Do Whippets Fart A Lot?

Your whippet and mine are so friendly, rarely bark and are such cuddle bugs!

A sentence like this is usually followed by the word but and this one sure is except it’s followed by the word butt! Usually out of that cute little butt comes something not quite so cute or fragrant.

When your whippet joined the family a small toot here and there was funny and cute.

After a while though, it becomes frustrating and downright embarrassing, especially when you have guests.

Sitting there with company, shooting the breeze and suddenly a rank and foul odour permeates the air.

Everyone blames the dog, but do they really believe you?

How could something so gross smelling come out of your oh so adorable whippet?

Are Whippets Big Farters?

The American Whippet Club states that whippets generally are not prone to food allergies or digestive problems.

Those of us that are lucky enough to have one of those furry children know for a fact that whippets do have digestive problems in the form of lots of gas.

However, just like other breeds, whippets can suffer from food allergies and sensitivities.

These are not the only things that can cause whippets to fart excessively.

Yes, whippets do fart a lot and I’m going to give you some tips and pointers that will eliminate that gassy cloud hanging in your home.

How Diet Impacts Your Whippets Farting

 If you feel that your whippet farts a good deal, requiring you to think about purchasing a gas mask, I would first recommend that you have them checked out by your veterinarian to rule out any medical condition such as intestinal parasites, side effect of medications, pancreatitis, IBS, etc.

That being said, diet would be the first place to start in determining the cause of farting.

Indigestion, bacteria in the intestinal tract breaks down the meal into nutrients for the body to use.

Hydrogen sulfide is emitted by the digestion of certain foods and becomes trapped.

The only way to release this is for your dog to fart. If it is a food that releases a lot of hydrogen sulfide then it’s time to open the windows.

Just as different foods affect human digestion and cause gas, so it is in dogs.

Human farts have distinctive smells which can be attributed to the offending foods they have ingested and this also applies to a dog’s diet.

Foods that don’t digest properly will either be of the “silent but deadly” variety or loud and rank smelling.

What Foods To Avoid To Minimize Whippet Farts

 Even though the American Whippet Club stated that whippets rarely suffer from food allergies, it is still a possibility and they most definitely could have food sensitivities.

A food sensitivity is not like a full-blown allergy but can cause flatulence, vomiting and diarrhoea.

The first thing I suggest you do is to check the labels of the food you are feeding your whippet for the list of ingredients.

Those containing corn products and ash should be avoided.

These ingredients just fill your dog up but are not nutritious and very hard to digest.

Other ingredients to steer clear of and most certainly can cause farting are dairy products, eggs, soybeans and soy, wheat, peas, spicy foods, and anything with a high-fat content.

Keep in mind also that low quality food is also hard to digest. Another no no are table scraps.

These can really “upset the apple cart” and cause many problems other than tooting.

I promise that checking these things out will definitely help your lovable whippet stay lovable.

Foods That Slow Down Your Whippet Farting

When choosing pet food for your dog look for AAFCO on the label which stands for the Association of American Feed Control Officials.

This is a voluntary membership association of federal, state and local agencies.

They regulate the distribution and sale of all animal food and also drugs for animals.

They set the regulations for the ingredients in pet food as well as making sure they are nutritionally adequate.

Most studies indicate a common-sense approach to feeding your whippet in that they should have a balanced diet as we humans do.

Also, it is suggested that the diet is a whole-food-based diet, which means real food with no chemical preservatives, additives or artificial flavouring or colouring.

These things can be a source of gas in pets and humans alike.

You may think that cooking your dog’s food is a good idea because you will know exactly what goes into it but in fact, you would be depriving them of essential vitamins and nutrients that would be too difficult to include in their daily meals.

The main ingredient in any dog food should be meat and the two most highly digestible types of meat are chicken and lamb.

Meat is a good source of protein and is excellent at keeping their joints and muscles strong.

Organ meat is especially good for dogs, such as the gizzard, heart or liver of chickens.

It would be best to stick with regular meat first and no organ meat to see if that helps with the gas, then if you’d like to try organ meat you can.

Dogs also need healthy fats, which are good for their coats such as fish oil, flaxseed oil, coconut oil or sunflower oil.

These are not to be confused with greasy fats like those in table food or cheap pet food. These will cause gas.

Your whippet also needs carbohydrates which provide energy for those oh so energetic dogs! Carbohydrates can be found in rice, which is highly digestible, and fruits and vegetables.

Fibre is another key ingredient in your whippet’s diet but low fibre is best to curb the gas and look for real fibre contained in good grains such as rice, barley or sorghum.

If your dog still seems to have gas with those grains, many new, natural dog foods are grain-free.

Your whippet’s food should also contain vitamins, minerals, electrolytes and omega fatty acids. The omega fatty acids have wonderful health benefits.

Another new food source for dogs are superfoods. These superfoods include chia seeds, quinoa, kale, pumpkin, and blueberries.

These all are very helpful to one’s digestion in different ways. For instance, pumpkin can help both diarrhoea and constipation in dogs. It is excellent for many things from keeping their coats shiny to hydration. 

I would not try any of the superfoods until your whippet is eating the food that helps with the gas situation.

Every dog is different and every whippet is different. My whippet has done well with high-quality dog food with no fillers, low fibre, and with a main ingredient of meat.

Your whippet may need a natural no fibre dog food. It can be a little trial and error but it is worth it.

I have a few other suggestions for you in the battle against the tooting. Please do not change everything at once.

If your whippet has gas with the food they are eating now, check out the labels or speak with your veterinarian who may recommend one for you. Then gradually switch the food by introducing it slowly.

You do not want to quickly switch their food or you may end up with more than gas.

Another problem occurs with dogs and their digestion and this isn’t what they eat but how they eat. Fast… Dogs swallow a lot of air when eating and drinking and more so when eating fast.

I have a few solutions to this dilemma. One is to feed your whippet two or three smaller meals. This is a very simple and sensible idea. It is much better for their digestion to have smaller meals.

This is even recommended for humans with digestive disorders and problems with blood sugar.

Another would be to place a tennis ball in your dog’s dish which would cause them to have to root around for their food and in turn making them eat slower. 

Another excellent suggestion would be to have their food and water dishes raised up so they are not eating with their heads way down. This is not at all good for digestion.

If we humans ate like that I believe we would constantly have acid reflux, indigestion or gas.

Lastly, I have a suggestion that does not involve food. Whippets are an extremely active dog. They have boundless energy and are just so energetic.

They should get lots of exercise, which would include walks and if you have a fenced yard or could take them to a fenced-in schoolyard or somewhere to have a good run that would help shake things up.

Exercise helps to keep things moving in the digestive tract. It’s good for constipation as well as flatulence. Exercise will move that gas along so there will be less gas in your house.

Final Thoughts

In conclusion, the answer to the question “do whippets fart a lot?” is a resounding yes from those of us who have experienced this.

I just want to let you know that there is hope for your little, furry stinkbug that can clear a room with even one small blast.

Make sure to check the food that you are feeding your dog and try out the suggestions that I have given you.

Exercise, smaller meals and raising the dishes should be a definite plus. Also, do not be afraid to speak with your veterinarian.

They have much experience in this particular situation. Good luck to you and your whippet and soon entertaining will be a refreshing experience!

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