Pet Allergies

Best Dog Food for Sensitive Stomach & Easy Digestion

Best Dog Food for Sensitive Stomach & Easy Digestion

Does your dog have loose stools, vomiting, or gas? This is probably due to poor digestion and a sensitive stomach.

 

Why Your Dog Has Poor Digestion:

 

The reasons why some dogs have poor digestion are:

  • Overeating
  • Eating indigestible food
  • Chemicals
  • Obstruction caused by swallowing foreign objects
  • Injuries to the digestive system

However, the most common reason for poor digestion in dogs is an inappropriate diet that doesn't meet their nutritional needs. You should always choose your dog's food according to its nutritional needs. 

A poor diet can lead to several health issues, including digestive problems. When the food you give your dog is not suitable for your pet, it can experience a series of symptoms.

 

Here Are the Symptoms to Watch Out For:

 

  • Occasional soft stools

Keep an eye out for any soft stools your dog makes, but don't worry at first. Dogs can have soft stools or diarrhea sometimes. Your first course of action would be to wait and see how the situation develops. If it is not fixed in 24-48 hours, go with your pet to the vet.

Sometimes a soft stool may contain blood. Most of the time, you don't have to worry unless it's a very large volume of blood. If this happens, go to the veterinarian immediately.

  • Intermittent vomiting

If your dog has an upset stomach, chances are that soft stools aren't the only symptom.

Most dogs will also vomit. It is important to remember that they will not throw up as often as they will have stools. They won't even throw up every time they eat. It might be from time to time. 

This is usually the case when the dog has stomach problems. It will only retain half of its meals.

  • Gas (flatulence)

A sudden increase in the volume of gas your dog passes can be a sign of stomach discomfort. Of course, every dog is different, and some breeds are more prone to gas, such as bulldogs. For these reasons, you should know how much gas is normal for your dog to pass.

If your dog passes a lot of gas, pay extra attention and see if it shows any other symptoms. If it seems to you that your pet’s exhaust valves have suddenly opened, it may be time to adjust its diet.  

Finding a diet for a dog with a sensitive stomach can be a real challenge - some digestive problems can be controlled with a change in diet, while others have much more severe causes, and changing the diet won't improve the situation much. In the latter case, take your dog to the vet for a correct diagnosis and appropriate treatment.

If you have been to the vet, and the cause of your dog's symptoms is a poor diet and a sensitive stomach, then it is time to change its diet.

Several dog foods on the market promise to help your four-legged friend with a sensitive stomach. These diets are especially formulated to support digestion and gut health.

 

What to Look for in Dog Food for Sensitive Stomachs?

 

When looking for the best food for a dog with a sensitive stomach, we want a product that is easy to digest and does not contain too many ingredients. Sometimes, a food composed of a limited number of ingredients is hard to find, especially when most labels on the packaging have become true novels.

Moreover, the main ingredient must be a quality (and preferably unique) source of protein. Avoid products with a high percentage of fat because they favor the appearance of soft stools and stomach upset.

A diet that will help dogs with sensitive stomachs is a diet that contains the following:

  • High quality, limited ingredients
  • Probiotics
  • It is grain-free

High quality, limited ingredients

The best diets for dogs with sensitive stomachs are those that contain limited ingredients (preferably only one animal protein) and have no preservatives, colorings, or fillers.

These diets have easily digestible proteins and some other simple ingredients, which will help your dog with a sensitive stomach.

Dogs with sensitivity to pesticides can also benefit from such a diet.

Probiotics

A quality food specially designed for dogs with sensitive stomachs will contain probiotics in addition to high-quality ingredients. The live bacteria added to these diets can help dogs with sensitive stomachs by balancing the stomach and intestinal flora. Your dog's soft stools will become history.

Probiotics can also help strengthen the immune system.

No grain (grain-free diet)

Grains in dog diets, such as corn and wheat, can be difficult to digest for those with sensitive stomachs.

Usually, quality diets for dogs with sensitive stomachs do not contain any grains and are called grain-free. Other brands use whole grains such as rice and oats, which are better than corn and wheat in terms of digestion.

Two diets that meet all these requirements are those from Wilder Harrier for adult dogs, such as Farmed Insects Recipe or Sustainable Fish Recipe. These diets are hypoallergenic and grain-free and also contain prebiotics for your dog’s gut health. They also have added antioxidants (from blueberries) and thyme extract to boost your pet’s immune system. A stronger immune system will also help with your dog’s poor digestion.

Farmed Insects Recipe is a new diet based on insects - black soldier flies (BSF). This diet can help dogs with food allergies to common proteins but also those with sensitive stomachs or poor digestion. It has a high protein content (~43%), prebiotics, and antioxidants. This diet is also grain-free.

If you want your pet to have healthy digestion and eat quality food, this diet is for it. Farmed Insects Recipe is palatable, and its flavor is similar to standard dog food.

Sustainable Fish Recipe is made with Asian carp (the silver variety), prebiotics, antioxidants, and other high-quality ingredients. This diet is grain free and contains prebiotics for your dog's gut health. It is rich in omega-3 and protein, and its nutritional profile is similar to that of salmon. You can try this recipe instead of the one based on insects if you are not sure your dog will love it. 

You can also give it a try with our hypoallergenic dog food samples for free before buying them.

 

About The Writer:

Dr. Iulia Mihai is an experienced veterinarian, researcher, and medicine. She did her Bachelor's in veterinary medicine followed by a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Veterinary Medicine, and has over 10 years of experience in the field, she knows her way around animals. In addition to working with animals at a vet clinic, she also helps the team at Wilder Harrier help dog parents on topics such as health, allergies, diet, and care for pets.

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