When your dog isn't feeling well, just like you, they may need a special meal. Gastrointestinal (GI or GIT) illness, or gastroenteritis, is a common illness in dogs, and a bland diet can help them recover at home. Knowing when to feed a bland diet and when to seek veterinary care can be difficult. This article provides a comprehensive guide to canine bland diets, offering recipes, feeding guidelines, and essential information to help your furry friend get back on their paws.
What is a Bland Diet?
A bland diet is easily digested and low in fat, making it a palatable option for dogs not feeling their best. The digestive system needs nutrients from food to help resolve symptoms of stomach upset, and bland diets allow sick pups to still eat. Bland diets for dogs with gastroenteritis also help with digestion. Typically, it comprises a 1/3 protein to 2/3 bland fiber ratio.
Key Components of a Bland Diet
- Lean Proteins: Typical lean proteins used in a bland diet for dogs include boiled (not fried) lean hamburger, chicken (no fat), turkey, or cottage cheese.
- Bland Fiber: Carbohydrates such as plain white rice or potato, brown rice, barley, or even whole wheat pasta are often added to a bland diet. Never boil the rice in the same water as you boiled the meat in, as the fat will adhere to the rice. Fresh vegetables are not always needed in a bland diet, but some, such as pumpkin, can add fiber.
Benefits of a Bland Diet
- Easy Digestion: Highly digestible foods make it easy for dogs to absorb the nutrients they need. A highly digestible food can still be a dog kibble, but one that’s specifically labeled for those with gastroenteritis.
- Low Fat Content: Low-fat foods are the best option for dogs dealing with an upset stomach due to pancreatitis or chronic (long-term) gastrointestinal disease.
- High Fiber Content: High-fiber foods help the digestive system move things along within the digestive tract.
- Hypoallergenic Options: Hypoallergenic or novel protein diets can help dogs with stomach upset from a food allergy. A novel protein limited ingredient diet is one that the immune system has not seen before and usually consists of less common proteins, such as rabbit or venison meat.
Homemade Bland Diet Recipe: Chicken and Rice
This simple chicken dog food recipe is a great option for an upset stomach. It includes minimal healthy ingredients that will make your dog feel better!
Ingredients:
- Organic chicken breasts
- White rice
- Pumpkin (optional)
Instructions:
- Cook the Chicken: I use organic chicken breasts. Chicken breasts are lean pieces of chicken compared to thighs or drumsticks. In a medium pot, fill three-quarters with water and add the chicken. Steaming or boiling meat is a healthier way to preserve nutrients. Boiling chicken is a great way to cook chicken for dogs, as gently cooked food is best for dogs for digestion, and boiling chicken will cook it at a lower temperature than if you bake it.
- Cook the Rice: Cook the white rice per the instructions. The white rice is low in fiber and easy to digest.
- Combine Ingredients: Once the chicken is cooked, shred it and mix it with the cooked rice.
- Add Pumpkin (Optional): If your dog is having any kind of GI upset or diarrhea, then feeding them a homemade dog food for diarrhea such as this simple meal with chicken, white rice, and pumpkin will help. Start small if you haven’t been feeding your dog pumpkin. Start with 1 teaspoon per 10 pounds of dog. Aim for about 1 teaspoon for small dogs, 1 tablespoon for medium dogs, and 2 tablespoons for large dogs.
Why These Ingredients?
- Chicken: Chicken gives them lean protein.
- White Rice: The white rice is low in fiber and easy to digest.
- Pumpkin: Fresh vegetables are not always needed in a bland diet, but some, such as pumpkin, can add fiber.
Feeding Guidelines
How Much to Feed
This all depends on your dog’s size, current weight, and activity level. Always check with your vet to make sure you are feeding your dog the appropriate amount of food for their size and age. But a general rule is you should be feeding your dog 2% to 5% of their body weight in fresh food. And small dogs weighing about 20 pounds or less can even get up to 10%!
Here’s an example of a simple homemade bland diet recipe is the following:
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- 1 cup of boiled hamburger, turkey, chicken, or cottage cheese mixed with
- 3 cups of boiled white rice
Amount to feed of the homemade bland diet
Pups (up to 4 months of age)
- Body weight:
- 5lbs ¾ of a pound daily (or 1 cup three times daily)
- 10lbs 1 ¼ pounds daily (or 1 2/3 cups three times daily)
- 20lbs 2 ¼ pounds daily (or 3 cups three times daily)
Adult dog
- 10lbs ¾ of a pound daily (or 1 cup three times daily)
- 20lbs 1 ½ pounds daily ( or 2 cups three times daily)
- 40lbs 2 1/3 pounds daily (or 3 cups three times daily)
- 80lbs 3 ¼ pounds daily (or 4 1/3 cups three times daily)
Feeding Schedule
Your vet may also recommend offering your dog smaller meals more frequently throughout the day. Offer the bland diet three times daily for five days unless otherwise recommended by your veterinarian.
Transitioning Back to Regular Diet
If your pet improves on the bland diet on the fifth day start transitioning your pet back to his/her regular diet by mixing in your pet’s regular diet and continue until he is back on his regular diet. This transition period should take five to seven additional days.
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Can I feed my chicken and rice all the time?
This homemade dog food for diarrhea is great for when your dog's tummy is upset. But, it’s not healthy to only feed your dog this. Just like you need fruits, veggies, and variety in your diet, so does your dog! Reserve this meal for when your dog isn’t feeling well or even for special occasions. Or, use it as a base meal and add in veggies, fruits, and other nutrient rich dog safe foods.
Veterinary Diets vs. Homemade Bland Diets
Historically, when dogs were affected by gastrointestinal illnesses, reaching for a homemade dog-friendly diet was the most popular choice for pet parents. Feeding a homemade bland diet of chicken and rice or beef and potato is still an option, but getting these ingredients in a kibble or canned food is often more beneficial. Compared to home-cooked chicken and rice, a prescription diet for dogs with stomach upset gives them bland ingredients in addition to the vitamins and minerals needed for a complete and balanced diet. In contrast, long-term use of home-cooked diets often results in nutritional deficiencies that can cause further illness.
These canned food diets, such as Hills a/d Urgent Care or Royal Canin Recovery, only require your dog to eat a small amount of food to get their energy requirements for the day.
Commercial Options for Sensitive Stomachs
A sensitive stomach is often not associated with a medical condition. The best dog foods for sensitive stomachs contain highly digestible proteins and carbohydrates, along with added fiber and probiotics.
- JustFoodForDogs® makes fresh prepared dog food options such as chicken and rice, lamb and brown rice, and turkey with whole wheat macaroni.
- Purina® Pro Plan® Sensitive Skin and Stomach comes in flavors including lamb and oatmeal, salmon and rice, and turkey and oatmeal.
- Royal Canin Digestive Care is found in wet and dry options. There are also options for dogs of different sizes (small, medium, and large).
Additional Tips for Encouraging Your Dog to Eat
When a dog is eating a bland diet, they are usually not feeling their best and may need a little encouragement. Consult your veterinarian to see if these methods are ideal for your dog.
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Ensuring Proper Hydration
Keeping your dog well-hydrated might seem like a basic task, yet it's often one that's not given enough attention, especially around meal times. For dogs on a kibble-based diet, dehydration is a common issue. The reason? Dry kibble absorbs moisture during digestion, potentially leading to a state of chronic dehydration. This occurs as the body compensates by diverting water from internal organs to aid in the digestion process, which can result in mild dehydration-even if your dog appears to be drinking water throughout the day.
One of the simplest yet most effective strategies for pet owners feeding kibble is to ensure their dog's food is hydrated. Moistening your dog's kibble not only eases digestion but also helps maintain hydration levels in your dog's body.
To hydrate kibble, consider adding:
- Filtered Water
- Coconut Water
- Bone Broth
- Goat's Milk
- Decaffeinated Green Tea (which also helps in cancer prevention)
Pro Tip: Try freezing these liquids in ice cube trays or silicone molds.
When to Seek Veterinary Care
If the symptoms last longer than 48 hours, call your vet. It’s always a good idea to limit your dog’s food intake at this point. Offering probiotics in your dog’s food can help repopulate the digestive system with the good bacteria they lose during times of GI upset, such as diarrhea. Ensure your dog is drinking enough water and consider keeping a food journal to remember how much they ate and what symptoms they have.