Bland Diet Dog Food
Diarrhea in dogs can be caused by a number of reasons but most often parasites, bacteria, viruses and the occasional dumpster dive can cause your dog gastrointestinal upset. It is best to refrain from feeding your dog for at least a twenty-four hour period when diarrhea persists, while still allowing small amounts of water to be ingested. Limited portions of food can be added back into the diet when the diarrhea begins to taper; however, it is best to avoid offering kibble. Instead, Kristin Westafer, DVM of PetDoc.com recommends bland diet dog food until normal stools return. The bland dog food diet is easy to prepare and gentle on the stomach. Any leftover portions of bland diet dog food can be stored in the refrigerator for continued use and discarded when the diarrhea episode is over.
-
What is Diarrhea?
-
The word "diarrhea" can be interpreted in various ways so, it is important to define the term as it pertains to canine illness. Watery stool is commonly thought of as diarrhea, but, as the Chaparral Animal Health Center of Longmont, Colorado explains, any stool that is abnormally softer than usual is considered diarrhea. This is especially true if the dog also exhibits symptoms of lethargy and vomiting.
Meat
-
Thoroughly cooked chicken and turkey are ideal protein sources for a bland diet. According to Pet Place.com, hamburger can also be boiled and substituted for the chicken or turkey. Any meat that is used for the bland diet should be lean, with as much fat removed as possible because fat will aggravate diarrhea symptoms.
-
Rice
-
To balance the protein in bland diet dog food, white rice is usually added. Washington State University, College of Veterinary Medicine explains that rice is gentle on the intestines and easier to digest than wheat products, so it is commonly used in a bland diet. The proportions are half meat, half rice, and the mixture should contain no seasoning. Some dog owners often feel compelled to make the bland diet dog food a little tastier by adding butter, garlic or salt but the addition of these additives is discouraged.
Yogurt
-
One or two teaspoons of yogurt can be added to the bland diet dog food mixture in order to provide a probiotic for your dog. Amy Dicke who is a Technical Services Veterinarian (TSV) for P&G Pet Care, the manufacturer of IAMS Veterinary Formulas, explains that probiotics promote healthy digestion, relieve diarrhea and balance the good and bad bacteria (flora) in the body.
Precautions
-
A simple bout of diarrhea can be easily tended to by following through with the bland dog food diet until the symptoms are over. However, Margaret Fisher B.Sc., D.V.M. of the Vancouver Animal Emergency Clinic explains that there are certain symptoms that may require immediate medical intervention. If the dog is exhibiting signs of abdominal pain, lethargy or fever in addition to the diarrhea symptoms, a veterinarian must be consulted. Persistent vomiting, dehydration and bloody stools are also causes for concern.
-
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Stephan Dirck Klaes: sxc.hu
