Bland Diet for Dogs

An upset stomach is a common problem amongst pet dogs. Various signs of an upset stomach in dogs include, loss of appetite, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, etc.; that are caused due to food allergies, food poisoning and / or certain digestive health complications as well. In such cases, it is important to make some basic changes in the dietary habits and the dog food that you have been feeding to your pet dog. Also, it is very important to take your dog to a veterinarian before the situation gets worse. Along with certain medications, the veterinarian would advise you to feed the dog with home cooked food or a bland diet. All of us are well aware of a bland diet, which we consume during the episodes of an upset stomach, food allergies, and as a preparation for certain stomach surgeries. Basics of a bland diet are more or less similar to the bland diet for humans. The only difference is found in the selection of foods, which should be done by keeping your individual pet dog in mind. Let's learn how to go about it.

What is a Bland Diet for Dogs?

Various experts are likely to have various opinions when it comes to selecting the best diet for dogs who are suffering with various digestive problems like an upset stomach or a sensitive stomach. Some of them may recommend you to feed the dog with commercial canned dog food, while the rest of them will advise you to feed them healthy homemade dog food recipes. The basic question is - when to introduce bland food in a dog's diet? If your dog is suffering from vomiting, diarrhea, irritable bowel syndrome, dysbosis, bacterial or viral infections, leaky gut syndrome, etc., then you should go in for bland recipes for your dog. On the other hand, if your dog has recently undergone certain surgeries related to the stomach or is going to have stomach related surgeries in the future, then the vet might advise you to put him on a bland diet for cleansing and healing. A bland diet is typically soft in texture and mild in flavor, so that the dog can eat and digest it properly. Foods that are included in a bland diet should never be too spicy, since they could aggravate the problem further. Before adding bland food in the dog's diet, you need to prepare a fasting regimen for your dog. The veterinarian would help you in planning with this regimen, and would also indicate to you the time when you can introduce bland foods to your dog.

Best Bland Diet

When it comes to choosing the best bland food for dogs, there are two well suggested options. First one is of choosing commercial dog food that is prepared as per the vet's prescription. The most popular brands to provide some of the best dog food for sensitive stomachs are, Hills Science Diet, Natural Balance, California Natural, Nature's Recipe, Breeder's Choice, Pinnacle Duck, Flint River Ranch, Nutro Natural Dog Food, Iams Natural Dog Food, etc. However, don't forget to consult with the vet before introducing any of these foods in your dog's diet! The second and much more healthier option of a bland diet is of course of feeding them with home cooked dog food. Homemade dog food is always rated higher when it comes to special dog diets. You can easily maintain the quality of the dog food by choosing the right ingredients and cooking methods. The limited number of healthy ingredient selection also leaves no scope for food allergies or poisoning. Hence, feeding dogs with freshly prepared homemade dog food is the best choice. However, always make sure that you are not using foods and vegetables which your dog is allergic to. Also avoid ingredients that are hard to digest. If the vet suggests, add probiotics to the dog food. You can use yogurt as a natural probiotic. Use one tbsp for small dogs and two tbsp for adult dogs.

Here are some recipes that are effective for the treatment of specific health conditions of your dog. All the recipes that are described below are easy to prepare and are soothing for various stomach conditions of your canine friend. However, as a precaution, consult your vet before using any of them for your dog.

Here is an easy recipe that you can feed a dog that is suffering from a sensitive stomach.

Ingredients Rice, 2 cups Boneless chicken, 1 lbs Vegetables, 1 cup Water, 4 cups Procedure Heat water in a large skillet. Once the water starts boiling, add rice, vegetables (no onions or garlic) and chopped chicken to it. Mix all the ingredients well and cover it. Cook on medium to low heat for a few minutes and keep stirring the mixture occasionally in the meanwhile. Simmer for about 20 minutes and make sure that rice and chicken are thoroughly cooked. Cool it down and serve to the dog.

Here is an easy diet for dogs with diarrhea. While preparing all the recipes for a bland diet, you need to make sure that they are well cooked. Refrain from feeding the dogs with uncooked or undercooked dog food.

Ingredients Rice, 2 cups Boneless chicken, 2 cups Water, 5 cups Procedure Chop the boneless chicken and keep it aside. Heat a skillet and add water in it. As water starts boiling, add rice and chopped chicken to it and stir well. Keep cooking until chicken turns tender and rice is thoroughly cooked.

Here is a simple recipe that you can feed a dog with various problems of an upset stomach like diarrhea, indigestion, loss of appetite, constipation, and loss of appetite.

Ingredients Rice, 2 cups Skinless, boneless chicken, 1 cup Cottage Cheese, 1 tbsp Yogurt, 1 tbsp Canned pumpkin, 2 tbsps Small potato, 1 Water, 4 cups Procedure Bring water to boil in a pan. When it starts boiling, add the chopped potato, rice, and chopped chicken to it. When the rice and chicken starts getting cooked, add canned pumpkin, cottage cheese and yogurt to the pan and stir it well. Simmer the recipe until all the ingredients get thoroughly cooked. Cool it down and serve to the dog.

If your dog's weight is around 50 lbs, then feed him with 2 cups of bland dog food everyday. Continue the bland diet for about three days, before revisiting the vet. In some serious cases of stomach problems, the vet may also prescribe certain medications to the dog.