Dealing with a sick person is one thing, but different if the receiving end is an animal. The poor doggie can’t even complain! On top of that, their diet has to be maintained carefully. You have to feed them selectively for illnesses like diarrhea, vomiting, stomachache, etc. So, what to give a dog for upset stomach and vomiting?
What Can You Give Your Dog For Upset Stomach And Vomiting?
The answer is crucial as your dog’s betterment significantly depends on it. Aside from providing the proper nutrition, a bland diet will help to ease these signs as well. You can try the following recipes specially planned for dogs suffering from an upset stomach. However, don’t take these conditions lightly, as they may be signs of more severe issues.
Chicken And Rice
Rice and chicken are fundamental elements of many dog foods as these work pretty well for upset stomachs. Moreover, you can prepare this meal easily. For this, you need rice and some skinless, boneless chicken breast. While brown rice has a higher nutritional value when compared with white rice, the latter’s blandness is better suited to troubled stomachs.
Don’t add butter or extra seasonings, as it can worsen your doggies stomach problem. You should stick to the rice and plain steamed chicken to get the best result. Thoroughly cook the chicken and cut it into bite-sized pieces so your dog doesn’t choke while eating.
Shredded Chicken
If your dog doesn’t want to eat anything due to less appetite, you can feed them some simple boiled chicken without anything else. Boiled chicken is digestible and is filled with minerals, amino acids, vitamins, and fat, which can be a great feeding option if your dog is not feeling well.
You can freeze the chicken for months, or you can keep the chicken in your fridge for a few days, depending on your need.
Pumpkin
Pumpkin has really good health benefits like sweet potato. It has a high amount of fiber that helps to control the digestive system. You can feed cooked, unsalted, plain, and peeled pumpkin to your pet dog. It has Vit A, Vit C, potassium, manganese, etc., that can improve the digestion system.
If you add pumpkin to your sick dog’s meal, it will definitely improve the animal’s constipation problem. Most vets will suggest you give 1-4 spoon of pumpkin based on your pet dog’s size. You can also use unseasoned canned pumpkin in case you don’t have time to prepare it. However, the spices and the sugar content of the canned pumpkin can be harmful.
Bone Broth
Broth of bones is a liquid and a very mild meal that can be digested by an upset stomach as well. By adding broth, you are also making the dry dog food a tastier and more nutritious one. This will help your dogs to regain their lost appetite. For bone broth, you can use beef bone marrows or turkey/chicken legs.
Take chicken and water into a pot, and then cook them in low heat for 20-24 hours. Then cool it for a few hours in the fridge. You will see a fat layer forming at the top of the broth. Take the layer off using a spoon and keep the broth in the freezer.
You can use the bone broth to dry food. Just make sure they are not too hot, as it would burn your dog’s mouth. Cooked bones are very harmful to your dog’s health. So, don’t forget to take out all the bones from the broth.
Baby Food
Vet often prescribes baby food as the diet for sick dogs. These types of foods are easily swallowed and digested. You can also give oral medicines via this method. While meat-based foods like turkey, chicken, lamb are pretty good, make sure they don’t have onion or garlic powder.
Common Reasons Of Upset Stomach In Dogs
There may be several reasons behind your dog’s upset stomach, but one common thing you would find is that they must have consumed something, which they should not have. You know for a fact that dogs tend to put things in their mouth all the time. Whenever they ingest something unsuitable, their digestive system would react and show symptoms like diarrhea or vomiting.
Some things can set off an upset stomach in your dogs:
- Eating something that they shouldn’t
- Bacterial misproportions in the digestion tract.
- Long-term conditions like food sensitivities.
But, you have to consider it an emergency should any of these situations arrive.
- Foreign Object: If you think that your pup has ingested a foreign object.
- Blood: Presence of blood in stool or vomit.
- Swollen Stomach: A bloated, swollen, or painful belly can also be a sign that your dog may have swallowed a foreign object.
- Poisonous Element: In case of digestion of toxic material, your dog will need emergency attention.
- Ashen Gums or Fever: These symptoms indicate a more critical underlying disease, like anemia or pneumonia.
- Severe Apathy or Weakness: Exhibiting signs of severe torpidity or frailty, such as inability to get up for drink or food.
- In Old, Young, or Chronically Sick Dogs: Usually, these dogs are weaker, meaning an upset stomach can quickly lead to something dangerous.
- Constant Vomiting. Contact the vet immediately if your dog experiences continuous vomiting over a day. The same is valid for extended and dry retching.
- In Diabetic Dogs: Some of these diabetic pets need insulin that can’t be given if the dog is vomiting.
- With Dehydration Symptoms: Acute dehydration combined with an upset metabolism system means that your pup is unable to take in fluids. It can be fatal if not instantly solved.
- Refusing To Drink Or Eat For More Than 24 Hours: If your dog refuses to drink or eat, it may be a sign that something is wrong with it.
Symptoms Of Upset Stomach In Dogs
You can know when your dog is suffering from an upset digestion system by observing some simple signs. If the canine is feeling queasy, it will eat grass to relieve the stomachache or try vomiting as a quick treatment. You will also see some other symptoms like
- Reduced or loss of appetite
- Exhaustion
- Drinking less water
- Seeming pessimistic
- Looking awkward and stretching often
- Chugging to fight reflux
- Licking their mouths or objects
When You Should Call Your Vet?
While you can treat your dog by following some simple DIY remedies, you have to monitor the dog’s health condition discreetly as well. If you see it not responding to your treatment and the signs are getting worse with time, it is high time to consult the veterinarian.
- Increasing uneasiness
- Vomiting or having an incident of diarrhea more than 2 times
- Blood in their stool or vomit
- Foreign object in their stool or vomit
- Weakness or breakdown
While these are not rare, constant exhibits of these signs mean there is something more severe like a bloated stomach, pancreatitis, serious allergy, or internal parasites going on with your pet. If you know for sure that your dog has consumed something dangerous, you must seek instant vet care without further delay.
If the primary vet is not available to attend you, call the local veterinary hospital immediately. They will assist you if your dog needs emergency medical care or you can treat him at home.
3 Instant Treatments For Upset Stomach In Dogs
I know it is hard to see your puppy sick, but before you decide to administer a home remedy to soothe its tummy, make sure to consult a vet for validation. Most of the time, they will suggest you treat the pup at home. However, you can try some of these techniques if your vet allows them.
Fasting
This one is a good idea considering no extra medication is necessary for this. When a dog’s gut is throwing out something, putting nothing in its stomach for a few hours or a day can actually help to ease the pain. While fasting is a simple process, you should ask the vet if your dog has the ability to endure it.
If it does, you can also inquire about the suitable bland diet you can give to your dog after the fasting is complete. However, you should not make a puppy fast for more than 12 hours. To keep up the glucose level, you can rub maple syrup on the pup’s gums. But check if the syrup is xylitol-free, as ingesting this synthetic sweetener can be lethal to canines.
Ice Cubes
If your dog is showing diarrhea or vomiting tendency, you will need him hydrated all the time. But too much water can be bad for his stomach as well. Hence, check the amount of water intake of your dog. Besides, make sure he doesn’t gulp whenever drinking water. Ice chips can be a good option in this situation.
If your pup can hold down a modest amount of ice chips or water, you can slowly raise the amount and frequency of giving it ice and water.
Canned Pumpkin
Many famous veterinarians prefer canned pumpkins to fight upset stomachs and indigestion problems in dogs. Due to the low amount of glycemic index, it has a slow absorption nature that helps with metabolism and a disturbed stomach.
However, you will need 100% canned pumpkin for that. A pumpkin pie mixture with different ingredients will do more harm than good to your already sick dog. Hence, remember to check the list of ingredients on the can.
Tips You Can Use To Treat Your Dog’s Upset Stomach
Before you take your dog out for medical treatment, you can try a few things to mitigate the situation.
Keep The Pup Hydrated
Keeping your dog hydrated is one of the most important things you should do. While hydration doesn’t cure the metabolism issue, it will make your dog feel a lot better. This system is pretty helpful when they are going through diarrhea or vomiting. As they keep losing an excessive amount of fluid, the occurrence of dehydration is inevitable.
However, you can’t just treat dehydration by simply offering water to the dog. It might be feeling so repugnant due to sickness that drinking water would seem exhausting as well. Loss of body fluid also means loss of essential vitamins and electrolytes. You can use Pedialyte in this situation.
You can find this dry mixture in any farming store. Just mix the packet ingredients with water and give it to your dog. If it doesn’t feel better immediately, stop treating it at home. A dehydrated dog can start from a passing issue that turns into a potential organ failure, or even worse, death. Hence, if your pup’s symptoms stay more than a day, take him to a vet as early as possible.
Check The Dog’s Temperature
To check the temperature, you can use a rectal thermometer for an accurate reading. In case it is not available, an ear thermometer will also work. However, the measurement would not be as accurate. Generally, a pup’s body temperature stays between 101 to 102.5°F. If the temperature reading is over 104°F, your dog is suffering from fever.
At this time, you should immediately visit the emergency veterinarian hospital. Temperature fluctuation or fever indicates an underlying condition that needs quick veterinary treatment.
Find Out What The Dog Ate
Dogs have a tendency to put everything in their mouth. This one might be a reason why your dog is displaying signs of an upset stomach. It can be an indoor plant, any waste materials, cans, etc., around your house. Finding out the reason would help you to treat the animal in a far better and efficient way.
Moreover, you need to be more careful while feeding your dogs. Some foods are not suitable for your dog’s digestive system. Try to make a list of such ingredients, and make sure your dog doesn’t come closer to any of them.
Foods That Can Help
You can follow some specific diets for your sick dog. These food items not only improve the metabolism system of your pup but also can help quick recovery. Plain and canned pumpkin, oatmeal, bananas, unsweetened yogurt, sweet potato, etc., are pretty good for a sick dog as they can soothe up your pup’s stomach.
Bland Diet
Once you have treated your dog with the fasting treatment, observe if the vomiting has stopped and if it can hold down the liquid. If the answer is positive, you can try giving the canine a bland diet. You can halt it once your dog can again consume a regular diet.
Probiotics
DiarRice is a probiotic that is rice-based and can help to soothe the pup’s stomach. It’s easily digested and has a chicken-like taste. You can also give your dog plain and unsweetened yogurt containing dog probiotics like Prostora, Proviable, or FortiFlora.
Probiotics have beneficial bacteria, which are usually found in the gastrointestinal tract. Ingesting probiotics can prevent digestive problems and improve your pup’s immunity system as well.
Slippery Elm Bark
Some vets suggest the bark of slippery elm for treating pups. This bark is a type of herb that can cure metabolic problems in canines. It has mucilage that covers, lubricates, and soothes your dog’s mucous membrane. Moreover, this harmless herb doesn’t have any side effects on dogs. However, you should give it separately from other medications if your dog is taking any.
In rare cases, a dog can show allergic reactions to it. If this happens, stop giving this substance without delay.
Prevent Your Pup From Eating Grass
It is a dog’s basic instinct to feed on the grass to ease their pain from an upset stomach. While most dogs try this to coax vomiting, this is not a safe way to do that. As gardens are medicated with chemicals and fertilizers, the grasses become automatically unsafe for any animal consumption. Nibbling on lawn grasses can result in your dog having an upset stomach.
Over-The-Counter Medicine
Some non-prescribed drugs can help the canine if it is suffering from diarrhea. But they should be given under the strict guidelines of the veterinary doctor. You can use Imodium, Pepcid, and Pepto-Bismol to treat your dog. As they do not promise zero side effects, you have to check with an expert first.
What Can You Do To Help Your Dog?
Your pet dog can not speak of the pain it might be going through, but you would know just by seeing its understandably tired and irritant manner. Hence, it doesn’t just end with learning about what to give a dog for upset stomach and vomiting!
You may have to do more to help your dog recover as earliest as possible. Once you know about the causes and symptoms of your dog’s possible illness, you can try some things step by step to handle the situation.
- First, you have to identify the root of your dog’s stomach problem. Knowing if the pup has consumed something toxic would make it easier to treat the disease accordingly.
- Don’t feed your pup for a limited amount of time. You can continue a liquid diet to see if it can keep the vomiting tendency under control.
- Keep an eye on your dog to see any decline in his health. Physical distress for a specific time is not a matter of concern. But if the condition gets out of hand, you need to take immediate action.
- Once you see his vital signs get more ailing, consult a vet for examination and diagnosis.
- Follow proper guidelines provided by the medical professionals. They are the best resource for treating your sick dog, so take their advice seriously.
- Start a bland food diet for your dog. Feed it small portions of pumpkin, rice, boiled chicken, etc. Increase the quantity if your dog can digest them well.
- When he starts feeling better, reinstate him on a regular diet. However, you have to combine it slowly into his bland diet. A straight-up conversion from bland foods to a proper diet can intensify the stomach problem.
- Finally, shower him with love and care as it will help him better. Your dog is just like a baby who craves affection and rest at the same time. So, you must help him take better rest.
Frequently Asked Question:
Having an upset stomach seldom is pretty typical for a dog. But you should take it more seriously if it happens more than often. If your dog is undergoing a chronic condition of upset digestion, it may be due to some protein allergy. In most dogs, it is a common cause. The vet recommends a different type of protein source that your dog has never had before.
Yes, Pepcid or Pepto-Bismol is another cure that you can use. The amount of it depends on the dog’s weight. Keep in mind that manufacturers can change the formulas with time, which may or may not be safe for your pups. Hence, talk with the veterinarian about the exact quantity or how you should proceed with the treatment. Pepcid tends to make the dog’s stool a bit darker. So, don’t worry if it happens.
To make sure your pet dog has a healthy digestive system, you can try giving them probiotics and prebiotic every once in a while. These elements are specifically for dogs, and you can find most of them over the counter. However, you may talk to the veterinary doctor if they recommend a specific brand.
Final Thoughts
When we suffer from stomach pains, we often use crackers or ginger ale to alleviate the problem. But can you do the same with your dogs? No, because theirs and our digestive systems are different. As a pet owner, no one would want their dog or cat suffering from illness. But most of us don’t know what to give a dog for upset stomach and vomiting.
If you keep feeding your dog regardless of the ingredients, it can worsen the matter to an extreme point. Hence, you need to check the diet for its fast recovery. For such scenarios, usually, a bland diet is the ultimate solution for an upset stomach.