Why is my dog bloated?
Dogs get bloated if they eat or drink too fast since their bodies lack time to digest their meal properly. Doing an activity after eating can also cause bloating. If you’re using a raised food bowl for your furry friend, this can cause bloating, especially if they eat one big meal per day.
How do I know if my dog is bloated?
As much as we want our pups to enjoy eating, we should always be aware of how they’re consuming their food. This is because bloating is pretty common in canines and is mainly caused by their eating habits.
Bloating can cause a very uncomfortable experience for your pup. In some cases, it can even be deadly.
Spotting the symptoms of bloating can help alleviate your dog’s pain and lessen the chances of them suffering from unnecessary aches.
You can try to check if your dog is experiencing the following:
- Excessively drool.
- Visibly swollen tummy.
- Very agitated and restless.
- Looks like they’re vomiting, but nothing comes out.
How do you treat a dog with bloating?
If you can, the best course of action here is to bring your dog to a vet as soon as possible. They have the right training and tools to help alleviate your dog’s bloating.
They might need fluids and might need to have a tube placed down their throat to help the air that has built up in their tummy escape.
How to prevent bloating in dogs?
The next best thing you can do to help your dogs with bloating is to prevent it from happening.
To do this, we must learn why dogs get bloated in the first place. Here are the things you can do to avoid bloating in your furry friends:
Stop feeding them using raised bowls
Unless their vet specifically said they need to eat from a raised bowl, your pup shouldn’t be eating from one.
Using raised bowls can increase the chance of them ingesting excess air and affect their swallowing patterns.

Don’t let them run around after eating
Letting your pup go for a run or any exercise, even if for a short period, can cause them to bloat.
This is because their tummy won’t have enough time to process their meals. This means that their food will remain in their food for longer periods, which causes gases to build up.
Don’t feed them huge meals at a time
As much as possible, feed your dogs twice a day with the right amount of food for their weight, breed, and activity levels.
Having huge meals at a time can increase the risk of gastric torsion. Simply put, gastric torsion causes your pup’s tummy to twist because of the gas present in their stomach.
Give them stomach supplements and tummy-friendly food
Fixing your dog’s gut health can significantly improve their chances against bloating.
Canines need a very specific set of bacteria for their tummies to function properly.
You can opt to give them dog food infused with canine-specific probiotics. There are also stomach supplements you can buy for your pup to help them in the long run.