10 Foods to Feed Your Dog When Sick with an Upset Stomach

 

A temporary loss of appetite in your dog is not something to become immediately concerned about. Just like humans, sometimes dogs don’t feel hungry or are stressed and don’t want to eat. Diarrhea, vomiting, and a decreased appetite can make it challenging to ensure your dog is getting the right nutrients.

Signs Your Dog Has Lost His or Her Appetite

Signs of loss of appetite in dogs include:

·         Eating less food than normal

·         Refusing to eat at all

·         Refusing to eat treats

·         Lack of interest in food

·         Trying but unable to eat

·         Weight loss

·         Weakness and lethargy

·         Vomiting

Why Dogs Lose Their Appetite

Refusing to eat for more than two meals is uncommon for most animals. Loss of appetite is a serious indicator of an underlying illness, which can vary from depression to cancer. If you notice a change in your dog’s eating habits, schedule an appointment with your veterinarian immediately. It is especially important to respond quickly to a refusal to eat in dogs who normally have a good appetite.

The most common reasons a dog will lose their appetite include:

·         Illness

·         Infection

·         Disease

·         Recovering from surgery

·         Mourning a death

·         Aging

·         Stress

·         Sudden change in diet

·         Scavenging

·         Eating human foods difficult for dogs to digest

·         Motion sickness

·         Eating too much

·         Eating too quickly

·         Ear or balance problems

Other, more serious reasons for a dog being sick include:

·         Infection

·         Worms

·         Eating foreign bodies (such as socks or toys)

·         Swallowing or licking plants or toxins poisonous to dogs

·         Cancer

·         Kidney or liver disease

·         Pancreatitis

What to Feed Your Sick Dog So He or She Will Feel Better

The idea for feeding a sick dog is to give your dog the nutrition he or she needs to recover. A bland diet can help dogs with mild upset stomach, including gas, nausea, constipation, and diarrhea. Be sure to rule out serious health risks and discuss your diet plan with your veterinarian. Also, dogs with health conditions like diabetes, cancer, allergies or senior dogs might need additional nutrition to stay healthy.

1. Chicken and rice

Chicken and salmon are staples in many dog ​​foods, and these simple foods work well for sick dogs. Use boneless, skinless chicken breasts and white rice. Use no oil, butter or spices, not even salt. Be sure to cut or tear the chicken to prevent your dog from choking on the meat.

2. Ground chicken

Ground chicken is easy on an upset stomach and is often the least favorite food for these dogs. Plain, unseasoned, cooked, shredded chicken is easy to digest. It also contains protein, essential vitamins, minerals, fats and amino acids that will help your dog heal.

3. The corn man

Corn and sweet potatoes are good foods to feed a sick dog. These root vegetables are high in fiber and rich in vitamins and minerals and help a dog’s digestive systems. Adding pumpkin to your dog’s diet helps with constipation. Veterinarians recommend giving your dog one to four tablespoons of apple cider vinegar, depending on the size of your dog. Canned pumpkin is healthy and easy to serve, as long as there are no spices or other additives. Do not give your dog the pumpkin pie filling, as the added spices and sugar can irritate your dog’s upset stomach.

4. Bone soup

Bone broth is a very mild liquid with nutritional value, moisture and taste. Bone broth is easy on a dog’s digestive system and is healing. To make bone broth, boil beef ribs, turkey ribs or chicken ribs. Cover the bones with water, cover and keep at low temperature for 24 hours. Allow the water to cool in the fridge and then drain the fat that has hardened over the water. Be sure to drain the juice and discard any bones. Cooked bones are dangerous for dogs because they can split in the digestive tract, and may need to be surgically removed.

5. Baby food

Animal hospitals offer dogs certain types of baby food to feed the dogs in their care. Baby food is easy to swallow and digest and is an excellent way to administer oral medication. Baby foods like chicken, lamb and turkey are good choices. Just make sure there are no added ingredients like garlic or onion powder.

6. Hands

Eggs can be a good source of protein for sick dogs. They are easy to digest and are often loved by dogs.

7. Oatmeal

Oatmeal is high in fiber and contains good nutrients, minerals and antioxidants. Oatmeal contains B vitamins, which help maintain a healthy immune system, and linoleic acid, a type of omega-6 fatty acid that is beneficial for dogs’ skin. Just be careful not to feed your dog too much oatmeal, as too much fiber can lead to stomach upset. Also, be sure to boil oats in water, as many dogs have trouble digesting milk.

8. White fish

Sometimes dogs don’t like to eat because he’s in pain or can’t smell food. Smell plays a major role in motivating cats to eat, so something fragrant, like fish, can encourage your cat to eat. Fish provides protein and essential vitamins and minerals. Be sure to skin and debone the fish before serving it to your dog.

9. The pot of the pot

Potatoes are nutrient dense root vegetables and provide important vitamins and minerals such as vitamin C, B6, iron and magnesium. Remember to cook the potatoes thoroughly and do not add any spices, including salt. It is best to peel the peanuts before feeding them to your dog.

10. Plain yogurt

Yogurt is rich in calcium and protein. It can also act as a probiotic, which can be good for your dog’s digestive system. Make sure you only feed your dog plain yogurt without any added sweeteners, especially sweeteners.

Finally, your dog’s health should always be discussed with your veterinarian. Consult your veterinarian for what he or she recommends for your dog based on your dog’s symptoms.