best dog food for gassy dogs

Best Dog Food For Gassy Dogs: Our Top 12 Picks for 2024 To Get Rid of Farts

Dog farts may sound funny, but if you had to endure it constantly, the humor is going to evaporate fast.

Its not only unpleasant, but it can also be very distressing for the dog, the owner, and the family. And in some cases, it can be a sign that theres something wrong with your pets diet, lifestyle, and worse, his health.

If your dogs flatulence is becoming a problem, the first step to prevent gas is, of course, to go to the vet. You need to know what may be causing the excessive gas.

Once your vet has ruled out a medical problem, the next step is to choose the best dog foods to prevent gas.

The best dog food for gassy dogs can vary from canine to canine so you may have to exert a little patience and go through some trial and error in selecting the perfect meal for your pet.

To make it easier, weve listed down a pretty solid selection of dog foods that may help reduce gas occurrence from your pooch. But before we get to that, lets talk about this smelly problem and why it occurs.

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How Do Gassy Dogs Get, Well, Gassy?

Ever wonder why some dogs are pretty normal while others cause an embarrassing stink? The cause is pretty much the same as in people.

When you eat, the bacteria in your intestinal tract go to work to break the foods down. During the digestion process, certain foods in a dogs diet release hydrogen sulfide gas which comes out as stinky gas.

There are other causes too besides eating a certain kind of food.

1. Your pup is a speed eater.

Dogs who tend to go through their meal fast are susceptible to gas. This is because they swallow a lot of air when they eat and drink.

Certain dog breeds, particularly the short-nosed ones like pugs and shih-tzus, also tend to take in a lot of air when they feed, which results in farting.

2. Your pet has food sensitivities.

Food intolerance can cause excessive farting and diarrhea too. If your pet is deemed to have a sensitive stomach or food sensitivity by your vet, he may be put on a restricted diet to help you find out which ingredients may be causing his digestive system to go awry.

3. Your dog has a health issue.

There are several medical issues that can create gassy dogs. These include:

• Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
• Intestinal parasites
• Canine colitis
• Inflammatory bowel disease
• Pancreatitis
• Cancer

These medical illnesses are often accompanied by gastrointestinal issues, which include gas.

Other reasons why your dog may be experiencing lots of gas:

• Obesity
• Eating spicy food
• Leading a sedentary lifestyle
• Sudden change in diet
• Poor diet
• Food contains lots of fat
• Diet contains lots of hard-to-digest ingredients

The Vet Has Said Your Dogs Diet Needs to Change. Now What?

So now that medical issues have been ruled out as the cause of your dogs flatulence, and diet has been pinpointed as the main culprit, what can you do? Quite a lot, actually.

Its not as simple as ordering what you deem to be healthy dog foods and transitioning to them. Selecting the right dog foods needs careful thought. The steps below can help you.

1. No dairy. Plenty of dogs are lactose-intolerant. Combined with his propensity for gas, feeding him dairy would lead to even more of the foul smells you want gone. So skip giving your dog anything with milk, cheese, or cream.

2. Weed out food sensitivities. If your pup has a food allergy (or food allergies), its important that you eliminate each one from his diet.

Otherwise, your pups noxious problem wont go away. In this instance, limited ingredient diets are recommended because these make the task of elimination easier.

If your dog is sensitive to grains, go grain free. If he reacts to chicken, go for formulas without a trace of chicken in them.

3. Fart-inducing dog foods should be avoided. While some foods are healthy and not at all toxic for dogs to eat, they can also lead to gas. For example, Brussel sprouts and broccoli are fine to give canines but too much and you risk your pet expelling more noxious gas.

4. Go for low-residue diets. Ask your veterinarian if you can have your dog put on a low-residue diet. These are foods that contain little to no hard-to-digest fiber ingredients like legumes. Harder-to-digest ingredients may mean more gas after your dog eats.

5. Transition slowly. Once your vet has determined that your pups diet needs to change, transition to the new dog food slowly. Too fast and you risk upsetting your dogs digestion, causing more of that problem you wish to solve.

Best Dog Food For Gassy Dogs

1. Blue Buffalo Basics LID Formula Turkey & Potato Recipe
2. Hill's Science Diet Sensitive Stomach & Skin Recipe
3. Zignature Turkey Limited Ingredient Formula
4. Lotus Oven-Baked Senior Small Bites Recipe
5. Forza10 Legend Puppy Icelandic Salmon & Lamb Recipe

1. Blue Buffalo Basics Turkey & Potato Recipe

First 5 Ingredients: Deboned Turkey, Potatoes, Turkey Meal (Source of Glucosamine), Pea Starch, Peas

Guaranteed analysis:

Blue Buffalo Basics Turkey & Potato is a grain free limited ingredient dog food thats crafted especially for adult dogs with food sensitivities. Theres only a single high quality protein source, and its made with real deboned turkey.

The carbohydrates in the food are chosen for their high digestibility. Plus, this dry dog food contains the brands exclusive LifeSource Bits, which contains a select mixture of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals carefully chosen by animal nutritionists and veterinarians to support your pets overall wellness.

Pros

• Free from artificial flavors or preservatives, soy, wheat, dairy, or eggs
• Does not contain poultry by-product meals
• Contains guaranteed levels of omega fatty acids and glucosamine
• Contains yucca schidigera extract, which reduces stinky odors

Cons

• Not truly limited in ingredients since it has over 60

This dry dog food recipe has a high rating of 4.7 out of 5 stars from over 600 Chewy.com reviewers, and 97% recommend it.

One of the positive reviews about the food, which is echoed by many, is that it has reduced a dogs IBS symptoms down to zero.

Other owners say that this is also an excellent dog food to prevent gas and support healthy digestion. For sensitive pups who cant abide high-fat diets or chicken ingredients, this grain free diet certainly fits the bill.

As for the negative dog food reviews, most one-star ratings come from dog owners who say their picky dogs turned their nose up at the food.

2. Hill's Science Diet Sensitive Stomach & Skin Recipe

First 5 Ingredients: Chicken, Chicken Meal, Yellow Peas, Cracked Pearled Barley, Brown Rice

Guaranteed analysis:

The Hills Science Diet Sensitive Stomach & Skin Recipe is an all natural dog food specifically designed for adult dogs whose digestions and allergies are often triggered by the food they eat.

Chicken (fresh chicken and chicken meal) is the only source of animal protein in this dog food to make the task of eliminating food allergies easier.

This is not a grain free diet, but thats okay. It uses a mixture of legumes (peas) and grains (sorghum, brown rice, brewers rice, pearled barley) for a more digestible form of carbohydrates that will be easy on a canines stomach.

Meanwhile, soybean oil provides the fat content. Its free from soya proteins so it should not upset dogs with soya intolerance.

Pros

• Contains guaranteed levels of ascorbic acid and omega-6 fatty acids
• Meat first (chicken and chicken meal)
• Crafted with natural ingredients
• Complete and balanced nutrition that exceeds AAFCO standards

Cons

• Kibble size has changed from small to big

On Chewy.com, the Hills Science Diet Adult Sensitive Stomach recipe has over a thousand reviews with 95% of the reviewers recommending the diet to other dog parents.

Dogs with frequent bouts of diarrhea, skin itching, and digestive problems that result in excessive farting have improved considerably when placed on this diet. A healthy skin and a healthy coat became the norm.

Most dogs who have suffered intensely from ultra-sensitive stomachs have recovered. There are scores of reviews where pet owners say that their dogs have gained weight, got their energy back, and grown shiny and beautiful coats.

On the downside, there are complaints that the kibble size has changed from small to big. Where previously the kibbles could be fed to small breed dogs, now it has become harder because of the larger size.

3. Zignature Turkey Limited Ingredient Formula

First 5 Ingredients: Turkey, Turkey Broth, Turkey Liver, Peas, Turkey Meal

Guaranteed analysis:

Zignature LID Turkey Formula offers pups wholesome nutrition from real, farm-raised turkey. Its a meat-first recipe that discards unnecessary or potentially troublesome ingredients (for sensitive dogs) like chicken, wheat, potatoes, soy, and corn.

The grain free formula is crafted to provide low-glycemic and hypoallergenic nutrition. Though its not billed as a diet to prevent gas, the composition makes it excellent for those suffering from digestive health issues.

The turkey that headlines this meal is low in fat but rich in selenium. It makes it as simple as possible by giving your pet full nutrition with the least possible amount of ingredients.

Pros

• Hypoallergenic, grain free, and low glycemic diet
• Free from problematic ingredients like carrageenan
• Uses farm-raised turkey sourced from the American Midwest
• Low in saturated fat

Cons

• Has a texture that some say is too thick

95% of customers gave this food a recommended rating. It has also gained 4.6 stars out of 5 scores on Chewy.com.

Several pet owners are happy with the low sodium and low fat diet that works with dogs who are diabetic, have gastrointestinal issues, or have food allergies.

No dogs stomach issues, no gas was how one customer put it. Not only has it decreased the incidence of stomach upset, this food has also completely eliminated excessive itching and scratching.

There are only four negative reviews for this product. Two of those come from customers who complained that the wet food was too thick.

4. Lotus Oven-Baked Senior Small Bites Recipe

First 5 Ingredients: Chicken, Rye, Chicken Liver, Sardine, Brown Rice

Guaranteed analysis:

Our top pick as the best senior dog food, this Lotus Small Bites recipe is exclusively made for small breed older dogs.

It provides the right amount of nutrition to keep senior dogs active and the right dose of energy-giving ingredients for small breed dogs who tend to go through their energy stores fast.

The dry dog food takes its protein from two animal sources chicken and sardine to keep the protein level high and to give your pup a natural source of omega fatty acids.

Sardines are a particularly healthy kind of fish because they have one of the highest levels of omega-3s and the lowest levels of mercury compared with other fish.

Pros

• The size and texture is perfect for seniors with missing teeth
• Low in phosphorus, protein, and salt
• Low in starch
• Oven-baked and less processed than other dry dog foods

Cons

• A reviewer called it expensive

Although there are only 59 reviews of the dog food so far, a vast majority (95%) of customers recommend this high quality diet to other pet owners like them.

It has one of the lowest levels of phosphorous (0.49% on an as-fed basis) of nonprescription diets and is perfect for seniors with kidney problems.

Older dogs with pancreatitis also do well on this diet. The food has helped bring back energy to ailing pups and has brought back their shiny coats and ideal weight.

The small kibble size is also perfect for old dogs who usually have one or two or more missing teeth.

Only two reviewers gave this recipe a one-star rating. Both of them mentioned that their dogs refused to eat the food. One of them also called the formulation pricey.

5. Forza10 Legend Puppy Icelandic Salmon & Lamb Recipe

First 5 Ingredients: Water Sufficient For Processing, Salmon, Lamb Meat, Minerals, Guar Gum

Guaranteed analysis:

Forza10 Nutraceutic Legends Puppy recipe is a fine ground puree of 100% Icelandic salmon and lamb. It contains no fillers, grains, potatoes, or anything artificial to avoid potential allergens. Its just pure meaty goodness for growing dogs.

Despite the very limited number of ingredients, this food offers a complete and balanced nutrition thats specifically suited to puppies and their developing bodies. The lamb is free from oxytetracycline and never intensely farmed.

100% of pet owners recommend this grain free puppy food. They like that its made of the best kind of meat whole salmon and lamb meat instead of lamb meal or salmon meal and thats all the food really contains.

This is an excellent addition to a developing dogs diet because all of the ingredients are recognizable and there is little chance that a sensitive pup will react to the ingredients.

Puppies that used to experience lots of itching or diarrhea issues had those cleared up after switching to Forza10. Its a healthy kind of dog food that can reduce or eliminate gassy dog issues, dull skin and coat, and skin inflammation.

There is no one-star rating for this puppy food. The lowest it has received is a three-star score because one customers dog tended to eat all the salmon and leave out the lamb pieces.

Pros

• 100% Icelandic salmon and lamb
• No grains, fillers, or anything artificial
• Contains rosehips to promote a healthy immune system
• Free from harmful pollutants or antibiotic residues

Other Best Dog Foods To Prevent Gas

1. Natural Balance L.I.D. Puppy Lamb & Brown Rice Formula
2. Go! Solutions Sensitivities Limited Ingredient Duck
3. Canidae Pure LID Real Salmon & Sweet Potato Recipe
4. Rachael Ray Nutrish LID Lamb Meal & Brown Rice Recipe
5. Nutro LID Premium Loaf Lamb & Potato
6. Stella & Chewy's Wild Red Chicken & Beef Stew
7. American Journey LID Duck & Sweet Potato Recipe

1. Natural Balance L.I.D. Puppy Lamb & Brown Rice Formula

First 5 Ingredients: Lamb, Brown Rice, Lamb Meal, Brewers Rice, Rice Bran

Guaranteed analysis:

This limited ingredient puppy food is not grain free but it is free from gluten.

It is especially formulated to give growing canines with naturally occurring amino acids to build strong little muscles, fiber for healthy digestion, and all the essential nutrition that a developing canine body needs.

The animal protein source (fresh lamb and lamb meal) is kept to one type of animal meat to avoid exposing pups to a number of different proteins that may trigger food allergies while they are still young.

While oil that comes from animals would be a more welcome fat source, the sunflower oil in this dry dog food promises to bring your pup a rich supply of omega fatty acids.

Pros

• Single high quality protein source
• Fat comes from fish oil, an animal source
• Contains guaranteed levels of omega fatty acids, taurine, and DHA
• Exclusively made for puppies

Cons

• Brewers rice is a cheap grain ingredient

This wholesome puppy food is rated 4.3 stars out of 5 by more than 100 pet owners. Many like it for helping their little dogs stomachs settle and for fixing the diarrhea issues of their pets.

It keeps poops more solid, gives more energy, reduced tummy issues, and decreased the incidences of flaring and itching from food sensitivities.

As for the one-star ratings this dry dog food has received, most of them came from disgruntled owners whose puppies were finicky and did not appear to like the food.

2. Go! Solutions Sensitivities Limited Ingredient Duck

First 5 Ingredients: De-Boned Duck, Duck Meal, Peas, Tapioca, Lentils

Guaranteed analysis:

Go! Solutions is an adult dry dog food diet thats crafted with a single animal protein source and with as few ingredients as possible. It is specially crafted for an adult dog with a sensitive stomach to support canines with food allergies and digestive issues.

Cage-free and deboned duck is the protein source. Since duck is not as commonly used in dog food as much as chicken or beef, it is considered by many to be a novel protein. (If your dog has not been exposed to duck before, then it is novel.)

It is also formulated with ASC + MSC certified marine microalgae oil, which is a rich and natural source of omega fatty acids.

Pros

• Has a single animal protein source
• Uses three kinds of oil to provide an abundant amount of omegas
• Contains fiber from chicory root which supports sensitive stomachs
• Free from byproduct meals and artificial additives

Cons

• Contains canola oil, which is too processed

61 reviewers have given this dry dog food recipe a combined 4.5 stars out of 5.

Several customers have said that this formulation didnt cause tummy issues with their fur buddies, had the right amount of fiber because their pooches were not pooping more than once a day, and had made their dogs less itchy (didnt trigger allergies).

Pups who would usually throw up or experience diarrhea or flatulence with other dog foods did well on this one. No more stomach upsets and transitioning was supposed to be easy with this high quality dog food.

Of the three negative ratings, two were about picky dogs not liking the taste. One was about the size change of the kibbles, which were smaller than previously sold ones.

3. Canidae Pure LID Real Salmon & Sweet Potato Recipe

First 5 Ingredients: Salmon, Salmon Meal, Menhaden Fish Meal, Sweet Potatoes, Peas

Guaranteed analysis:

Canidae Pures Salmon & Sweet Potato recipe is a grain free and limited ingredient diet thats made to nourish sensitive pups of all breeds.

It uses a blend of probiotics, fatty acids, minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants to promote ongoing health. There are no fillers or problematic additives that are considered as common food allergy triggers, like soy, wheat, or corn.

There are just eight main ingredients used to craft this food. Everything is kept simple so that you can easily track which ingredients may not be ideal for your pet.

The salmon, salmon meal, and menhaden fish meal are all a kind of premium animal protein, and together these three boost the protein levels of the formula.

Pros

• Contains guaranteed levels of glucosamine and omega fatty acids
• Contains a HealthPLUS blend of live probiotics
• Three types of meat lead the food (salmon, salmon meal, menhaden fish meal)
• No artificial flavors, preservatives, or colors

With 433 reviews and an average rating of 4.6 stars out of 5, this grain free formulation seems to be a hit with pet parents.

Many agree that it is quality dog food thats good for pups who are sensitive to grains. The kibbles in this are denser than other dog food kibbles and so fill up pups faster.

A few customer reviews also talk about pets previously experiencing bad gas and diarrhea. This high quality diet, according to the reviewers, seems to have completely dealt with that. Pet fur also looks shinier and feels softer after.

As for negative reviews, several customers were not happy with the ingredient change. From using only sweet potatoes for its carbohydrate supply, Canidae has now added peas too.

4. Rachael Ray Nutrish LID Lamb Meal & Brown Rice Recipe

First 5 Ingredients: Lamb Meal, Brown Rice, Brewers Rice, Dried Beet Pulp, Chicken Fat (preserved With Mixed Tocopherols)

Guaranteed analysis:

Rachel Ray Nutrish Limited Ingredient Lamb Meal and Brown Rice recipe is a nutritious and tasty option for adult canines who have an aversion to certain kinds of ingredients.

It is crafted using only six core ingredients and is free from potential allergens like corn, wheat, soy, or gluten.

Lamb meal is the first ingredient and the only animal protein source. There are no legumes here. Rather, the quick energy supply comes from two types of grain brown rice and brewers rice.

Although there are only a few ingredients, there are guaranteed levels of carefully chosen vitamins and minerals necessary for the maintenance of adult canines.

Pros

• Six key ingredients only
• Crafted with real lamb meat
• Contains guaranteed levels of glucosamine and chondroitin
• All natural ingredients

Cons

• Has brewers rice which is a cheap ingredient

635 reviewers gave this food an average rating of 4.4 out of 5 stars. Many fur parents say that the formulation is gentle on sensitive tummies.

It has helped bulk up stools, stopped diarrhea, greatly reduced their dogs gas, and cleared their pups from yeast infections. The turnaround was a complete transformation, as one pet owner put it.

The flavor is also appreciated since many dogs lick their bowls clean during mealtimes. The price has also been mentioned as fair considering that the food only relies on six ingredients to provide the nutrition.

5. Nutro LID Premium Loaf Lamb & Potato

First 5 Ingredients: Lamb, Water, Whole Potatoes, Lamb Liver, Potato Protein

Guaranteed analysis:

This Nutro Limited Ingredient Diet is a grain free canned dog food thats made for dogs with grain sensitivities.

The wet formula contains zero grains and instead features potatoes as the source of highly digestible carbohydrates. There are no chicken by-product meals; no artificial additives; and no corn, wheat, or soy.

The food uses a single animal protein source lamb, which comes from pasture-fed Australian or New Zealand livestock.

And it contains only five key ingredients to severely limit the products your pup may react to, while completely nourishing him with its nutrient rich makeup.

Pros

• Non-GMO ingredients
• Five key ingredients only
• Uses only natural ingredients that can be traced back to the suppliers
• No byproduct meal

As of this writing, 73 customers have rated the food a combined average of 4.4 out of 5 stars. Some talked about their dogs who had experienced multiple digestive issues before being switched to this diet.

Nutro has given their pups more endurance and no stomach issues. A big plus is that these dogs are now able to sleep throughout the whole night peacefully.

The diet has also helped clear up itching caused by food allergies. A few buyers were pleased with the loaf texture, saying it made it easy to hide medication in them.

There are four negative reviews about the product from customers whose dogs did not touch their Nutro meals. One of them has also mentioned how dry the food texture was instead of actually being wet.

6. Stella & Chewy's Wild Red Chicken & Beef Stew

First 5 Ingredients: Chicken, Chicken Broth, Beef Broth, Pumpkin, Carrots

Guaranteed analysis:

The Stella & Chewy Wild Red dog food is a protein-packed diet that takes a whole-prey approach to give your dog a wholesome meal.

Muscle meat, organs, and cartilage are all used for better nutrition. Its grain free and does not contain fillers, artificial preservatives, or potatoes.

There is pumpkin and natural fiber to promote healthy digestion in canines. And there are no lentils, peas, or any legumes to be found. There are two sources of meat, but the total number of key ingredients does not exceed 10.

Pros

• Contains naturally occurring glucosamine and chondroitin
• Plenty of omega fatty acids from the flaxseed oil and sunflower oil
• Whole-prey diet
• For all life stages

There are currently very few reviews on Chewy so we checked other sites to give you a clearer picture of the product.

Based on customer reviews, many were happy about the smell and texture of the recipe. It supposedly smells and looks just like human food and has a nice consistency that is not the usual solid mush of dog food.

The pumpkin adds a great benefit for dogs with sensitive tummies, and it sits quite well on the stomach. A lot of picky eaters have also been reported by their owners to have licked their bowls clean.

The complaints on the other site we looked at were mostly about the cans being dented during delivery. On Chewy, however, customers gave this food a less than stellar rating for having too much broth instead of more solids.

7. American Journey LID Duck & Sweet Potato Recipe

First 5 Ingredients: Duck, Duck Broth, Sweet Potatoes, Sunflower Oil, Dicalcium Phosphate

Guaranteed analysis:

American Journey is a flavorful wet dog food recipe that caters to pooches with food sensitivities. It leaves out things like corn, soy, wheat, grain, and anything artificial.

Duck is the premium animal protein that leads this meal, and its considered a novel protein for many canines.

The sweet potatoes provide a wholesome source of easily digestible complex carbs. The flaxseed and fish oil in it deliver plentiful omega-3 fatty acids, which include EPA and DHA for a healthy skin and coat.

Pros

• Uses complex carbs for sustained energy
• Packed in BPA non-intent cans for safety
• Uses a single animal protein source
• Less than 10 core ingredients

Cons

• 9% of customers say their finicky dogs did not like it

268 reviewers gave this formulation an average rating of 4.3 out of 5 stars. According to them, its a good diet for pets with plenty of sensitivities. Coats have become softer, hairs have regrown, and there are no more scratching.

One customer has detailed her experience with two Havanese dogs diagnosed with inflammatory bowel disease. The food is well tolerated by both her pups.

The dogs stools have firmed up, there were no more vomiting episodes, and skin issues went away. Their overall health also got better.

While there are a lot of 5 star reviews, this food has also received 25 one stars from customers whose dogs did not like the taste.

What Else Can I Do To Minimize or Prevent Gas?

So weve got the dog food diet down, are there other things you can do to reduce gas? Yes. There are several other ways you can help your dog keep the occurrence of farts down. Here are some:

1. No to table scraps. If your dog is used to eating scraps from the dinner table, you may have to get him unused to it. Human food is usually high in sugar or fat, and these two are no-nos in the battle to prevent gas.

Food high in sugar or fat are not easily digestible by canines, leading to more gas and pain in your pups tummy. Plus, a lot of human food are dangerous for doggy consumption.

2. Slow down eating. Weve mentioned above that speedy eating can cause your pup to swallow lots of air leading to gas.

What you can do to control this is to portion your dogs food into several smaller meals throughout the day. You can also use an anti-gulping dish or slow feed bowl to help him eat more slowly.

3. Lots of exercise. Exercise is not only good for your poochs overall health, but its also been found to be effective in improving your canines digestion and reducing the occurrence of farting.

4. Supplements may work. If youve ever glanced at the ingredients of a dog food label, you might have seen yucca schidigera. Its a plant extract that is useful for reducing the odor of a dogs gas and stool.

You can also ask your vet for probiotic recommendations, or he may recommend a medication that will reduce gas likelihood.

Final Thoughts

A dogs diet can sometimes be a tricky thing. The best dog food for one may not be right for another.

However, weeding out potentially problematic ingredients, opting for higher quality and healthy dog food, and keeping a strict eye towards what your pet eats should go a long way in clearing up that gassy dog issue your pet has.

If you dont get it right the first time, just hang in there. Picking out the best dog foods for your pup takes a little time and patience. Hopefully, with this list, flatulence will be a thing of the past.