What Food Is Good For Dog Diarrhea

What Should You Feed A Dog With Diarrhoea

The best food for a dog who has diarrhoea is chicken or white fish and rice. This should be fed for 3-5 days to ensure the stomach upset stops.

Usually, a vet will recommend this to see if it halts the diarrhoea and it is the best food because of how bland it is to keep to a bland diet. Its also a great quick remedy if you want to see if your dog settles before going for an expensive vet visit.

When To Contact The Vet

If your dog is otherwise acting fine and is not showing any concerning symptoms, it’s probably not necessary to race to the vet at the first sign of runny stools. However, if diarrhea lasts for more than a day or two, a is a good idea.

If your pet displays other symptoms of illness, you should contact the veterinary office or bring them in right away. This could indicate a serious problem. Seek professional care if your dog exhibits any of the following signs in addition to diarrhea:

• Vomiting

Home Care For Dogs With Diarrhoea

Diarrhoea in dogs is a very common problem, and fortunately, often passes within 1-2 days.

If your dog has diarrhoea but is otherwise happy, well and behaving normally, you could try to settle them at home. Book an appointment with your vet if your dog isnt improving or if youre concerned at any point.

Read Also: Is Nutrish Dog Food Made In The Usa

Bland Diet For Dogs With Diarrhea

After 12 to 24 hours, reintroduce food via a bland diet .

• The rule of thumb for DIY dog food is to offer bland, low-fat meats, along with easily digestible carbohydrates such as rice, boiled potatoes, or pasta.
• Avoid flavoring with milk, butter, cream, or oil, as these can trigger diarrhea, even in healthy dogs.
• Some dog owners will feed eggs, particularly scrambled eggs, to dogs with diarrhea, which should be avoided as sometimes this can exacerbate the problem.

The Best Dog Food For Dogs With Diarrhea

Having diarrhea is no funand it may be even worse when your dog has it. Watching your pet suffer is painful, and the clean-up can be rough.

Diarrhea or loose stools in dogs can be caused by many factors, including food allergies, eating something bad, eating low-quality dog food, eating human food not meant for dogs, overeating, and more. In most cases, pet parents may be left stumped as to what caused an episode of diarrhea. Fortunately, most cases of diarrhea get better in a day or two on their own.

Whether its a one-time incident or a chronic condition, if your dog is experiencing diarrhea, it is still a good idea to take a look at their diet and what they have eaten recently. Some dogs respond well to fasting or to a diet with a different amount of fiber. Probiotics have been shown to reduce the duration of diarrhea.

At NomNomNow, our recipes are all cooked fresh and made with human-grade, high-quality, dog-appropriate ingredients and no artificial ingredients or fillers. They are carefully balanced with the right amount of protein to help maintain muscle mass, strength, and support all the essential functions of the body. All of our fresh dog food recipes also include healthy oils, such as fish oil or sunflower oil, to promote healthy skin and combat allergies.;

Also Check: How Do They Make Dog Food

Grapes And Raisins: Cant Eat

You should never feed grapes or raisins to your dog.

Grapes and raisins contain toxic compounds that are harmful to dogs. They have the potential to lead to rapid kidney failure and death .

Even small amounts of grapes and raisins can make your dog sick, so its important to avoid giving them to your dog altogether.

Will My Dog Need Antibiotics

Its very rare for a dog with diarrhoea to need antibiotics. There are a few specific conditions that require antibiotics, but most dogs wont benefit from taking them. Antibiotics can even make the problem worse by wiping out normal gut bacteria. Your vet may suggest alternative treatments such as probiotics.

Probiotic paste help treat some dogs who have diarrhoea

You May Like: What Dog Food Is Killing Dogs

Yearly Fecal Exams Are Recommended

I recommend dog owners do the same, but don’t rely on visual inspections alone. Dog owners sometimes tell me, “Oh, I know my dog is free of parasites because I look at his stools every day.” Healthy-looking stools may be misleading, as there are many things the eyes can’t see. For good reason, vets use microscopes to thoroughly inspect what’s really in there. Yearly fecal exams are always recommended to keep things in check.

Switch Your Dog To A Bland Diet

A bland diet will allow your dog’s digestive system to not work as hard. Weitzman suggests boiling white rice, which can bind the stool, and mixing it with a lower-fat protein. Steamed chicken or ground beef that has been cooked and drained of fat should work well. This will also prevent the issue from getting worse while you sort things out.

Recommended Reading: What Is The Best Dog Food For Adult Dogs

My Dog Has Diarrhea What Should I Do

Another cause of diarrhea can be intestinal parasites. This is why we recommend bringing a fecal sample in to be tested for microscopic parasites. This is medication which can treat parasites.

The best diet for your dog is one he/she does well on-gives him/her a good, healthy coat and body condition.Overfeeding can have a significant effect on your dogs health.

Does your Pet Need Attention

Understanding The Canine Digestive System

First, lets have a basic understanding of how a dogs digestive system works. The key difference between us and dogs is our jaws. We can chew sideways and grind our food. Our dogs cant.

Canine jaws are made to crush and tear. Thats about it then they swallow chunks of raw food, especially meat . That is why their salivary enzymes are designed to kill bacteria.

Their stomach acids are 3 times stronger than ours, so dogs can digest chunks of food. Under normal circumstances, food travels through the entire digestive tract in 6 to 10 hours to produce a firm, well-formed stool.

Whatever that cannot be absorbed into the system is expelled as waste. At times, this system runs into some problems and causes the runs. When this occurs, dogs natural instinct is to nibble raw grass.

Photo by;sergio souza;from;Pexels

Why? Cellulose or fibre from greens is hard to digest. It helps to;absorb excess liquid build-up in the intestine. At the same time, fibre bulks up matter in the gut and helps to move everything along out.

Recommended Reading: How Much Is Dog Food At Petco

Eating Foreign Objects Garbage Or Toxins

Puppies love to stick their snout and mouth on everything. Theyre quick to ingest anything from rotten food in the garbage to chocolate on the counter to squeakers inside the toys they destroy.

As a puppy parent, its important to be aware of all things poisonous and toxic for your puppy. Additionally, get rid of toys with small pieces that can block the intestines when ingested.

If you suspect your dog ate something toxic or has an intestinal blockage, take him or her to the vet immediately.

Treatment For Your Dog When It Gets Diarrhea Before Calling The Vet

Every pet owner has had to deal with their furry friend getting sick at one time or another. One of the most common illnesses that pets can suffer from is diarrhea, and there are many things that can cause diarrhea in animals. With young animals we worry about dietary indiscretion–eating things that they shouldnt be eating. With older animals, diarrhea may often be a symptom of a more serious underlying problem.

In many cases we may know exactly what caused the diarrhea, such as a sudden diet change. However, in other cases, we need to do some investigative work, such as laboratory testing and possibly imaging, such as x-rays or ultrasound, to find the cause. Whatever the situation, the following guidelines should help you get through your furry friends next bout of diarrhea.

Do know your pets bathroom patterns

One of the most common causes of diarrhea is colitis, or inflammation of the large intestine. A common symptom typically seen with colitis is increased frequency of defecation, along with mucous and fresh blood in or coating the stool. If your dog is asking to go outside to poop more frequently than usual, then he or she may be suffering from colitis. This is especially important with dogs on invisible fences, dogs that are let out in the yard without being walked by a person. Just because you dont see them having diarrhea doesn’t mean that they are not having diarrhea.

Do hold off food when symptoms are first noticed

Do simplify your pets diet

Don’t

Summary

Recommended Reading: How To Get Free Dog Food

How Do I Feed A Bland Diet

Bland diets help calm the revolt going on inside your pets stomach and intestines. Low in fiber, bland diets slow stool production so the urge to go to the bathroom is less frequent, easing diarrhea. These diets are also low in fat, are gentler on the stomach, and reduce vomiting. Moreover, they are highly digestible and reduce peristalsis giving the GI tract a needed rest.

Stops Additional / Prolonged Diarrhea

Diarrhea can be an ongoing issue if you dont act immediately. The condition can disappear within hours. However, the poor choice of food can prolong the symptoms, and lead to severe disorders.

Thats why you should focus on a balanced diet. There are a lot of food manufacturers on the market, so take your pick.

Read Also: What Foods Are Healthy For Dogs

Soft Stool Or Diarrhea

Next, let us differentiate soft stool from diarrhea. If you look at the poop chart below, you can see representations of consistency from 1 to 7.

The 4th and 5th are undesirable soft or loose turd while numbers 6 and 7 are considered diarrhea. Number 3 can shift to 2 or 4 depending on the dogs diet.;

Instinct Be Natural Recipe Best Natural Dry Food

First Five Ingredients:

Whether your dog is sensitive to food, or you know that some formula will upset his digestion, then you want to provide him with the best possible nutrition. The Instinct Be Natural Recipe is made from wild-caught salmon.

This easily absorbed protein is packed with omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants, for healthy skin and coat. The formula features carbohydrates and high amount of vitamins and minerals. They are ideal for balanced diet.

Also, a simple ingredient list, with one protein and one vegetable is designed with a purpose. It will allow you pet fast and efficient digestion, without causing any issues.

The blend doesnt contain eggs, dairy, soy, wheat, corn, artificial colors, and preservatives.

To conclude, if you want your dog eating the most exquisite diet then you should switch to Instinct Be Natural Recipe.

Read Also: Can Chickens Eat Dog Food

Signs And Symptoms Of Diarrhea In Dogs

How do you know your dog has diarrhea? Well, besides the tell-tale loose stools or watery feces, they may have flatulence and vomiting, with or without a loss of appetite.

Some dogs might eat grass to help make themselves vomit whatever is bothering their stomachs.;

You may see your pup straining to defecate and they might have an increased volume of poop.;

Some dogs may become weak or show fatigue, while others may have behavioral changes like a lack of interest in the things around them that they used to love.;

Also, watch for a dog that licks its lips or swallows repeatedly.;

More Serious Symptoms

Your pup may have even more serious symptoms like a fever or shivering.

They might have bloody stools or mucus in their poop. If your dog suddenly loses weight or appears listless and lethargic, thats another sign.;

Finally, if they appear to be in pain, especially if you gently prod their tummy, it might be diarrhea. Get your dog to a vet right away if they have any of these signs.;

Signs of and Treatments for Dehydration in Dogs

Just as humans can become dehydrated if they have diarrhea, so can dogs. The AKC says you should watch for signs like loss of skin elasticity.

If you pinch your dogs skin and it doesnt immediately return to normal, that means your dog has lost elasticity.;

They may also lose their appetite and become lethargic. While a dry nose isnt always a sign of trouble, it can be something to watch for. Also look for thick saliva and dry, sticky gums.;

Always Air On The Side Of Caution

Diarrhea in dogs has a long list of possible causes and is one of the most frequent afflictions an owner will have to deal with. But that doesnt mean all cases of stomach upset should be treated without concern.

In the end, you are your dogs advocate and it is your job to make sure your pup is safe and healthy. If youre not sure whether your dog is suffering from something serious or just getting over a belly ache, its always best to be cautious and get your pup checked out by a vet.

Recommended Reading: How To Make My Dog Eat His Food

What Ingredients To Look For

Just as important as knowing what ingredients to avoid is knowing which ones to look for and include.;

• Ingredients that are highly digestible You want to look for ingredients that your dog will find easier to digest. Good options include chicken, lamb, rice, and potatoes. You can also look for foods with high fiber content to help solidify your dogs stools. Moderate fat content is also ideal, as too much can cause pancreatitis. The ideal would be about 5-20%.;
• Probiotics These helpful bacteria can improve digestion. Just keep in mind that formulas with probiotics will have expiration dates that are potentially shorter than with other foods, as the bacteria must still be viable.

Why Trust The Spruce

This roundup was researched and written by Theresa Holland, a professional writer and animal lover with substantial experience covering pet products and breed guides.

To make this list, she consulted Dr. Lewis Singleton, a veterinarian at Banfield Pet Hospital;in Princeton,;New Jersey. She also researched the market and reviewed ingredient lists.

Don’t Miss: How Much Is Iams Dog Food At Walmart

When To See A Veterinarian

Keep in mind that if your dog is lethargic, has severe diarrhea, is vomiting continuously, has a fever, or if there is blood in their stool, then you need to take them to a veterinarian for proper care. Dogs can get dehydrated fairly quickly and may require fluids to recover.

Puppies are particularly at risk of dehydration as their state can become critical fast, so if they are vomiting, have diarrhea or bloody stool, they should be seen by a vet right away. There are many conditions that affect puppies such as canine parvovirus that are serious and can be deadly if left untreated.

Does Overfeeding A Dog Cause Loose Stools

Yes, as explained by Dr. Danny Tufaro, a veterinarian based in New York City, USA. A;common symptom of overfeeding is normal or good stool consistency in the morning, then it gets softer later in the day. According to Dr. Tufaro, this is a very common issue, especially with the more caloric dense dog food on the market.

Pet nutritionist Ruth Hatten offers more tips on the topic. If your dogs poo is mostly firm but only occasionally soft, there is no cause for concern. You should bring your dog to the vet for a better diagnosis if the poop doesn’t firm up after 48 hours and any of the symptoms below are present.

• Very loose stool for more than 48 hours
• Blood in the poop
• Dogs energy level drops suddenly
• Vomiting
• A sore or sensitive belly
• Blackish stool

Read Also: Can Puppies Eat Adult Dog Food