Why Is My Dog’s Stomach Making Noises? Common Causes
Similar to what you may have experienced, a dogs tummy may regularly make noise. Some rumblings are expected as gas plays a normal part in the dogs gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Your dogs normal belly rumbles are typically caused by one of two things:
While dogs dont drink carbonated beverages like humans do, they still consume their share of air. Have a quick eater? Generally speaking, the faster a dog eats, the more air they swallow in the process. This air has to go somewhere, and if its not belched up, it makes its way along the gastrointestinal tract and announces its presence in the form of a rumbling tummy. This isnt a medical concern as the intestines are built for some gas to travel through them as part of the normal processing of food.
As a dogs stomach empties and prepares for its next meal, intestinal juices are often released in preparation. The release of these digestive juices and movement within the intestinal tract causes the tummy growling we associate with hunger. An empty belly often may make slightly louder noises than a full one, simply because theres no food in the intestines to absorb or block some of the volume.
Do Stomach Noises Cause Your Dog Pain? What About Discomfort?
We can’t ever know about the inner experiences of our dogs with certainty, but it is very unlikely that run-of-the-mill tummy noises cause your dog any significant pain that needs to be treated.
Just like humans, our dogs likely take these gurgles and glugs in stride.
That said, some of the issues that cause stomach noises — such as hunger, intestinal distress, or cancer — can certainly cause pain or discomfort. So, you’ll want to identify the cause of the canine cacophony, so you can address the issue and help your pupper feel his best.
Is your dog’s stomach making noises because he’s hungry?
One of the most common causes of your dog’s stomach making noises is when your dog is hungry. Intestines of hungry animals do not contain significant quantities of food. Therefore they have a higher ratio of gas to solids. And the empty intestines might start to exhibit activity in response to anticipated feeding. The result will be audible intestinal noises, or “tummy grumbling.” Breakfast is the treatment for this type of intestinal gurgling.
Why is My Dog’s Stomach Making Noise?
As pet parents, we know that dogs are like us in so many ways. Even though dogs walk on four legs instead of two, their bodies work similarly to human bodies.
If you’ve ever heard your dog’s stomach growling, you might be wondering why their stomach is making so much noise. We know that our stomachs growl, especially when we’re hungry, but we may not have given much thought to our dog’s stomach growls.
Stomach growls in dogs are often normal and indicate hunger or digestion. But they can also point toward a more serious health problem that needs veterinary attention.
Let’s talk about your dog’s growling tummy so that you know why it happens and what you can do if the growling becomes a concern.
The technical term for stomach growling is borborygmi, a fancy word to describe the sounds made by the movement of food and water through the digestive tract. This movement is called peristalsis, during which smooth muscles in the digestive tract squeeze and relax in a rhythmic pattern to push water and food through bit by bit.
Borborygmi is typically quiet. But you may be able to hear it if you put your ear up to your dog’s stomach, especially after a meal; it’s pretty cool! During physical exams, veterinarians listen to a pet’s gut sounds with a stethoscope as a way to check on a pet’s digestive health.
