What this means
The gut is never completely silent, so an occasional rumble is usual. It deserves attention when it becomes unusually loud, constant or goes on for many days, especially if your dog seems uncomfortable at the same time.
Note when the gurgling is heard: before a meal, after it or at night, whether your dog is restless, lies watching its belly or starts eating grass. Also notice whether the stools changed, whether your dog vomits, passes a lot of gas and whether its weight is steady.
When the gurgling comes with a swollen or hard belly, constant restlessness or unproductive retching, it may be more than a digestive upset, so do not wait.
Possible causes
These are things that can cause this sign. It is not a diagnosis, and they are not equally likely for your dog.
-
Normal digestion or hunger
An empty stomach, or one that has just been filled, sometimes rumbles. If your dog is bright, eats and passes stool normally, it usually means nothing.
-
Swallowed air or eating too fast
A dog that eats greedily swallows air along with food, and it moves noisily through the gut. The gurgling is then mostly heard after a meal.
-
Intestinal inflammation
Long-term inflammation of the gut can cause loud gurgling along with diarrhoea, vomiting or changes in appetite.
About the condition: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) -
Too many bacteria in the small intestine
When the small intestine holds too many bacteria, more gas forms, so the belly gurgles loudly and your dog may pass a lot of gas and have changed stools.
About the condition: Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) -
Allergy or intolerance to an ingredient in the food
A reaction to some ingredient in the food can irritate the gut and cause gurgling, gas or diarrhoea. Skin signs often appear as well.
About the condition: Allergies (food, skin and environmental)
What else to watch for
These observations help your vet build the picture faster. Note down what you saw and when.
- When the gurgling is heard: before a meal, after it or at night
- Whether your dog is restless or lies watching its belly
- Whether the stools changed
- Whether it vomits or eats grass
- Whether it passes a lot of gas
- Whether your dog is bright and its weight is steady
When to book a routine visit
Book a visit if the gurgling is constant and carries on for several days, if the stools, appetite or weight changed at the same time or if your dog seems uncomfortable. If any of the urgent signs above appear, go straight away rather than waiting for an appointment.
Related conditions
Conditions whose entries mention this sign. The list is somewhere to read on, not a way to reach a diagnosis.
- Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) Digestion and liver This is a condition in which too many bacteria, or the wrong kinds, take hold in the small intestine. They compete with the dog for nutrients and irritate the gut wall, so food is digested and absorbed less well. It can be the result of another intestinal or pancreatic problem, so a vet also looks for the underlying cause.
- Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) Digestion and liver This is a long-term disorder of the digestive tract in which inflammatory cells build up in the wall of the stomach or intestine, so it becomes less able to digest food and absorb nutrients. The exact cause is not fully understood; an interplay between the immune system, gut bacteria and food is thought to play a part. Because many other digestive problems look much the same, a vet works out what is really going on with tests.
- Allergies (food, skin and environmental) Skin and coat An allergy is an overreaction of the immune system to substances that are essentially harmless, such as pollen, house dust mites, moulds, flea saliva or an ingredient in food. In dogs it shows up mainly in the skin and ears, and constant itching wears a dog down and can open the way to skin infections. More than one trigger can be involved at once, so finding the cause takes patience.
- Gastroenteritis Digestion and liver Gastroenteritis is a sudden inflammation of the lining of the stomach and intestines, showing as vomiting and diarrhoea. It can be caused by food picked up or gone off, a sudden change of food, viruses, bacteria, parasites or toxic substances. A mild bout can pass in a day or two, while what caused it, and whether it is a more serious illness, is for a vet to work out.
Body systems: Digestion and liver Skin and coat