The pet lover in me couldn't skip over a recent AkPharma, Inc. survey that named the "Top Ten Gassiest Dogs." Of course I immediately scanned the list to see if my beloved Bearded Collies made the list. And yes, I breathed relief when I didn't see that breed on the list. I didn't think Bearded Collies would be among the "gassiest" because my Beardie boys, Jester and Oscar, who eat a raw food diet (no grains), don't seem to have a problem with gas, thank goodness. Now they may fall into another category, "The top ten nuttiest dogs," but that's not really related to the digestive system. (If I do find a link, I will let you know!)
So who made the list?
Top ten gassiest dogs
1. German Shepherd
2. Mutt
3.Labrador Retriever
4. Boxer
5. Doberman Pinscher
6.Poodle
7.Cocker Spaniel
8.Rottweiler
9.Beagle
10. Dalmation
About the survey
The recent survey of dog-lovers was conducted on AkPharma's toll-free CurTail Hotline.
"This list of gassiest dogs humorously reveals which breeds are the most renowned for their ability to emit unpleasant pet gas," says Alan Kligerman, C.E.O. at AkPharma Inc.
Now is this not the best CEO quote you've seen in a while? I sure got a laugh out of it.
It's important to note that AkPharma, the creator of Beano and Lactaid (these brands now belong to other companies)and Prerelief (for heartburn), also makes CurTail Drops, a pet food enzyme that is supposed to help make your pet's food easier to digest.
"Pet gas is definitely a problem that most pet owners encounter and frequently it's the result of a pet's inability to properly digest the ingredients in pet food," Kligerman says. "CurTail Drops will prevent pet gas associated with most types of food, from generic store brands to gourmet special diet formulas."
Now, from my own experience with my Beardies and after much research reading and talking with veterinarians and pet nutrition experts, I've learned that our what our pets eat affects their digestive system in much the same way as food affects ours. So just as certain foods may cause us digestive woes like gas, bloating, constipation or diarrhea--certain things our pet eat may cause them to suffer with similar symptoms. Other pets are quite obsese. Think about all the times you've had to pick up after a dog whose stools are consistently loose? Many of us accept this as normal--but just as it isn't "normal" for us to have consistently loose stools, neither should our pets.
So while the "top ten gassiest pets" list is funny, the larger and more serious issue for me is what are we feeding our pets to make them so stinky?
While the reality is not everyone thinks about the ingredients in their pet's food that may be causing the gas and therfore a product like Curtail could help, I want pet owners to know that just as we are what we eat, so are our pets.
In the FAQs on the Curtail site, we learn that the very reason for this product is because of what is lurking in pet food.
I've included this from the Curtail site for your info:
"Why does my pet need CurTail Drops?
Many pet foods contain soy or whole grains. Unfortunately, these ingredients contain complex sugars that your pet can't always digest. After a meal, these sugars ferment in your pet's intestine - producing unpleasant gas. And you know what usually happens next! CurTail contains a natural - source food enzyme that aids in the digestion of the complex sugars found in pet foods. This enzyme acts on the sugars before they become a problem."
My question: if ingredients like soy, corn, wheat glutens and other grains and fillers are included in pet foods and they are not always easily digestable, why do we continue feeding our pets this food?
While I will say that removing grains from my dogs' diet has had major health benefits for both of them, a raw food diet may not be the right diet for every pet. There are some high-quality pet foods such as the food made by Innova that are dry, and some of them do not contain any grain such as EVO. Yes, a raw diet costs more than other types of pet food, but I save on veterinary bills. Jester and Oscar visit the vet pretty much once a year.
Until I swtiched his diet, Jester had major digestive issues and I was in the vet's every other week for the first two years of his life So I urge you to learn all you can about pet foods and understand what you are really feeding your pet. All dogs are not created equally--and neither is the food they eat. And cats too--they need high-protien diets--not diets filled with carbs and sugar. It's not natural for their digestive systems--so it's no wonder they have trouble digesting at times (if you have cats, you've likely seen kitty vomit in weird places in the house.) Ever wonder why? What about all the uriniary tract issues some cats have? It's likely what they're eating.
Anyway, I hope you found this insightful and are thinking about what you will feed you pet.
Here are some resources I've found helpful:
What's really in pet food
Guidelines for healthier pets
Pet food labels: a misnomer?
Reducing canine obesity
Evolutionary nutrition
All the best for you and your pets!
Gastro Girl
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