms, and tapeworms. They can all interfere with your dog’s digestive system and lead to loud stomach noises.
Along with causing gas, parasites can absorb the nutrients that your dog needs to stay healthy. They can also affect how your puppy grows, cause inflammation, affect the immune system, and make health issues like diabetes worse. They can also be life-threatening if left untreated for too long.
Fortunately, intestinal parasites are a common and treatable condition. Once your dog is diagnosed by a veterinarian, the issue can be treated with deworming medication, and you can prevent future infestations with regular treatments.
7. Normal Digestion
While a grumbling stomach can be a bad sign, most of the time, it’s a normal part of the digestive process. Stomach noises are caused by the movement of food and water passing through the stomach and intestines. As your dog digests their food, the gastrointestinal tract contracts and expands, which can sometimes be a bit noisy.
These noises are similar to hunger pangs, though they’re usually quieter because the food and water muffle the sound. In this case, stomach noises are completely normal, and there’s nothing to worry about.
8. Poor-Quality Food
Dogs are individuals, and unfortunately, not all dog food will suit their needs. It might contain the nutrients that they need to survive, but the recipes might not be easy to digest or even healthy for your dog. Unfortunately, most poor-quality dog foods are cheap and more likely to fit into your budget, which increases the chances of your dog suffering from diet-related stomach noises.
When it comes to feeding your dog, high-quality food is always the best option, even if it means stretching your budget a little. Choose a food brand that meets AAFCO standards for canine nutrition, and pay close attention to the ingredient list. Make sure the brand that you choose contains balanced ingredients and is tailored to your dog’s health needs and age.
10. Underlying Health Issues
While there are many reasons that your dog’s stomach is making loud noises, there is also the potential for another health condition to be the cause. Underlying medical issues can include hormonal diseases, liver or kidney problems, or intestinal cancer. These issues aren’t as common as some other causes on this list, but they can still pose a serious risk to the health of your dog.
Sometimes, the medication that your dog needs to treat existing health conditions can be a cause of stomach noises too. More often than not, the symptoms of underlying health issues include diarrhea, vomiting, loss of appetite, and excessive gas among other serious signs. When in doubt and if your dog has frequent bouts of painful stomach problems and noises, check in with your veterinarian.
When to Visit a Veterinarian
Most of the time, the causes of your dog’s loud stomach aren’t often a reason for concern. In the case of more serious issues like bloat, though, you must visit a veterinarian as soon as possible. The faster your dog gets treatment, the more likely you are to ensure that your dog’s condition is treated and managed before it becomes life-threatening.
Pay attention to your dog’s symptoms to determine whether a trip to the vet is necessary. Common serious signs of a health problem that can accompany loud stomach noises include:
- Severe diarrhea lasting longer than 24–48 hours
- Bloody stools
- Difficulty pooping or straining
- Lack of appetite
- Lethargy
- Behavioral changes like aggression
- Frequent vomiting
- Persistent, bad gas
Home Remedies for Stomach Gurgling
For most causes of stomach gurgling in dogs, you can handle them at home. Hunger pangs are often easily treated by increasing the frequency of mealtimes. Feed your dog the same amount, but split the meals into smaller portions throughout the day. For example, instead of two meals at breakfast and dinner, split the portions into three, and add a third meal at lunchtime. Slow feeders or puzzle toys can help slow down dogs that eat too quickly.
If your dog is suffering from stomach aches or diarrhea, you can also try withholding food for a day to help settle their digestive system. Just make sure they drink plenty of water! Bland meals like rice and boiled chicken can also help because they’re easier to digest and won’t put more strain on your dog’s system. Plain, unsweetened canned pumpkin is a great way to soothe upset stomachs too.
Conclusion
Loud stomach noises can be concerning, especially if you’re not expecting to hear them from your dog. Fortunately, many of the noises coming from your dog’s stomach are a natural result of the digestive process and don’t cause pain or discomfort. Sometimes, your dog might even just be hungry.
Noises accompanied by bad gas, diarrhea, or vomiting can be a much bigger cause for concern. Uncommon but possible causes can be due to underlying health issues or life-threatening problems like bloat, which need a diagnosis and treatment from a veterinarian.
Featured Image Credit: mountaintreks, Shutterstock
