Looking for a natural solution for your dog’s digestive upset? These options are a great way to soothe sensitive stomachs.
Dogs are notorious for eating things that they shouldn’t. And just like us humans, our canine companions often end up with upset tummies. Even healthy dogs can suffer from vomiting and diarrhea after a bout of indiscriminate eating. While this response is completely normal, there are some things you can do to help your canine companion feel better. These remedies work for dogs with sensitive stomachs too, so give them a try if your pet seems nauseous.
Check for symptoms of serious illness
Before attempting home remedies for your dog’s nausea, double check to make sure that no signs of serious illness exist. Look for:
- Lethargy
- Hunching over
- Rigid stomach
- Fever
- Continuous vomiting
- Bloody stools
- Blood in vomit
- Unable to pass stools
- Continuous bouts of liquid diarrhea
- Drooling
- Sticky or white gums
- Very bad breath
- Excessive thirst and urination (which could indicate pancreatitis, liver or kidney disease)
If in doubt, call your vet for specific advice. Puppies and older dogs are often at a higher risk of serious health problems than adult dogs in their prime.
In addition, get your dog to the vet ASAP if she’s been sick for 24 hours or longer.
It’s also important to note that you should always make sure that your pet is up to date with routine deworming treatments as worms can cause a lot of stomach issues.
If you think it’s a simple case of upset stomach, you can try the following home remedies
Remove raw food
It is very old-fashioned advice to take your dog’s food away and not allow her to eat anything. Instead, it’s recommended to remove all raw food from your dog’s diet and just feed her easy-to-digest food like cooked chicken breast with rice in a quantity of ⅓ carbs to ⅔ meat until she’s feeling better.
Offer your dog a few ice cubes
When drinking lots of water leads to repeat vomiting sessions, you can help quench your dog’s thirst and promote hydration by offering ice cubes instead. Licking the ice cubes can help moisten your dog’s mouth and a small amount of water can be soothing to the digestive system without overwhelming it.
If your dog tolerates the ice cubes well, you can go ahead and offer a few more every three hours or so. Once vomiting has stopped, try offering a few teaspoons of water along with one or two more ice cubes. Gradually increase the amount of water you offer your dog until she’s feeling better.
Consider giving your dog a little bit of Pedialyte or Pepto
Ask your vet if it’s okay to offer your dog a little bit of plain unflavored Pedialyte as she’s recovering. Some dogs can take a small amount of Pepto Bismol or Pepcid to ease an upset stomach, but this shouldn’t be offered without your vets approval.
Try a little bone broth
Once your dog is able to tolerate water, go ahead and offer a little bit of cool or lukewarm bone broth. The broth will provide some nutrients and help soothe your dog’s stomach and pave the way for transitioning back to solid food – just make sure it doesn’t contain any onions!
Try a bland diet
After your dog has had a chance to recover from vomiting and diarrhea, consider offering a bland diet that consists of a small amount of white rice and plain chicken without skin or bones. You might also offer a small amount of plain yogurt with no sugar, artificial sweeteners or flavors added.
Allow your dog to eat only a small amount of food at first and provide her with small meals over the course of several hours as she recovers. You can gradually increase the amount of food she eats and decrease the number of meals you offer, but try to stick to a bland or limited ingredient diet for three to 10 days to allow for complete recovery.
When you feel that your dog is ready to return to a normal diet, gradually transition over the course of two or three days. If anything abnormal happens, let your vet know right away since there could be a serious underlying condition.
Consider supplements
Constant problem with food sensitivity? Try giving your dog digestive enzymes. Enzymes can help your dog’s digestive system break down protein and other nutrients completely, reducing problems with food sensitivity. Probiotics and omega-3 fatty acids might help as well; check with your vet to see if any of these supplements might be an appropriate option for your dog.
Feed a high-quality diet
The right food can help your dog stay healthy and avoid sensitivities brought on by low quality ingredients. There are many options available including prescription diets for dogs with food allergies and specific sensitivities.
Final thoughts
There are many reasons why dogs get upset stomachs. Certain breeds like poodles are actually prone to illnesses like inflammatory bowel disease. More often than not, the cause is simple dietary indiscretion. If your dog gets sick often, or if symptoms persist, see your vet right away. If you suspect that your dog ate something poisonous, or if you believe that she may have swallowed an object such as part of a toy, fabric, a chunk of rawhide, or another item, recovery depends on prompt treatment.
