Best Dog Food for Sensitive Stomach – Every Thing You Need To Know?
Recently did you notice your dog pooping in loose motions or does he bloat up most of the time or does he vomit regularly. If yes then the above symptoms indicates that your dog may be suffering from stomach sensitivity or disorders. First thing you needs to check his diet as he may be allergic to some foods and stuff you are feeding. It also may be due to the fact that your dog have a soft stomach and are sensitive to certain category of foods. So Here in this article we will point out some of dog foods for sensitive stomach.
Each dog is different and some dogs can handle a lot of variety foods as their stomach works harder and they can eat almost anything. Where as some dogs are not that lucky as they have a sensitive stomach.
Sensitive stomach is frustrating for both the dog and their owner. It’s a painful experience for the dog owner as he needs to clean up the the mess left behind by your dog and also you needs to watch him in real discomfort. As a dog owner it’s important to identify whether your dog is suffering from sensitive stomach or not.
Symptoms you should look out.
Diarrhea
Diarrhea can be caused due to a lot of things like stress, internal issues and food. If loose stools occur one time then there is no need for panic. But if loose stools persists for few days, first check whether your dog is eating something he is not supposed to eat.
Is your dog feeding on garbage, thrown away and junk food and table scraps and are you feeding him human food. If not then it only means one thing, your dog is suffering from sensitive stomach.
If you notice blood on your dog’s poo, Immediately contact a vet as your dog may be suffering from a serious disease.
Vomiting
It’s not a common symptom like diarrhea. Dog suffering from sensitive stomach is likely to throw up regularly.
Gas
Flatulence is common for dogs and it can happen by if they are eating too fast, gastrointestinal illness, gulping air while eating, etc. But if your dog’s gas release is more than usual level you should look into his problem. If it comes with above two symptoms then you can confirm the sensitive stomach in your dog.
Once you confirm the sensitive stomach, the next step is to determine what is triggering the reaction in your dog.
Causes of Sensitive Stomach
The percentage of fiber content in your dog’s diet may be less than what it should be. Fiber content in your dog’s diet is important as some dogs may need extra fiber for good digestion. You can try giving him food like Beet pulp, a excellent source of fiber.
Foods that contains high fats are harder to digest when compared to foods that are high in protein or carbohydrates. Check the label of dog foods and use those have low fat concentration.
Check for allergies and your dog may not digest certain proteins well. So if you are using a chicken based diet switch to a different protein source (lamp, beef, etc).
Dogs should intake proper amount of Vitamins and minerals. Make sure your dog is not suffering from nutrient and mineral deficiency.
Sometimes sudden change in their diet can also lead to stomach upset in dogs. Parasites are another culprit which can cause sensitive stomach in dogs. Both bacteria and viruses can also cause sensitive stomach in dogs. If you needs to know how to eliminate fleas visit this link.
What to do ?
First step to do if you realize that your dog has sensitive stomach is to simplify his diet . Make sure he is only eating dog food and you should cut out the table scrapes, treats, etc. If you need to give treats for training make sure you use a highly digestible treat. If you could use one of his regular food as treat. Make sure he is not eating anything he is supposed to eat (for example garbage or thrown away waste).
If your dog is eating too fast then you should divide his meals into smaller portions. When a dog eats too much he will swallow too much air and it can cause food to regurgitate and will lead to stomach problems.
After that if your dog still shows stomach upsets and above mentioned symptoms then you should take a look at his regular food. Is your dog’s food high in fat, isn’t it made up of highly digestible materials, etc.
How to chose Best Dog Food
Always check the label and make sure the food is made up of high quality ingredients. Best dog food will always have high levels of proteins and antioxidants.
Avoid dog foods that contain fillers and fat content should be around 15%. Peanut Hill is a commonly used filler as they are available in large amount and are cheap.
The ingredients like corn, soy are not advisable for sensitive stomach and leave out dog foods that contains both.
Dog foods should not include artificial colors or flavors or animal by-products. Check the label and any dog food which doesn’t list the type of meat used, it’s better to be avoid. Duck meat is better than beef and chicken.
Dog food should be never contain any dyes, high fructose corn syrup and cane sugar. Buy dog foods which uses high quality proteins like venison in place of grains. Fibers are good for digestion and the dog food should be a good source of fiber.
Dog foods which avoid the use of sweeteners, preservative chemicals and over use of salts are recommended.
Changing the diet
The addition or elimination of food from your dog’s diet should be done carefully. Sudden change of diet can cause stomach upsets in most dogs. The transition to new food should be done steady and patiently.
At first feed around 20% of new food and 80% of current food. Slowly make it 50-50 and eventually you can make it 100%. Never rush the process.
Things to note during the transition
Make sure you avoid things that will cause allergies and digestive issues in dogs .
There are certain food items you should avoid at any cost like chocolate, Coffee, etc. You can visit the full list here.
Treats should be avoided especially from others and make sure he is not feeding upon garbage.
If your dog shows any behavioral changes during the transition process, consult a vet for further instructions.
Best Dog Foods for Sensitive Stomach – Our Recommendations
With the above tips in mind, here are the list of the brands we think it’s best for your dog’s sensitive stomach.
Blue Buffalo Basics Limited Ingredient Grain-Free Formula Lamb & Potato Recipe
Blue Buffalo Basics uses high quality ingredients to manufacture their dog food. Here I am recommending a limited edition. It is made up oflimited number of carefully selected ingredients for a well balanced diet for your dog. It’s so critical when it comes to a highly sensitive stomach dog food.
Blue Buffalo Basics has only one meat and one carbohydrate. For meat they uses turkey, salmon, duck or lamb. They use single animal source for their proteins and its really rare to get that in dog food. For Carbohydrates they use potatoes or peas. If your dog shows any discomfort after eating it, we could easily pinpoint what exact ingredient is troubling your dog.
Blue Buffalo Basics is free off any fillers such as wheat, corn and diary. They are free from dyes, preservatives and are completely natural. It’s packed with antioxidants and fibers which will help digestion. They are comparatively expensive when compared to other dog products but you will get full value for your money.
Wellness Core Grain-Free Dog Food
Wellness dog food is considered to be a premium high quality product. They include premium high quality ingredients which gave great health benefits. They are a lower carbohydrate diet and are good for digestion and reduces the chances of diabetes.Wellness food is made up of turkey, chicken, salmon oil, fruits and vegetables to support your dog’s optimal health. They are high on antioxidants , vitamins, minerals which will improve the skin and coat.
The crude protein and fat content is a lot less when compared to other products. They contains no meat by-products, soy, corn, wheat or artificial flavors. They are 100% natural grain free dog food. Main advantage of Wellness is that we have a lot of varieties to select from. You can chose accordingly to your dog needs.
Nature’s Variety Instinct Raw Boost Grain Free Duck & Turkey Meal Formula Dry Dog Food, 4.1 lb. Bag
They consist of high protein kibble and freeze dried raw pieces which will provide a nutrient rich diet for your dog. Nature’s Variety delivers grain free, gluten free nutrition similar to what your dog will eat in nature.Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids will improve the skin health. Similar to Blue Buffalo Basic as they use only one source for carbohydrates and meat. They are complete and balanced for all life stages(puppy, adult and senior) and all breeds.
They are free off any fillers, dyes, artificial flavors, preservatives, corn, soy and wheat. They are high on antioxidants which supports healthy digestion. They are cheaper when compared with the above mentioned dog foods.
