Do Dogs Hear Their Tummies Gurgle?

Have you ever heard your pup's tummy grumble? Are they hungry, sick, something else? Most people understand the overwhelming feeling of hunger or sickness that accompanied by a rumbling tummy. So, it can cause concern if your pup's is making noise. 

Don't worry, though! It’s not always a bad sign. They might just be digesting food, or even hungry. However, there are some instances where it can be serious as well. 

You know you heard the gurgle, but what about your pup? Do dogs hear these rumblings like we do?

If your pup is simply hungry, what are some signs you might notice? Well for starters, your dog might be sitting by their bowl or anxiously pacing back and forth next to it, if you're running behind on feeding them. They might put their face in your lap at the table and whimper, whine, salivate, and beg for some of the food from off your plate, even. 

How frustrating would it be if every time you wanted a meal or even a snack, you had to wait for someone to give it to you? That might just be how your pup is feeling. So, if you notice they’re hungry, and it fits in with a healthy diet, it’s always good to make sure they have plenty of food and water.

They also mention that if your dog is vomiting, is salivating excessively, has bad gas, a change in their appetite, or dehydration, you need to speak with your vet immediately. Your pup may have a more serious health problem.

Signs that your dog hears their own tummy grumbling include them staring in confusion at the noise, sniffing around, or looking to you. Likely, they don't think too much about it, but perhaps, if there are health issues at hand, they can smell something when the rumbling occurs.

Alright, so there really isn’t much history recorded that is specifically about stomachs rumbling. We know that humans and dogs both get the tummy rumbles and have been getting them for, well as long as we can recall. 

This shortage of information is probably due to the fact that it’s not something that was commonly discussed in literature, and it’s hard to depict in art. So, we are just left to assume. We do know that cats can get the tummy grumbles, too. It’s just part of digesting food, usually.

Scientifically speaking, there is quite a bit of info behind why people and animals get the grumbles in their stomachs. This is also called “bowel sounds” in humans. It can sound like rushing water or gurgles. In many cases, these sounds are perfectly normal, but according to HealthLine, if you get the grumbles along with heartburn, diarrhea, fever, gas, constipation, or bloody stools, it’s time to see your doctor and make sure everything is alright. Not to make anyone paranoid, but it can mean that you potentially have a tumor, a blockage, a hernia, an infection, or something else.

They go on to mention that in more serious cases, it can also mean metabolic or endocrine disorders. If your dog seems to be in distress, there are many things that could be going on. So, it’s important to get a call into your vet and have your pup seen. It might even mean x-rays to see if your pup has swallowed a foreign object and has a blockage. It depends on what your vet thinks is the best way to approach these issue.

Unfortunately, if you’ve sat in a quiet room with your stomach growling for the world to hear, you know that your pup has no control over if their stomach is making noises or not. So, it’s up to you to help them stay healthy and be understanding if they get the grumbles. Hey, they put up with your noises too, and they have much better hearing! 

So, what can you do to help your pup out? If the grumbling is something that happens a lot - and it’s not accompanied by more serious issues, you might want to watch how your dog eats. They might be eating too quickly and ingesting too much air at the same time as their food. 

To remedy this, Dr. Barrack, a veterinarian interviewed by Care.com, suggests having your dog eat more slowly or give them smaller meals more often. Another suggestion he mentioned was raising your dog’s bowls off the floor.

If this isn’t the case for your dog, the food you are feeding them might not be working for their stomach. So, take a look at what’s in your dog’s food. It’s always a good idea to call your pup’s vet and ask for some options that might help your dog’s stomach. It may simply just be that the dog food you’re giving them isn’t agreeing with them.