It has long been known that a little hydrogen sulfide (HS) contributes a lot to the distinctive odor of intestinal gas. Researchers at the Waltham Centre for Pet Nutrition in Leicestershire, U.K., report a series of experiments that confirms this wisdom and validates a treatment approach for reducing the malodorous fumes from one's canine.1 The successful recipe combines activated charcoal, which sequesters HS in its nooks and crannies; zinc acetate, which binds the gas; and an extract of the yucca plant, which already enjoys a reputation for quenching the odor of pig and poultry feces.
The participants in the double-blinded, crossover study were one golden retriever, five Labradors, and two English mastiffs. In some trials, each received a treat that included the three ingredients, as well as a placebo treat in others. In the in vitro investigation component, the researchers collected dog feces within 15 minutes of defecation, weighed...
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