Give Your Dog A Treat
If your dog hasnt been feeling well, you could try treating your dog with food they dont normally get. Human food like chicken or even baby food may be so irresistible that your dog will actually eat something. Try just a small amount of human food at first to see if they will eat. If not, try adding a bit more.
You should mix this in with their existing dry food to encourage them to eat their normal diet along with the treat. Just be sure not to overindulge your dog in these treats as it can negatively affect their health.
How To Treat Diarrhea In Dogs Yourself
Some tips when treating dog diarrhea yourself at home:
- Feed your dog only very small portions of these human foods at one time.
- Feed your dog the foods that will help to bind their stool several times throughout the day.
- Dont feed your dog their normal food during this time.
- Dont let the diarrhea continue for long without phoning or visiting the vet.
- At the very least, an all-natural probiotic like Diarrice will help alleviate the symptoms of dog diarrhea even for puppies.
The Importance Of Water
You may be so focused on food intake you forget about water entirely. But, water intake is arguably more important than food intake. If your dog refuses to eat, in the meantime, youll want to encourage water consumption to help keep them hydrated.
Dogs are naturally able to go longer without food but their tolerance for not drinking water is much less. At most a dog can go three days without water intake but can survive for five to seven days or more without food. Realistically, you dont want to test your dogs limits but do not force your dog to drink as this can cause aspiration pneumonia.
Its important to get your dog medical attention as soon as possible if they are not eating or drinking for 48 hours or more.
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What Does The Color Of Your Dogs Diarrhea Mean
The dogs diarrhea color can give a hint on the underlying cause. For example:
- Green diarrhea means the dog was eating grass probably due to stomach upset.
- Brown or black diarrhea means there is bleeding in the upper parts of the GI tract.
- Red diarrhea means the dog is bleeding in the large intestine.
- White diarrhea usually indicative of issues with the pancreas.
The Digestive System Must Be Reset
When your dog has persistent diarrhea but isnt otherwise sick or lethargic, sometimes giving the digestive system a rest is an excellent suggestion. Resetting the dogs digestive system by withholding food for 24 hours can help your pup recover faster. Although resetting the digestive system is controversial, some veterinarians believe that withholding the dogs food can help in faster recovery.
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Best Dry: Solid Gold Leaping Waters Sensitive Stomach Grain
Life Stage: Adult | Breed Size: All | Weight: 22 pounds | Food Type: Dry
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Contains a special blend of 20 superfoods
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More expensive than other brands
The best dry food for dogs with sensitive stomachs is Solid Gold Leaping Waters. The nutrient-rich, grain-free formula is packed with simple ingredients: cold-water salmon, chickpeas, lentils, peas, and chicken fat.
Leaping Waters contains a special blend of 20 superfoods that are easy to digest and selected to protect your fur baby’s gut health. The recipe also includes omega-3s and omega-6s for healthy skin and a shiny coat.
Life Stage: Adult | Breed Size: All | Weight: 20.4 pounds | Food Type: Canned/wet
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Great for dogs with gastrointestinal issues
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Low-fat formula
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Has digestible proteins to balance gut bacteria
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Requires a prescription from a veterinarian
Dr. Singleton also recommends Royal Canin Gastrointestinal for dogs with tummy woes. This gut-friendly wet food provides tasty nutrition for dogs struggling with diarrhea, vomiting, appetite loss, and other gastrointestinal issues.
This food requires a prescription from a veterinarian. However, you can buy it from pet-supply sites like Chewy and Petco by entering your prescription info at checkout.
It has digestible proteins and prebiotics to balance bacteria in the gut, plus antioxidants and hearty fibers to promote digestion.
Life Stage: Adult | Breed Size: All | Weight: 9.79 pounds | Food Type: Wet
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Food is extra dry which may be hard on certain dogs
Purina Pro Plan Focus Ideal For Sensitive Skin & Stomach
First Five Ingredients:
According to many satisfied pet owners, Purina Pro Plan features a complete and well-balanced nutrition for adult canines. You should give your four-legged friend the best he deserves.
The first ingredient salmon, combined with prebiotic fibers, is an excellent choice for dogs with sensitive stomachs. Also, the recipe is enriched with rice, oatmeal, and omega-3 fatty acids. The oatmeal is one of the most natural digestible carbohydrates.
These ingredients will promote healthy joints and mobility. The omega-6 fatty acid, as well as zinc, will give your pet nourished skin and a healthy looking coat. Purina Pro Plan FOCUS features the real salmon meat. And, it doesnt contain corn, wheat, soy, or any additives.
Overall, this recipe will rejuvenate your dog and enable him to have a long and happy life. Who doesnt want that?
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Is Dry Food Or Wet Food Better For Gut Health
As with the normal food you give your dog, there are pros and cons to both dry and wet food.
Dry food tends to make storage easier, and it tends to be more affordable. You have to be extra careful with the ingredients, though, as dry foods frequently have gluten and grains and more carbs overall.
Wet food tends to be tastier. The fact that it is softer can also make it easier on the stomach. However, you will need to refrigerate it and pay attention to the expiration date. It is also more expensive.
Overall, the ingredient list is more important than whether you go with dry or wet food.
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General Tips For Dogs With Sensitive Stomach
Before we go, a few things must be said about dogs with a sensitive stomach and how to feed a dog with stomach upset.
These few tips below will help you care for a dog with a sensitive stomach to avoid further complications.
As I mentioned earlier, finding the best dog food for dogs with diarrhea isn’t the only worry you’ll have. Keep these tips in mind as well:
Avoid giving your dog any human food and avoid threats from strangers in general. Make sure you know everything thats going in your dogs mouth.
Know all of your dog’s allergies.
Always check your dogs poop not just for diarrhea but also for blood and mucus.
Make sure your dog doesnt eat too much fat and carbohydrates.
Limit all grains from your dogs diet as well.
The foods to focus on are brown rice, liver, beef, garlic, tuna, chicken, lamb, carrots, and broccoli they will strengthen your dogs stomach and intestinal linings.
Get a food bowl that slows your dogs eating. Fast eating is a serious problem for proper digestion.
When buying commercial dog food, always go for the highest quality diet. Select certified dog food is worth it in the long run. Its better to pay for food than for vet fees.
Change your dogs diet regularly. Once every 2-4 months, you should change things up by adding and removing ingredients. Nothing too drastic make sure that your doggies stomach sees enough variety.
Never change your dogs diet too suddenly. Always change it just a little bit and in the span of a couple of days.
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Chocolate Coffee And Caffeine
Never give chocolate, coffee, or anything containing caffeine to dogs.
These products contain chemicals called methylxanthines, which are highly toxic to dogs. The chemicals can cause vomiting, an abnormal heart rate, seizures, and sometimes death.
Chocolate treats are available for dogs, but these contain a special chocolate substitute that is safe for them to eat.
Vitamins For A Strong Immune System
There our 1001 different causes of diarrhea. Your diarrhea could have stemmed from something you ate that contained a ridiculous amount of fiber, or maybe it could be from some sort of bacterial infection which would mean the immune system needs to kick into action and do its job.
For a healthy immune system there are lots of vitamins you need, vitamin C, vitamin E and vitamin A being some of the most important.
Foods high in vitamin C…
We all know that oranges and some of the other citrus fruits are extremely good sources of vitamin C. However, they will not be listed here due to their acidity, which can increase stomach irritation and just lead to more diarrhea in some cases. The same goes for tomatoes.
8. Red Peppers – Normally peppers wouldn’t be that great of a choice for helping with diarrhea, but red peppers are very mild so they are okay. A half cup of sweet raw red peppers has about 95mg of vitamin C, which already hits the RDA for both men and women.
9. Green Peppers – Green peppers aren’t quite as good of a choice as the red, but nonetheless still provide good amounts, with 1/2 cup of raw pepper having about 60mg.
Vitamin E…
12. Sunflower seeds – These can be a tasty addition to just about any salad or a good snack for throughout the day. Most seeds/nuts have high amounts of vitamin E, and sunflower seeds are at the top of the list. One ounce, which is about 1/5 of a cup, will give you 10.2mg which is about half of the daily value needed.
Vitamin A…
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Recipe: Chicken And Rice Dog Food For Upset Stomach
A diet change can help your dog’s upset stomach.
Chicken and Rice Dog Food is one of the most commonly recommended recipes for sick dogs. You’ll make this recipe with three easy-to-digest ingredients that soothe an irritated stomach.
You need to start with small amounts and gradually get him used to eating again.
Start slowly with 4-5 small portions of this food for the first day.
You can give three to four portions the second day, if your dog seems to eat less.
If the symptoms get worse, reduce the portion size and space out feeding times. Basically, a little food goes a long way when your dog has an upset stomach.
Vomiting and diarrhea are two of the most common signs of upset stomach in dogs. If your dog continues to throw up or have diarrhea for over 48 hours, see a veterinarian.
If your dog’s symptoms keep getting worse, seek veterinary treatment.
Who Should Not Use A Bland Diet
This diet isn’t for pets with chronic diarrhea or vomiting. Those pets may have problems that need to be dealt with through discussions with your veterinarian.
This diet is not ideal for dogs with true food allergies, or inflammatory bowel disease. However, if you know what your dog is allergic to and choose an appropriate protein source, you may work around this.
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Before You Switch Your Dog’s Food
If you notice that your pet has diarrhea one time, you don’t need to fret immediately.
Keep a close eye on his bathroom activity, and take him outside to do his business more frequently than normal.
If you notice the stool progressively getting more firm over the course of his next few bowel movements, you’ve got nothing to worry about.
However, if you notice a loose stool and then it gets progressively looser, it’s time to get concerned.
If your pup just ate something that he shouldn’t have, it will pass through his system in about 24 hours.
If there is something more serious going on, the bout of diarrhea will last longer, and you will need some upset stomach treatment.
Aside from switching to the best dog food for dogs with diarrhea, there are some other options that you can try first, including:
1. Fasting
Anywhere between 12 and 24 hours, the dog should fast.
Feeding your dog during diarrhea is pointless because diarrhea is the very act of pushing food out of the body overly fast.
Plus, feeding the dog will further stress the stomach and aggravate the condition.
2. Hydration
Diarrhea causes a lot of dehydration for the body, so your doggy must drink water.
Sometimes, diarrhea can cause some apathy, so youll need to encourage the dog to drink.
Make sure it doesnt drink too much either however put a little water in the water bowl regularly and refill when the dog has drunk it.
3. End the fasting with a specialized food
4. Ration the food
Figure Out Why Your Dog Got Diarrhea And Treat The Root Cause
Once youve started to resolve your pets symptoms, youll need to play a bit of detective. Youll need to figure out what caused your dog to get sick in the first place.
Start by thinking through the obvious. Did your dog eat something he shouldnt have on a walk? Did he have new food or a new kind of treat? Are any of your dogs toys missing? Could your pet have eaten a toy or other non-food item?
If not, think also about where your dog has been over the last few days. Does your dog spend time at doggie daycare or the dog park? Could it be a virus that has simply run its course? If the issue is frequent or isnt resolving you may need a vet to help you diagnose the issue.
The doctor may do a physical exam or x-rays to check for abdominal injuries, and bloodwork or a stool sample analysis to check for bacteria, parasites or other health-related issues. Once the cause has been determined you can work on a treatment plan. This might include avoiding the food that caused the issue or staying home from daycare for a few days.
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What Is Diarrhea Due To Diet
There are instances when your dog will suffer from bouts of loose stools or diarrhea. Often, diarrhea will be the result of an illness but there are also instances when diarrhea is caused by your dogs diet. This can be from eating too much, eating spoiled food or eating out of the garbage. A food intolerance or allergy can also cause your dog to experience diarrhea.
Changing your dogs diet can also cause your dog to develop diarrhea. When you change your dogs food it can take a few days for your dogs digestive system to fully adapt to the new food. It is recommended that you slowly change your dogs food from one source to another by mixing the two together equally and then slowly decrease the amount of the first food.
When your dog eats, the food will travel down the esophagus quickly and enter the stomach in large pieces or chunks. Their salivary enzymes are not designed to break down the food but to kill bacteria. The acids within the stomach will break down the food, disperse the nutrients and rid the body of waste in the form of well-formed stool and urine.
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Read The Instructions On Any Medication
Some medications can reduce a dogs appetite. If your dog is on antibiotics or on any other medication, this may be the culprit. Make sure you carefully read all instructions and then wait at least fifteen minutes before offering your dog food. By waiting, youll ensure that the medicine has hit your dogs stomach and coated it fully before any food arrives.
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Holistic Select Best All
The Holistic Select recipe is manufactured to support digestive health for your pet. It is enriched with active probiotics, fibers, and digestive enzymes. The food is combined with essential natural ingredients. They will ensure the absorption and utilization of all crucial nutrients.
Additionally, the food contains balanced amount of whole grains. It includes oatmeal, brown rice, and quinoa, which boost up energy levels.
The mixture of healthy fruits and vegetables, including pumpkin and papaya, feature enough fiber and promote digestion. What makes this diet different is the small number of live microorganisms. They are often found in a digestive tract.
To sum everything up, this product will enable a long and healthy life for your pet. If you require well-balanced formula, to minimize digestive issues, then Holistic Select is the right choice for you.
More Good Foods Less Time Squatting
Finally, dont let your dog outside to go to the bathroom too many times in a row.
Only you will know what your dogs signals for going outside are. And you should be able to tell when they really need to go as opposed to when theyre just uncomfortable and keeps thinking they have to go.
Once you get to the point that straight liquid is coming out, Ive found that its helpful if you can help those dog diarrhea home remedy foods do their work by letting them sit inside the dogs tummy to bind for awhile.
Otherwise, your dog will indeed keep squirting liquid, and youre likely to have a dog with a sore behind in no time. Plus, the diarrhea will take longer to cure.
Thats just what Ive learned with my 3 dogs through the years. Everyone may not feel the same way on this, but even if you can get your dog to wait 5 extra minutes each time that could make a difference in how quickly the diarrhea goes away. The idea is to play with your dog during this time and do things that take their mind off of having to go to the bathroom.
Of course, this only applies when your dog is not having any difficulty keeping the diarrhea inside of them. If your dogs diarrhea is to the point that theyre messing in the house, then by all means let your dog do whatever they have to do outside!
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