How a Bland Diet for Dogs Helps With Stomach Upset

Gastrointestinal (GI or GIT) illness, or gastroenteritis, is a common illness in dogs. This causes an upset stomach that often leads to diarrhea, vomiting, and/or a change in appetite.

When this happens, offering your dog a bland diet can help them recover at home. But knowing when to feed a bland diet and when to seek veterinary care can be difficult. Here’s what you need to know about bland diets for dogs.

What Is a Bland Diet for Dogs?

A bland diet is a more palatable option for dogs that are not feeling well. The digestive system needs nutrients from food to help resolve symptoms of stomach upset, and bland diets allow sick pups to still eat. These diets can be homemade or found commercially as kibble or wet food.

Bland diets for dogs with gastroenteritis also help with digestion. Bland diets should have a few of the following attributes, depending on which is best for the specific symptoms or underlying diagnosis your dog has:

Highly Digestible

Highly digestible foods make it easy for dogs to absorb the nutrients they need. High-quality ingredients and avoiding over-processed foods are best.

A highly digestible food can still be a dog kibble, but one that’s specifically labeled for those with gastroenteritis. This includes Hills® i/d Digestive Care or Royal Canin® Gastrointestinal.

Typical lean proteins used in a bland diet for dogs include chicken, turkey, cottage cheese, and ground beef. These proteins are typically well tolerated by dogs with an upset stomach, as opposed to other proteins their system is not used to.

Carbohydrates such as plain white rice or potato, brown rice, barley, or even whole wheat pasta are often added to a bland diet. These carbohydrates help bulk up the diet, but they also pull water out of the gut in dogs with diarrhea or loose stools.

Fresh vegetables are not always needed in a bland diet, but some, such as pumpkin, can add fiber. Make sure these (and all other ingredients) are free of any added sodium or seasoning.

Low Fat

Low-fat foods are the best option for dogs dealing with an upset stomach due to pancreatitis or chronic (long-term) gastrointestinal disease. Once a dog responds well to these types of diets, continuing them on this type of diet is recommended to help avoid a relapse.

High Fiber

High-fiber foods help the digestive system move things along within the digestive tract. High-fiber foods are great for dogs with diarrhea or other issues such as:

• Anal gland issues

• Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)

• Diabetes

Hypoallergenic

Hypoallergenic or novel protein diets can help dogs with stomach upset from a food allergy. Hypoallergenic diets can be a new (novel) protein or a hydrolyzed diet.

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. Options include Hills d/d and Royal Canin Selective Protein.

Calorically Dense

Calorically dense (high-energy) foods are essential for dogs recovering from major illness, surgery, or any condition affecting their appetite.

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. This hopefully helps reduce symptoms such as vomiting.

Veterinary Diets vs. Bland Diets for Dogs: Which Is Best?

Historically, when dogs were affected by gastrointestinal illnesses, reaching for a homemade dog-friendly diet was the most popular choice for pet parents. But after research by veterinary nutritionists, there are now excellent commercially available diets to help dogs with upset stomachs.

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.  

These bland diets for dogs with chronic (lasting months to years) gastrointestinal issues such as pancreatitis or gastroenteritis are also safe to give long-term, or even for the rest of your pup’s life.

In contrast, long-term use of home-cooked diets often results in nutritional deficiencies that can cause further illness. It may also create a food aversion when you dog is feeling better and needs to start eating their regular dog food again.

But on a short-term basis (for days or weeks) or to help perk up your dog’s poor appetite, home-cooked bland diets are still an option and perfectly safe—as long as you have your veterinarian’s guidance.

What Is the Best Diet for Dogs With Sensitive Stomachs?

A dog with a sensitive stomach can benefit from a special diet.

A sensitive stomach is often not associated with a medical condition. These dogs are more prone to symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, or decreased appetite after eating something new or something they should not have, like trash.

Sensitive stomachs are also common in both puppies and senior dogs that may have weaker immune systems, but sensitive stomachs can occur in dogs of any age.

The best dog foods for sensitive stomachs contain highly digestible proteins and carbohydrates, along with added fiber and probiotics. Popular options include:

• Hill’s Sensitive Stomach and Sensitive Skin dog food is a great option that comes in a wide variety of flavors and for different life stages (adult, puppy, senior).

• JustFoodForDogs® makes fresh prepared dog food options such as chicken and rice, lamb and brown rice, and turkey with whole wheat macaroni. These diets are balanced with the vitamins and minerals a dog needs to be healthy while being less harsh on the digestive system.

• Purina® Pro Plan® Sensitive Skin and Stomach comes in flavors including lamb and oatmeal, salmon and rice, and turkey and oatmeal. Oatmeal is a common ingredient in bland diets for dogs with sensitive stomachs, as it’s highly digestible, gentle on the digestive system, and contains natural prebiotic fibers.

• Royal Canin Digestive Care is found in wet and dry options. There are also options for dogs of different sizes (small, medium, and large). It contains probiotics to help aid healthy digestion.

How To Feed Your Dog

When a dog is eating a bland diet, they are usually not feeling their best and may need a little encouragement. To create a more enticing meal, try:

• Hand-feeding

• Feeding your dog in a quiet, calm location

• Soaking food in water

• Syringe-feeding

• Adding low-fat and low-sodium broth to the food

• Adding a lean meal topper, pumpkin, or probiotics

Consult your veterinarian to see if these methods are ideal for your dog. Use caution when adding anything to a bland diet, as the addition may be too rich and can cause further stomach upset.

Your vet may also recommend offering your dog smaller meals more frequently throughout the day. When feeding a home-cooked bland diet such as chicken and rice, talk to your veterinarian about portion sizes.

How Long Do Dogs Need a Diet for GI Upset?

Determining how long your dog with GI upset should be on a special bland diet comes down to the underlying cause and how quickly they recover.

• If your dog recovers quickly (usually within 48 hours), they can go back to their regular diet.

• If the symptoms last longer than 48 hours, call your vet. They may have you continue feeding the bland diet until a few days after symptoms go away.

• If a dog’s GI upset is from a diagnosed underlying medical condition, the bland diet will likely need to be continued long-term, potentially as a lifelong diet.

How Else Can I Help My Dog With an Upset Stomach?

If your dog’s symptoms worsen or if they are not eating well, then hospitalization for supportive care such as IV fluids and antinausea medication can be helpful.

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. A fiber supplement can also help bulk up the stool.

Ensure your dog is drinking enough water and consider keeping a food journal to remember how much they ate and what symptoms they have. This can be helpful if you wind up at the vet’s office for medical treatment.

It’s always a good idea to limit your dog’s food intake at this point. Do not give them treats or table scraps; this will worsen their GI upset.

With time, TLC, and nutritional support with a bland diet, your dog with GI upset should be feeling better in no time.