What to feed my dog with diarrhea

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Dog Diarrhea Home Feeding Remedies
What to Feed a Dog with Diarrhea FAQ’s
My dog has diarrhea, What should I do?

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When a dog experiences loose stools, a pet parent realizes what to feed a dog with diarrhea is essential. While the gastrointestinal system receives and processes food, the symptoms of GI distress can painfully manifest in a dog.

For example, GI symptoms like constipation, scooting, abnormally colored stools, flatulence, blood or mucus in stools, bloating, vomiting, and liquid excrement. Furthermore, difficult elimination in a dog or a change of frequency are signs of illness.

The amount and color of stool produced by a dog are affected by diet. On the other hand, large amounts of loose, odorous, or unusually colored stools are abnormal. Mostly, dogs are known to move their bowels once or twice daily. A dog’s excrement is typically solid and brown, so when pet parents notice a change, this should be a cause for concern.

When a dog experiences these symptoms along with runny stools, visit the Veterinarian:

The stool contains blood.

There is vomiting or fever.

There are other signs of generalized distress.

If the diarrhea continues for more than twenty-four hours, get help from a Veterinarian.

Dog Diarrhea Home Feeding Remedies

There are many causes for diarrhea in dogs. If your dog has loose stools, but is otherwise acting normal, try home feeding remedies which can help dog diarrhea. If diarrhea continues and there’s other alarming symptoms, then it’s completely appropriate to seek medical attention from the dog’s Veterinarian.

Withhold food for 24 hours: Diarrhea can dehydrate your dog, so be sure that he always has access to plenty of fresh water.
Offer a Bland Meal: Serve four to six small meals throughout the day rather than one big meal.
Make a homemade remedy for dog diarrhea: – One part broiled lean hamburger to two parts cooked rice. – Broiled chicken and rice are also an alternative. – One-part cottage cheese or boiled egg mixed with two parts rice or cooked macaroni.
– When the dog’s diarrhea stops and they are tolerating regular portions of food, consider adding 1 tablespoon of fiber one time a day to the dog’s diet.
Feed the diet for three days: In this case, even after diarrhea has stopped. On the fourth day, combine this special half-and-half with your dog’s regular food. Continue reducing until by the end of the week. By this time, your dog should be eating standard portion rations.
Dog Diarrhea exceeding 24 hours: If your dog’s condition worsens, go seek a Veterinarian’s help.

For one thing, prevention of diarrhea in a dog comes down to micromanaging your dog’s intake. All in all, avoid sudden changes to a dog’s diet, feeding him table scraps, milk treats, or leaving the trash can accessible.

Most importantly, keep your dog on top of his vaccinations. Consequently, this help in preventing loose stools and keeping your dog, healthy, happy, and feeling his best.

What to Feed a Dog with Diarrhea FAQ’s

QUESTION: What should you feed a dog with diarrhea?

ANSWER: In detail, offer the diarrhetic dog small, frequent meals. Furthermore, discuss a highly digestible, protein, and carbohydrate diet with your Veterinarian. In the meantime, feed the dog hamburger/chicken mixed with rice.

QUESTION: Does diarrhea in dogs often resolve with the addition of a fiber supplement?

ANSWER: For one thing, adding fiber to a canine’s diet regulates their internal system. Speak to a Veterinarian about which fiber supplements may be appropriate for your pet.

QUESTION: If diarrhea continues for more than a day, and there are other symptoms, should I consult my Veterinarian?

ANSWER: Granted, loose stools are systematically caused by an irritation of the bowel lining, causing the rapid transit of fecal matter. Visiting the Veterinarian ensures that intestinal parasites aren’t the issue as well as other medical conditions.

QUESTION: Is it recommended to treat runny stools in dogs by withholding food for twenty-four hours?

ANSWER: Restoring the gastrointestinal tract expressly brings the dog’s stomach back to a baseline. In general, remove the food dish and specifically, serve water or ice chips. For this reason, the canine stays hydrated while he fasts.

QUESTION: Should only a Veterinarian prescribe an antidiarrheal medication for my dog?

ANSWER: Altogether, it’s dangerous to administer an over-the-counter medication to a canine without your Veterinarian’s approval or recommendation.

Please remember that if the diarrhea does not subside in a day or two-if your dog is a young puppy or if your dog is lethargic-call your veterinarian. Dogs can become dehydrated very quickly if diarrhea is allowed to continue unchecked. This is a significant medical problem and must be addressed as soon as possible.

My dog has diarrhea, What should I do?

Fast your dog for 24 hours. Only water is permitted.
Bring a fecal sample to your veterinarian to check for intestinal parasites.
After the 24 hour fast, begin feeding a combination of boiled white meat chicken (with all the skin and fat removed and the water poured off) and boiled long grain white rice. The combination of rice to chicken will be 2 to 1. In other words, if you want to give your dog a total of one cup of food he/she will receive 1/3 cup chicken mixed with 2/3 cup of rice. Feed several small meals per day rather than one or two large meals. You may also come into the office to purchase a bland diet prescription food. You will give either bland diet until you start to see a normal bowel movement, or until you haven’t seen a bowel movement for a day.
After seeing normal bowel movements for a day or two, gradually start adding your dog’s regular diet into the bland food mixture. Each day, (as long as the movements are normal) increase the amount of dog food and decrease the amount of bland food until you have reached the point where your dog is on 100% dog food. This is not the time to change your dog’s diet. You must allow his intestinal tract to become normal again.

Some things to remember regarding the causes of diarrhea. We often see diarrhea when an owner wants their dog to have a different diet. A dog’s stomach is very sensitive and does not adjust well to sudden changes in diet. When changing your dog’s diet, take your time to make the change. Some dogs need 2-3 weeks for this change. Very gradually start reducing the old food and adding the new food. If you notice a loosening of the stools, slow down even more.

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.

Many dogs also practice what we call “dietary indiscretion.” All this means is that the dog is eating something he/she shouldn’t have, whether it be something from the yard or the trashcan or inappropriate table scraps which are very rich, such as beef, lamb or the bones of meat you have cooked.

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 dog’s health.

Many pet owners wonder what to feed a dog with diarrhea. It's a common condition in canines that has many causes. Understanding the different types of diarrhea dogs can experience will help you decide how to best care for your four-legged family member.

Acute diarrhea comes on suddenly and lasts for less than a few days. In general, acute diarrhea can result from garbage gut, a sudden change of diet, or picking up a bacterial or viral infection. Diet plays a key part in successful treatment. Feed the wrong food, and you could prolong the gastrointestinal upset.

For cases of acute diarrhea, where your dog is otherwise feeling well -- and is not behaving lethargically, vomiting, or displaying any other concerning symptoms -- it can be beneficial to rest their digestive system. By withholding food for 12 to 24 hours, you allow the gut to repair and recover. Whether to feed a dog during this time is controversial, but many veterinarians believe that food stimulates the gut to contract and extends the time a dog with diarrhea is ill.

Always ensure plenty of fresh, clean drinking water is available. Your dog will need to drink a lot to replace the fluid lost through diarrhea. If they aren't drinking water, your dog could be at risk for dehydration. Puppies are particularly vulnerable to becoming dehydrated. Seek veterinary advice and consider bringing them in for an exam if you are concerned.

After 12 to 24 hours, reintroduce food via a bland diet (rather than your dog's regular 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 perfect dog food to treat diarrhea includes a mix of:

Boiled white potato or mashed potato (no milk or butter)
Baked or boiled sweet potato, without skin
Boiled white rice, pasta, or millet
Boiled skinless, boneless chicken
Boiled rabbit or white fish
Lean, boiled pork loin
Ground turkey, baked as a loaf
Lean ground beef, drained of fat
Plain canned pumpkin (just plain pumpkin, not pumpkin pie mix!)
Rice water

Once your dog is feeling better, some other foods that can help with their soft stools are:

Bananas
Applesauce
Plain yogurt or cottage cheese

Dog owners might think canned pumpkin is a strange item to feed their dogs, but it's actually an excellent source of fiber. Adding fiber to the diet encourages the absorption of more water within a dog's stool and decreases the intestines' pH level.

Fiber can also aid in the growth of "good" bacteria that promote the proper function of the execratory system. The fiber in canned pumpkin can also help minimize the growth of "bad" bacteria that leads to irritated intestines and diarrhea.

A bland diet for dogs should be a mixture of 2 parts digestible starch to 1 part lean protein. Try this easy, low-fat recipe.

Ingredients:

Two boiled boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3 cups of cooked white rice

Directions:

Finely chop or shred the chicken breast. Mix thoroughly with the rice. Use within a few days of preparation. Freeze extra portions as needed.

Another popular diet recommended by Dr. Karen Becker involves making a mixture of 50 percent cooked ground turkey and 50 percent canned pumpkin. You can also substitute fresh cooked pumpkin, cooked sweet potato, or mashed potatoes.

It's important to note that these simple, bland diets aren't ideal for long-term care. Their limited ingredients are designed to be gentle on the intestinal tract but don't contain all the vitamins or minerals your dog needs. If you would like to cook your dog's food after they've recovered from diarrhea, be sure to find a balanced, veterinarian-recommended home-cooked recipe.

How much should you feed your dog when they have diarrhea? It's important to reduce the portion size initially to avoid overwhelming the intestinal system.

Begin by feeding your dog 1 to 2 tablespoons of bland food every couple of hours.
Slowly increase the amount you offer them until you reach their appropriate daily volume. Gradually feed less frequently until you're only feeding them a few times a day.
Using this guideline, you can estimate how much your dog should get each day: they should eat approximately 1/2 cup of food for every 10 pounds of body weight.
As soon as your dog's bowel movements start to firm up, you can gradually switch them back to their regular diet.

Monitor your dog for any recurrence of diarrhea, and avoid giving them treats or chews during this recovery period. Table scraps are never a good idea and are particularly bad for your dog when they have an upset intestinal tract.

Your veterinarian may recommend that you give your dog over-the-counter medications or supplements for stomach distress such as Kaopectate, Pepto Bismol, or psyllium. Never give your dog any medications without speaking to your veterinarian first and follow their dosing instructions carefully.

Diarrhea is considered chronic when it has either persisted for more than 7 days or the symptoms come and go for a period of weeks or months. Chronic diarrhea most commonly arises when the stomach upset is a symptom of a serious internal problem, such as liver or kidney disease, dietary allergies, or problems with the intestinal lining.

For cases of chronic diarrhea, the treatment options may be more complex. It's important to take your dog to your veterinarian to investigate the underlying cause of diarrhea in case it's due to a serious medical condition.

A combination of medication, dietary supplements, and an appropriate diet such as a prescription dog food can usually help alleviate the diarrhea. Some effective commercial foods available for dogs with diarrhea include the following:

Hill's Prescription Diet i/d Canine Stress Rice, Vegetable & Chicken Stew - A dog with chronic diarrhea may be experiencing undue stress leading to an unhealthy gastrointestinal tract. This diet contains microflora to help restore the intestine's bacterial balance, as well as high fiber and low-fat content. This food requires a veterinary prescription.
Hill's Science Diet Adult Sensitive Stomach and Skin Salmon & Vegetable Entrée Dog Food - Available in a canned formula, your veterinarian may recommend a novel protein food if your dog's chronic diarrhea is due to an allergy to a common protein source. Other protein varieties are available, including venison, lamb, kangaroo, and d/d Canine Potato & Duck Formula.
ProPlan EN Gastroenteric Fiber Canine Formula - This food has a higher fiber content and contains a prebiotic to support your dog's intestinal tract. It comes in a dry and canned version, and you must have a veterinary prescription to purchase.
Royal Canin Large Digestive Care Dog Food - This food is made specifically for large dogs with digestive problems. It has high-quality protein, microflora, and digestible fiber. A prescription is not required, although you should consult with your veterinarian first to ensure it's a good choice for your dog.

Dog diarrhea is a common occurrence. Try to talk with your vet before your dog has an episode to make sure you're prepared with recommendations on treating diarrhea at home using home remedies or over-the-counter medications. While most dogs will have diarrhea at some point in their lives, you can help avoid severe cases by implementing these preventive measures.

Never feed your dog table scraps or spicy food.
Keep up-to-date with all vaccinations.
Don't allow your pet to eat bones, sticks, or rocks.
Have your dog's stool routinely checked for worms.
Feed a well-balanced diet.
Exercise your dog regularly and keep them at a healthy weight.

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 call to the vet 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
Fever
Lethargy, depression, or weakness
Signs of pain or discomfort
Pale gums, or gums that are yellow-tinged
Stools that are black or tarry
Blood in the stool
Decreased appetite
Dehydration
Rough or dull coat

The following are situations that warrant contacting the vet immediately:

Your dog might have eaten something poisonous.
Your dog isn't fully vaccinated.
Your dog is a puppy.

When your dog has diarrhea, it can cause you to worry. Know that diarrhea is a common concern nearly all dog owners must handle at some point. By providing your dog with supportive nutritional care and seeking help when needed, you can ensure your beloved companion recovers quickly.