Tuesday, August 3, 2010

Do dogs burp?

I'll answer that question - but first let's define what a burp is. According to Wickipedia, a burp (also known as belch, rectus or erucation) is the release of gas from the digestive tract. It most commonly comes from the esophagus (the tube that takes food from the mouth to the stomach) or the stomach. It is accompanied with a typical sound and occasionally that sound (air) can be accompanied by an odor.

This next part was interesting. According to Wickipedia, "burping" is significantly quieter and much more subtle than "belching." I didn't know that!

Anyway - can dogs burp?

Yes, you bet they can.

Burping occurs when there is swallowed air in the esophagus or stomach. It is common for some dogs to swallow air when eating or drinking - especially when they eat too quickly.

My friends just told me that their dog drives them crazy. They have a silly little Yorkie with a crazy habit. After every meal, the dog comes over to sit right beside them ... and burps!

Dogs are funny, aren't they?

So, what can you do about your dog's burping?

The best thing you can do is to encourage your dog to eat slower (easier said than done if your dog is one of those that "inhales" his food). You can often feed smaller portions more frequently and some people even place an object in the bowl (such as a baseball) so that the dog has to keep moving the object to eat around it (thus forcing the dog to eat slower).

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