Why is my dog's stomach gurgling and they won't eat?

Your dog's stomach is making noises and they've gone off their food. Unsettling, sure. But most of the time it's nothing serious, and either way the best thing you can be is informed. Here's how to tell the difference.

What is that noise? (And is it normal?)

Did you know that the rumbling, gurgling sound from your dog’s stomach is called borborygmi. It is the sound of gas and fluid moving through the intestines. Some level of gut noise is completely normal and happens in every dog.

The noise becomes more significant when it is louder than usual, more frequent, or comes alongside other symptoms like not eating, lethargy, or vomiting.

Common causes (from least to most serious)

Hunger

An empty stomach is one of the most common reasons for loud gut sounds. If your dog has gone longer than usual without food, the digestive system keeps moving even without anything to process. This often causes gurgling.

If it is close to mealtime, the noise is very hungry, your dog is otherwise well, and it stops after eating, hunger is probably the explanation.

Eating too fast or swallowing air

Dogs who gulp their food can swallow a lot of air. That air has to move somewhere, and it often causes gurgling and gas. Slow feeders, licki mats, or scatter feeding can help.

Dietary indiscretion (“ate something they shouldn’t”)

Rubbish bin raids, grass eating, something off the ground on a walk. The digestive system tries to process whatever came in, and the result is often gas, gurgling, and a temporary loss of appetite.

Usually resolves within 12 to 24 hours. Watch for vomiting, diarrhoea, or deterioration.

Gas and mild indigestion

A change in food, a new treat, or just an off day can cause temporary gas and gurgling. If your dog is otherwise bright and the gurgling settles after a few hours, this is usually minor.

Intestinal upset or gastroenteritis

This is a more significant stomach upset, often causing gurgling alongside vomiting, diarrhoea, and loss of appetite. Most cases are mild and resolve in a day or two, but if symptoms are severe or last longer than 48 hours, see a vet.

Foreign body or obstruction

If your dog ate something they shouldn’t have (a toy, bone fragment, fabric, corn cob), it can cause a blockage. Signs include gurgling, not eating, repeated vomiting, and a dog who seems uncomfortable or keeps looking at their belly. This is an emergency.

Bloat (GDV)

Gastric dilatation-volvulus is a life-threatening condition where the stomach fills with gas and twists. It mainly affects large, deep-chested breeds. Signs include a distended belly, retching without bringing anything up, restlessness, drooling, and collapse.

If you suspect bloat, do not wait. This is an emergency.

Source: American College of Veterinary Surgeons describes GDV as a life-threatening emergency requiring immediate veterinary care.
https://www.acvs.org/small-animal/gastric-dilatation-volvulus

When not eating makes it more concerning

Stomach gurgling on its own is often minor. But when it comes with not eating, the combination is worth paying closer attention to.

Here is a simple way to think about it:

Gurgling + not eating + otherwise bright and normal: Monitor for 12 to 24 hours. Offer a small bland meal. If they eat it and settle, great. If they refuse and the gurgling continues, call your vet.

Gurgling + not eating + vomiting or diarrhoea: Call your vet. This is more than a minor upset.

Gurgling + not eating + lethargy, pain, or a swollen belly: Go now. Do not wait.

What to check at home

Check their gums

Healthy gums should be bubblegum pink and moist. Pale, white, grey, or tacky gums are a red flag and mean you should call immediately.

Feel their belly gently

Is it soft and relaxed, or tense and tender? Does your dog flinch or pull away when you touch it? A hard, distended, or painful belly needs immediate attention.

Watch for retching

Is your dog trying to vomit but bringing nothing up? That is a warning sign, especially in large or deep-chested breeds.

Check their energy

A dog who is gurgling but still wagging, interested, and responsive is different from a dog who is flat, withdrawn, or clearly uncomfortable.

What to do next

If your dog seems well otherwise

Withhold food for two to four hours and then offer a small bland meal — plain boiled chicken or turkey with a tablespoon of plain canned pumpkin is a good start. Note: chicken is one of the more common protein sensitivities in dogs. If your dog has a known or suspected chicken intolerance, turkey or another novel protein is the better call. Make sure they have access to fresh water. If they eat the bland meal and the gurgling settles, you can gradually return to their normal food over the next 24 to 48 hours.

If your dog refuses the bland meal too

Call your vet. A dog who turns down bland food when they are clearly hungry is telling you something is wrong.

If symptoms are getting worse, not better

Call your vet or head to an emergency clinic. If your dog is deteriorating, go now.

Signs that need emergency attention now

Distended or hard belly
Retching without vomiting
Pale or white gums
Collapse or weakness
Signs of severe pain (whimpering, hunched posture, refusing to move)
Known or suspected ingestion of a foreign object or toxin

A note on large and deep-chested breeds

If you have a Great Dane, German Shepherd, Standard Poodle, Doberman, Weimaraner, Saint Bernard, Irish Setter, or any similar large deep-chested breed — stomach symptoms need faster action from you.

These breeds are at significantly higher risk of GDV (gastric dilatation-volvulus), a life-threatening condition where the stomach fills with gas and twists on itself. It cuts off blood supply, progresses fast, and is fatal without emergency surgery.

Know the signs:

Distended or hard belly
Retching or heaving without bringing anything up
Restlessness, pacing, or inability to settle
Drooling more than usual
Sudden collapse or weakness

If you see any of these sypmtoms, don't wait for it to pass. Go straight to an emergency vet.

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