Tummy troubles in your canine can be a nerve-racking experience. Not to mention, a little on the gross side. If you are the owner of a dog with a sensitive stomach, then you are all too familiar with the unpleasant digestive issues it can cause. The joys of dog ownership, right?
A sensitive stomach is not necessarily allergies or even intolerance to certain foods. It can simply be that his stomach doesn’t agree with certain things. It may not even be a chronic issue. If your dog has diarrhea, vomits, and is gassy, it may be something they ate. These symptoms can cause chronic pain and worse, malnutrition. Underlying causes can be stress or cancer. Only a vet can diagnose cancer in your canine. We won’t cover that here because it’s better left to professionals.
Your dog’s food could be causing him to frequently go to the bathroom or maybe not go at all. It is possible that your dog will experience constipation or have blood, even mucus in its stool. If you notice these symptoms, it’s best to see your vet as it may be something more serious. If your dog has been diagnosed with sensitivities and is otherwise healthy, routine vet care is still a good idea. A digestive issue like these can cause your dog to lose electrolytes and nutrients degrading his health further.
We know that a few factors can cause a dog to have a sensitive or upset stomach and a great place to start eliminating these factors is your pups’ diet. Some dogs have shown positive results when given easy to digest foods on a long-term basis. Having a healthy gut can be another way to control symptoms. Probiotics aren’t just for humans.
If it isn’t chronic, there are some things you can do to ease the discomfort your dog is having.
What You'll Learn
Here are the top three things to feed your dog if the issue is NOT chronic
Unsweetened Yogurt
A tablespoon added to food daily can be soothing, stimulate appetite, and help good gut bacteria growth.
Ice Cubes
Too much water can make stomach problems worse. Offer ice cubes or chips. Empty the water dish for a little while.
Pumpkin Or Sweet Potato’s
These are both some other things you can give your dog to help soothe him.
Some over-the-counter medicines can be given as well. Imodium can be given in 1 mg per 20lbs every eight hours. It is not recommended for Collies or related breeds as they may have a reaction to it. If you do have a Collie, you can use Pepto-bismal tablets instead. Regular strength, 1 /4 of a tablet per 20lbs every six to eight hours.
These are not meant to be a permanent solution for chronic issues. Two days is a general rule I follow for any medicine not prescribed longer.
Best Dog Food For a Dog That Has a CHRONIC Sensitive Stomach
If your dog has a chronic sensitive stomach (meaning the condition has lasted for more than a week), it’s time to consider the diet.
We won’t be recommending a specific brand because it’s impossible to say one brand has better for sensitive stomachs than another brand. The reason for this is because it all depends on what is causing the issue in the first place.
Instead, we will provide you with five nutrition tips that will help your pup.
1. Easy to Digest Foods
You want to look at the protein source and fat content. Chicken is a good option and available in almost every dog food. If your dog can’t tolerate chicken, then lamb is a good alternative. Some companies claim Bison is a good option and even go as far as to say Kangaroo meat is also a good choice. That’s right, the hopping, boxing wonder from down under.
2. What’s in Those Treats?
That bag your dog begs for can have ingredients that cause the upset stomach. Depending on the protein source, this can spell disaster for your carpet. You should also make sure that treats aren’t more than 10 percent of their daily calorie intake. That still sounds like a lot to me, but it is the recommended maximum. Overfeeding on treats can upset sensitive stomachs.
3. You Get What You Pay For
Your dog is your confidant, family member, and a trusted companion. If a diet change is needed and you want to stick with commercial brands, then you need to get the best. By best, I don’t mean top rated dog foods. I mean the best quality ingredients.
I know I said we wouldn’t be mentioning specific brands earlier, but this is an exception. Earthborn is a holistic dog food that offers high-quality ingredients that are whole-prey. This means they use all parts of the animal. Just like your dog would get if he was not domesticated.
Solid Gold is another holistic company. They have a selection of bone broth that can be very beneficial for sensitive stomachs. What creature doesn’t benefit from a good, hearty broth?
4. Cook Your Own Doggy Dinners
A great way to feed your dog is going home-cooked. I mean this literally. You cook what your dog eats. You can use the freshest ingredients and eliminate any that trigger upsets.
Keep it healthy, nutritious, and straightforward. There is a wealth of online resources for dog food recipes covering a range of common health issues. It should go without saying, but I’m going to say it anyways…no fried foods!
5. Prescription Diet Foods
Vet approved foods can help with both stomach upset and product selection while keeping nutrition at optimal levels. All natural, easy to digest ingredients are what you get with these.
Most will contain Omega-6 fatty acids which are an essential part of a dogs diet along with Omega-3s, in the right balance, of course. They also benefit your dog’s coat and skin. This can be an expensive solution to your problem though.
Hill’s sensitive stomach and skin is on Amazon by the can or bag. There are many good reviews for it. Be advised that it does contain grain.
With this information, I sincerely hope you can make an informed decision about what will work best for you and your dog.
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