Dog Food For Sensitive Stomach: What Causes Tummy Upset and What Food Is Best?

Dogs are known for eating stuff they aren't meant to, which can cause stomach problems. An occasional upset stomach shouldn't be a reason for alarm if your dog is generally healthy.

However, if your dog is experiencing significant or regular stomach issues, it may have a sensitive stomach.

This article explains sensitive stomachs and which dog food is best in helping your dog to overcome the issue.

How to determine if my dog has a sensitive stomach?

Many signs your dog has a sensitive stomach are the same signs you get as humans. The symptoms are as follows:

Intermittent loose stools

Changing a dog's diet might result in loose stools or poop that don't appear to be normal. Monitor your dog faeces for a few days and if it changes and you believe it's due to something you've done — new food, new supplements, you don’t have to worry that much. However, if it prolongs, it's conceivable that your dog's digestive system is disturbed.

Diarrhoea

If your dog has been having frequent bouts of diarrhoea and nothing you've tried seems to be helping, it's time to take it to the doctor to make sure it hasn't picked up a bacterial infection.

However, diarrhoea can also be a sign of a sensitive stomach. Your veterinarian may be able to help you figure out what's causing the problem.

Sounds from the tummy

It's conceivable that your dog is having trouble digesting meals if it has a gurgly tummy after eating. Keep a watch on it to see if any other symptoms arise.

Flatulence that is excessive

Gas is a sign that something inside your dog's digestive system isn't agreeing with it.

Vomiting randomly and occasionally

Everybody pukes once in a while. Dogs, especially those who eat items off the pavement, might occasionally consume something that causes stomach discomfort. However, if the vomiting becomes more frequent or occurs especially around mealtimes, your dog may have a sensitive stomach.

Other symptoms

Here’s a list of other signs you might want to keep a lookout for:

• Burping
• Paces after eating
• Excessively licks the lips or air
• Bad breath
• Loss of appetite
• Drinks water unnecessarily
• Eats grass

Why does my dog have a sensitive stomach?

A sensitive stomach in a dog can be caused by multiple factors, including:

Change in diet

Have you altered your dog's diet lately? If this causes your dog to have stomach problems, it most likely has a sensitive stomach. An upset stomach can also be caused by a period of overindulgence.

Inflammation

Dogs like eating foods that aren't always beneficial for them. They frequently consume toys, human meals laced with spices, and a variety of other undesirable items.

If your dog consumes something it shouldn't, the lining of its stomach may become inflamed. Your dog won't be able to digest food if a toy or whatever they consume becomes trapped in their intestines.

Built up gas

As your dog digests its food, gas naturally builds up in its body. The gas may grow and create discomfort if your dog is unable to pass it for whatever reason. Constipation is another ailment that dogs and humans share. Constipation causes their faeces to back up, along with the gas that is produced, causing discomfort or pain in your dog.

Ulcers

If the stomach lining is injured, dogs might get ulcers. Ulcers can be caused by inflammation, medication, or anything else that damages the lining of their stomach. This will cause them to have a sensitive stomach.

Motion sickness

If you take your dog for a trip or rock them in a chair, they may not be used to it. Unfamiliar movements can cause motion sickness in dogs and this will lead them to puke.

What can I do to solve this?

The digestive tract of your dog is critical to ensure that all of the nutrients in their diet are absorbed and used. With this in mind, it's critical to recognise any signs that it's not firing on all cylinders and know what to do about it.

Here’s a list of things you can follow to help your dog overcome its sensitive stomach:

Control what you feed your dog

While giving your dog the night's leftovers may seem like a natural and pleasant treat, even tiny amounts of unfamiliar food might upset your dog's stomach. Even seemingly innocuous food like meat and vegetables which has been prepared for human consumption has herbs and spices that dogs are unable to digest properly.

There's nothing bad with treats, just make sure it doesn't account for more than 10% of your dog's daily calories. Fresh is ideal, but make sure they're suitable for your dog's digestive system to avoid any unpleasant side effects later.

Feed high quality dog food

It's also worth noting that your dog's regular meals should depend on high-quality food like salmon. Commercially manufactured dry and wet meals are prepared with hundreds of components, many of which aren't stated on the label.

Commercial dog food also goes through very severe processing processes, making them difficult to digest for dogs, particularly those with sensitive stomachs. However, there are dry and wet foods that are made with good quality ingredients like Petcube’s range of dog food. Keep an eye out for those and your dog will be alright.

Secure the trash cans at home

If you've ever caught your dog with its nose in the garbage, it's time to dog-proof your home so it doesn't consume anything that could irritate its stomach. Check to see whether garbage cans have lids and that accessible cupboard doors are closed. Cosmetics should be kept out of reach, and the toilet bowl lid should be closed.

Give supplements carefully

While certain nutritional supplements can certainly help calm your dog's sensitive stomach, you should consult with your veterinarian before using them. When taken in excessive dosages, many vitamins and minerals might cause significant health problems.

That isn't to imply that you shouldn't take supplements. If your dog's sensitive stomach is caused by food allergies, supplements like Omega 3s can help cure some of the side effects of the allergies, such as skin, coat, joints, and eyes. Do consult with your local veterinarian before starting any supplements for your dog.

What type of dog food is good for sensitive stomachs?

What you feed your dog is very important as it directly affects its stomach. Here’s a list of dog food that is suitable for dogs with sensitive stomachs:

Bone Broth

Bone broth for dogs has to be one of the best dietary meals you can feed your dog. Bone broth can be quite beneficial to dogs with sensitive stomachs, particularly senior dogs. It is a calming dish for dogs, just as it is for humans when their stomachs are upset.

When nothing else appeals to a dog, this calming meal may give much-needed nutrition. It can even aid in the expansion of a fussy dog's appetite by providing a delicious flavour to other dog meals.

Salmon

You can feed your dog salmon or any fish-based meal as they are good for those with sensitive stomachs. Salmon is a high protein low fat diet food that can aid dogs to overcome sensitivity since it has less fat and less thick muscle fibre.

This makes it easier to digest and allows them to absorb more nutrients. A sensitive stomach is a sign of an underlying problem, which is frequently caused by poor nutrition or external stimuli.

Our Gently Cooked Salmon can be great for your dog and it's also easy to prepare. This meal also includes sardines which can help with your dog’s skin and coat, decrease inflammation, and aid the immune system.

Raw Dog Food

Raw dog food is good for sensitive stomachs since they are not processed, is low in carbohydrates and sugars, and can be digested rapidly.

Raw food diets, on the other hand, are high in protein and fat, which may be too much for certain pets. For pets that are overweight, portion management is crucial, but for dogs who have had diseases like pancreatitis, this sort of diet can be dangerous if not transitioned and provided properly.

Preparing raw food for your dog can be a hard and overwhelming process. Hence, we here at PetCubes have the perfect alternative for you. Our raw dog food collection is jam packed with a variety of selections you can choose from. Our raw dog food is also curated with the best nutrients to ensure your dog receives all the benefits it can from this meal.

Dehydrated Food

Dehydrated food is a fantastic alternative to raw dog food. Moisture is removed from the food with little or no heat, leaving the nutrients intact and in their original condition.

This type of food will last longer and require fewer if any, vitamin and mineral supplements. This will make it easier for your dog to digest the vital nutrients.

What if my dog has allergies?

The elimination diet is quite beneficial for many dogs in this scenario. Simply said, the elimination diet is offering your dog a fresh, balanced diet of clean, basic foods and seeing how they react.

If their symptoms go away, you can gradually introduce different meals one at a time to observe how they react. When the symptoms reappear, you've discovered the offending component.

What should I look out for when choosing a diet for my dog?

The most basic tip to follow when picking the finest food for dogs with stomach sensitivity is to make sure the first component is animal protein. Cheaper dog kibble may contain artificial flavours and preservatives, but dogs were never designed to eat these processed foods.

By ensuring that meat is the first component in your dog's meal, you're giving their sensitive stomach precisely what it was meant to digest.

Probiotics and/or prebiotics, antioxidants, digestion-promoting enzymes, and filler-free dog food are some of the additional things to check for when picking a dog food. You may feed your dog wet dog food, dry dog food, or a combination of the two as long as it is of good quality. If you're not sure which is ideal for your dog’s needs, see your local veterinarian.

How to make homemade dog food for a sensitive stomach?

Whether you are new or experienced in making homemade dog food, here’s a general recipe you can follow to make a meal for your dog with a sensitive stomach:

• Half a pound of ground meat of your choice
• 1 cup of vegetables of your choosing
• ¼ of a cup of yoghurt
• 1 and a half cups of your dog’s favourite carbohydrate (eg: rice)

Final Thoughts

There are numerous alternatives available for dogs with sensitive stomachs to help them feel better quickly. With the aid of your local veterinarian and by feeding your dog right, your dog will be back to normal and healthy in no time!