Food For Dogs With Upset Stomach
If youre in the process of weaning your dog or dealing with mild digestive upset, here are some Have you ever wondered what to do with your dog when he or she has an upset stomach? As a pet owner, nothing is more painful than your dog suffering from diarrhea.
Symptoms Of An Upset Stomach In Dogs
The usual signs that your dog has an upset stomach are ones you see in people as well. Your dog will have nausea, accompanied by vomiting and diarrhea.
If youve ever seen your dog eating grass, it means theyre trying to induce vomiting to get rid of whatever is causing the upset stomach. This is their instinctive way of expelling the offending substance and soothing a dogs upset stomach.
Other symptoms of an upset stomach to watch for are:
- Gurgling noises in the stomach
- Licking their lips, the floor or other objects
- Reduced water intake
Be mindful that some of these symptoms can point to other health problems. Therefore, its wise to keep a close eye on your dog to see if there are signs things are getting better or worse.
Are Scrambled Eggs Good For A Dog’s Upset Stomach
Yes, scrambled eggs are good to make your dog feel better. They can settle his stomach while providing nutrients.
They have nutritional benefits, including protein and essential amino and fatty acids. Just remember not to season the eggs or add butter to them.
Those additions will make your poor dog feel worse.
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What To Give A Dog For An Upset Stomach: 5 Remedies
If youve ever had an upset stomach, you know how unpleasant it can be. Just like their loving owners, most dogs will suffer from tummy troubles from time to time. And as a pet parent, it can be hard to see your pooch experiencing discomfortespecially when it means they wont touch their dog food.
When this happens, you might be anxiously wondering: what to feed my dog with an upset stomach?
Dont worry, knowing what to feed your pooch when theyre having digestive issues can help them get them back to the dog park faster. Read on to learn exactly what to feed your dog with an upset stomach.
Eliminate Extra Food Items

Not all dogs are walking garbage disposals. Some dogs, just like some people, suffer from sensitive stomachs that are easily irritated or upset. This can be challenging for owners struggling to find a way to make their dogs more comfortable at mealtimes. One possible cause of your dogs sensitive stomach is his diet. Sometimes, finding the best food for dogs with sensitive stomachs can reduce your dogs symptoms and get his GI tract back on track.
Finding out if your dogs food is the issue is easy, although it might require some willpower on your part. Start by eliminating any extra food items from his diet. This includes table scraps, treats, and anything else your dog might enjoy nibbling on throughout the day. You should also check to see if your dog is sneaking into the trash, litter box, or any other forbidden treasure trove of things that make dogs sick. Not only will this help his stomach, it could also save him from a trip to the veterinary emergency room. If your dogs stomach is still upset after a few days without treats and scraps, and you are positive that he is not breaking into the trash while you are away, then it is time to examine the food itself.
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Video Answer: A Minute With The Vet: Pups Upset Stomach
Here are a few things you can try, to help your dog feel better if they have an upset stomach:
- With their large, deep chests, Wirehaired Vizslas can be more susceptible to a condition called Gastric Torsion. This is commonly referred to as Bloat. This can be life-threatening, and there are still a number of unknowns about its cause and effective treatment.
Sucralfate, a GI protectant that binds to proteinaceous exudates found at ulcer sites, should be administered to dogs with confirmed or suspected gastric ulcers. The primary benefit of sucralfate is that it protects the ulcerated areas from further damage from gastric acid, bile, and pepsin.
Homemade Foods for Dogs With Sensitive Stomachs
- Lean, Boiled Chicken or Turkey Breast. This is the most popular choice for dogs with upset tummies.
- Canned Tuna or Salmon. Canned fish has high levels of essential nutrients for your pup.
For a mild upset stomach or case of diarrhea, sometimes giving your dog Pepto-Bismol or Imodium® can be helpful.
You will want to call your vet first to make sure its safe, as well as obtain the proper dosage for the size of your dog.
For a mild upset stomach or case of diarrhea, sometimes giving your dog Pepto-Bismol or Imodium® can be helpful.
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What Can I Give My Dog For An Upset Stomach And Vomiting
People who have an upset stomach usually go for remedies like ginger tea, peppermint, or some food that can help settle your tummy.
But what can you give your dog for an upset stomach?
Dogs can have an upset stomach for a variety of reasons, from severe stress to dietary changes to dehydration and swallowing foreign objects. The good news is that most of the time, you wont need to rush to the vet in order to help your four-legged buddy.
There are plenty of natural remedies for an upset stomach in dogs out there.
In this article, we cover the list of the best things you can give your dog when they feel sick along with several handy tips for managing their digestive health.
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Simple Proteins And Rice
Giving your dog a food source that is easy todigest can help get their appetite back and their system on track. Simplestarches like white rice and millet are natural for your pet to digest while alsobeing soothing. Likewise, adding protein like steamed fish or turkey, cookedegg, and cottage cheese can fuel them with vital nutrients for a swiftrecovery. Complex meats like beef and pork should be avoided until your dogssymptoms are resolved as they can be difficult to digest.
Using Traditional Chinese Medicine Principles To Determine What To Feed A Dog With Diarrhea Or Other Stomach Issues
For what to feed a dog with diarrhea if its acute diarrhea, I like to draw from the ancient wisdom of Traditional Chinese Medicine food therapy. This optimizes the individuals qi by balancing the internal energies of yin and yang . According to TCM, all foods have properties that either warm the body, cool the body or are neutral. When the bodys yin and yang are out of balance, disease results.
Most acute gastrointestinal problems relate to excess yang, or heat, so we want to treat them with cooling yin foods, says Marc Smith, D.V.M., a Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine practitioner and owner of Natchez Trace Veterinary Services in Franklin and Nashville, Tennessee, and co-owner of PET | TAO Holistic Pet Products.
Heres some of Dr. Smiths advice on what to feed a dog with diarrhea or other stomach ailments. His favorite TCVM food remedies seek to address your dogs acute upset stomach and get his qi back in balance as quickly as possible:
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Its Easier To Prevent An Upset Stomach In Dogs Than To Cure It
When it comes to upset tummies in dogs, itâs important to remember prevention is better than a cure. âI recommend feeding a high quality diet, and limiting the number of treats you give,â says Jordan Turner, a veterinary surgeon. For those dogs who like to scavenge, try to keep things out of reach. For some dogs, its important to keep your trash can secure!
Potential Causes Of Upset Stomach In Dogs
The causes of upset stomachs in dogs are all related to their feeding behavior and digestion of food. Sometimes your dog may suffer because they ate toxic substances.
Other severe conditions may also cause your dog to have a stomach problem. An upset stomach may come as a side effect of a more serious underlying health condition.
Some of the potential causes of upset stomach in dogs are:
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Boiled Hamburger & Rice For Sick Dogs
When we humans are feeling under the weather, theres nothing quite like good old comfort food to help us get back on track. Even if we arent feeling up to the task of eating, things like chicken soup seem to have this magical ability to ease our appetites without making things worse.
The same thing applies to dogs, too! If your dog has diarrhea, getting them to eat can be a bit of a task. Your pooch still needs to eat. However, feeding them their standard food could only exacerbate the problem and lead to more painful stomach upsets.
So, whats a dog owner supposed to do?
Well, you could try giving your dog a simple meal of rice and beef. Also known as a bland diet, a straightforward dinner of just rice and ground beef is the equivalent of chicken soup for us humans.
The recipe is a great way to provide your dog with all the nutrition they need without the added agitation. Commercially available dog foods are filled with a wide range of ingredients. Even top-shelf products have ingredients that could cause further stomach pains.
The goal of a bland diet is to maintain your dogs diet while letting the system heal on its own. Sometimes, your dogs gastrointestinal tract just needs time to regulate. A bland meal lets the process continue uninterrupted.
As always, consult with your vet before you make any sudden dietary changes. Before you try this recipe out, its a good idea to ensure that theres nothing more serious going on.
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Can Natural Remedies Help A Dog With An Upset Stomach

Its never nice when your dog is suffering from an upset stomach as, understandably, you want to do everything you can to get your companion back on track as quickly as possible. Fortunately, there are a few natural remedies you can try at home to ease your poochs symptoms and help them feel better.
Before we dive into these treatments, we just want to reiterate the importance of seeing a vet if your dogs upset stomach persists after 48 hours or they have any other abnormal symptoms.
Although most cases of an irritated tummy can be dealt with at home, theres always a possibility that your pet could have an underlying medical condition that is causing their GI distress.
Withhold Food for 12 to 24 Hours
After your dog has vomited or suffered from diarrhoea, its a good idea to remove food for 12 to 24 hours to give their gastrointestinal tract some time to recover. During this period, offer your dog small amounts of water or a couple of ice cubes to keep them hydrated.
The latter is a great way to introduce water to your pooch slowly to see if they can keep liquids down.
If your dog is a puppy, only fast them for 12 hours, then offer them bland foods like boiled chicken meat , white rice, pumpkin, and bone broth.
Offer Bland Foods
Alternatively, if your pet tolerates dairy, low-fat cottage cheese and boiled eggs are also good options.
Add Prebiotics or Probiotics to Your Dogs Diet
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My Dog Has Upset Stomach What Could Be The Reasons
One of the most common things that will upset a dogs stomach is food. The reason for this is that some types of foods cant be good for the dog and they produce toxins in the body when consumed.
Certain ingredients and preservatives that are found in some food products can also affect a dogs stomach.
This includes onion, garlic, grapes and raisins, chocolate, and caffeine to name a few. If your dog is throwing up or has diarrhea it may be an allergic reaction to something theyve eaten.
Another cause of digestive problems such as diarrhea or vomiting is foreign objects such as clothing items, toys, or anything else that the dog might find and eat.
If you notice your pet eating something he shouldnt have, remove it from them so they will not choke or ingest something that could cause a problem.
One of the most common reasons why a dog may throw up is due to overeating. Dog Parents need to monitor how much food their Dog eats as overfeeding can cause digestive problems.
If your dog ate too much or too fast, this can cause them to throw up.
Treating your dogs illness is dependent on the underlying cause of the symptoms.
If your pooch ate something he shouldnt have, you will need to take care of that first before treating any other symptoms they may be having.
For instance, if a dog swallows a large sock, the first thing you need to do is to take them to a veterinarian so they can see if surgery will be needed.
What Can An I Give My Dog For An Upset Stomach
Knowing what to feed your dog can be confusing. There are a number of home remedies for a dog upset stomach that my help your dog feel better. Before trying anything, get a little advice from an expert like your veterinarian.
When you contact your vet, theyll ask questions about your dogs symptoms. The vet will consider possible causes of your dogs upset stomach and determine if a vet clinic visit is required.
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Home Care For Dogs With Diarrhoea
Diarrhoea is a very common problem in dogs, fortunately it often passes within one to two days.
If your dog has diarrhoea but is otherwise happy, well and behaving normally you could try to settle them at home. If they dont improve quickly or you are concerned about them at any point book an appointment with your vet.
Boiled Or Mashed Carrots
Unlike mashed potatoes, carrots are very recommended to dogs suffering from diarrhea. It also has a lot of vitamins in it and is a rich source of fiber and potassium which helps in digestion problems. You can either boil up the carrots and cut it to chunks and add it to rice or just boil and mash it just like the mashed potato.
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Veterinary Prescription Diets For Dogs
Not every sensitive stomach can be resolved by a commercial diet or even a homemade diet. Your vet might recommend a prescription diet if switching non-prescription diets does not resolve your dogs sensitive stomach. There is no one food that works best for all dogs with sensitive stomachs, just like there is no one food that works best for people with sensitive stomachs. Finding the best food for your dog takes time and patience, and what cured your friends dogs upset tummy might not do the trick for your pooch. Dont get discouraged. With a little trial and error, you can find a diet that works for your dog, or you can always consult with a veterinary nutritionist and develop a plan custom-tailored to your dogs needs.
So You Do Need To Feed Your Dog During Digestive Upset But What Do You Feed
Bland home-made diet of chicken and rice is sometimes recommended. Whilst this may give the digestive system some rest and help relieve diarrhoea or vomiting, it is not nutritionally complete so only suitable for very short-term use. A bland chicken and rice diet will also not include special ingredients, needed to bring the gut back into full health.
Specialist digestive support diets are designed for dogs with digestive upsets. They are made with highly digestible ingredients, to compensate for the reduced ability to digest food, and they have increased levels of electrolytes such as potassium and sodium to compensate for those lost during vomiting or diarrhoea, so even with an upset stomach these digestive diets assure your dog will be getting the nutrients they need.
SPECIFIC Digestive Support diets also contain AuraGuard, an ingredient that supports the integrity of the gut wall by increasing the level of cell proteins involved in the formation, maintenance and structure of tight junctions It also helps to increase the production of the mucous that provides a protective lining on the gut wall.
SPECIFICs Digestive Support diets also contain multiple ingredients to restore a balanced microbiome and bring the gut back into good health. AuraGuard and fermentable fibres increase the levels of beneficial bacteria and decrease the levels of bad bacteria, promoting a more balanced and diverse gut microbiome.
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Include Sweet Potato Or Pumpkin
Finally, another two great bland foods for a dog with an upset stomach are fresh, raw sweet potato and pumpkin .
Give the dog a fresh pumpkin or cook up a couple of sweet potatoes.
Remove the skin and mash up the insides, then give your dog a few tablespoons to help get rid of diarrhea, gas and soothe their upset stomach.
Sweet potatoes and pumpkin are often part of a bland diet guide for any dog with an upset stomach because of their low-calorie content and nutrition, their fiber content, and that theyre easy on a dogs digestive system.
What Exactly Is In A Bland Diet

Not the exciting topic of TV cooking shows, bland diets have boring ingredients. They consist of foods that are low in fat and fiber and are easy to digest. Effective bland diets usually have a single protein source and a simple carbohydrate. Sometimes, bland diets include ingredients that will help the formation of solid stool. Bon appétit!
Bland diets are also boring to prepare. No grilling or pan searing here! The meat source is usually boiled . Boil boneless, skinless pieces of chicken or turkey in non-salted or lightly-salted water until done. Drain the boiled meat and allow it to cool to room temperature before dicing into small pieces. Even with these very lean protein sources, there will be a little fat produced with boiling, so skim the broth to remove the fat floating on top. Save the skimmed broth to add moisture to the food which may improve palatability. Bland is not appetizing. Bland AND dry.even less so!
As an alternative to boiling meat, you may pan fry lean ground beef or turkey. Drain thoroughly to remove as much fat as possible. Unseasoned scrambled eggs are another good protein source for tummies in turmoil. Protein rich poached fish might appeal to the feline diners. You can also use commercially prepared turkey or chicken baby food or cottage cheese as a protein source, but be aware of the sodium content.
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