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Can Beano help a gassy dog? Does this idea even make sense?
You’ll be happy to hear that canines can also take this dietary supplement.
The natural enzymes in Beano are not dangerous for dogs. It’s safe!
The question then becomes…
Does Beano actually work for pets? We’ll talk about that in a moment.
First, it should be emphasized that any dog with a serious flatulence problem could have a medical condition. If so, suppressing symptoms would be the wrong approach.
Dogs Can Take Beano (it is not toxic)
In certain situations, this supplement may do the trick.
With that being said…
Look to address root causes if your dog is always having this super stinky issue.
People Compared to Pets
Also, consider this before depending on Beano for a buddy:
The product works best for diets high in cruciferous vegetables, grains, nuts, seeds and other gassy foods that tend to have lots of complex carbohydrates.
But dogs should mostly be eating protein-packed meals with fat and plenty of calcium.
Do you see the conflict?
Beano may only be fully effective if you are deviating from a carnivorous K9 diet.
The Best Time For Beano
So here’s the deal:
Beano is worth trying when feeding a dog foods like eggplant, carrots, squash, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, beans and whole grains.
Those special occasions are when it could really come in handy for a hungry hound!
In any case…
There is no harm in giving your adult dog Alpha-galactosidase AKA α-GAL (the key ingredient). This particular enzyme is OK for animals.
Dosing Beano For Dogs
At this point, how much Beano can you give a dog is a question you may have.
Well, the amount isn’t super critical (unlike potentially harmful medications like Gas-X).
Still, you should take into account the size of your four-legged friend. But the biggest factor is what type of Beano you have on hand.
Why is that?
Because dogs are better off taking the lower concentration of Alpha-galactosidase (which by the way is derived from a fungus called Aspergillus niger).
So in all cases…
Beano’s chewable version is preferred to the Meltaways™. Give your dog 1 tablet (but never more than 2) right before a special meal. Stick to only 1 for small breeds.
Alternatives For Bad Gas
While Beano is an option, vets will tell you it’s not the best way to prevent a dog from having terrible gas.
For sure, owners get results from over the counter meds like Pepto Bismol and Beano too. The problem is these aren’t true sustainable solutions.
An improved diet may be the real fix. It can be frustrating, but eventually you’ll pin down a food regimen that works.
Also look into probiotics for dogs!
Get a Proper Diagnosis
The truth is consistently horrible gas rarely occurs in healthy dogs.
A veterinarian’s diagnosis could reveal the cause of ferocious farting. It could be a gastrointestinal (gut health) condition.
A hit or miss approach with Beano (even if it isn’t risky for your dog) could be counterproductive.
The Bottom Line
You can use Beano on your dog. There is no toxicity.
There are scenarios where this product’s enzymes can help, like when sharing certain people foods.
On the other hand, dogs really shouldn’t be eating lots of dietary carbohydrates ie. the type of foods that Beano is effective for.
Can I give my diabetic dog Beano on a daily basis?
I am hoping to find something for my dog who all of a sudden jumps up from sleeping and runs as if someone put a fire under his behind. Sometimes he sits on his anus as if trying to let whatever it is pass easily because it is hurting him.
Each time he has one of these episodes, I notice that he is also passing gas, not immediately but all throughout the day. I have taken him to vets numerous times, but they have no answers. I feel so sorry for my little dog. I just don’t want him suffering this way.
We have a two year old English Bulldog with the same problems. Different dog foods haven’t helped He also has environmental allergies. My dog will settle down after walking him outside, which might require three or four times in the middle of the night. Our vet thinks we should give Beano a try.
Our Greyhound has been diagnosed with IBS and, as a result, has been put on a prescription diet of canned hydrolyzed protein. This has helped to curb his bowel control, but the gas issue remains. I’ll give Beano a try, and hope for the best. Thank you for the information!
Please mention that Beano drops contain Xylitol. This should be stressed because it’s so very bad for dogs.
Hi Lauri. Where did you find that information? It is not on Beano’s website. I would like to verify that’s it’s actually the case and, if so, I will be sure to update the article.
According to this Pet Diabetes Wiki at Fandom only the liquid or generic liquid form of Beano contains Xylitol. The pill form does not.
We give our American Staffordshire Terrier/Chow Chow cross high quality dog food, but she still is very gassy. So now what?
What is considered top quality dog food? Our 11 year Black Lab is very gassy. We feed him Nutri Source and just recently added Merrik wheat-free beef kibble to encourage him to eat after a bout with anxiety issues.
He recently had a series of tests done at our vet’s office due to these anxiety issues. Nothing negative was found. Could it be that the Merrik is too rich for him to digest and we should just continue with the Nutri Source Chicken and Rice?