What can you feed a dog with diarrhea?

A dog with diarrhea is absolutely unpleasant for both the dog and its owner. Still, every dog has diarrhea from time to time, and it is therefore not always something you need to worry about immediately. Food plays an important role when it comes to diarrhea. But what can you feed a dog with diarrhea, and what is better left off the menu for now? In this blog, we give you some tips on what is best to feed your four-legged friend when its intestines are a little upset.

What is diarrhea?

Diarrhea refers to a dog having loose or watery stools for one or more days instead of firm, solid stools. A dog with diarrhea may also have bowel movements more often than usual and in quicker succession. Diarrhea often comes on suddenly, and a normally well-house-trained dog may no longer be able to hold its stool and may therefore have an accident indoors. In most cases, diarrhea is a natural reaction of the dog’s body, in which the body attempts to cleanse the intestines. A dog can suffer from acute diarrhea. In this case, the dog has diarrhea for only one to a few days, and in most cases it clears up on its own. When it lasts longer, we refer to it as chronic diarrhea.

Intestinal disorders are common in dogs, and although diarrhea is the most common intestinal disorder in dogs, diarrhea is a consequence of another underlying problem. One possible cause of acute diarrhea is food, when the dog can no longer digest the food it receives properly. Other causes may include parasites, spoiled food, a viral infection, or a swallowed (non-digestible) object. Chronic diarrhea may be caused by a food allergy or intolerance, in which the dog reacts allergically to one or more ingredients in its food. Other examples of causes of chronic diarrhea include organ problems, such as those affecting the pancreas and liver, or tumors in the stomach and/or intestines. It is therefore important to determine the cause of your dog’s diarrhea so that it can be treated appropriately.

When should you go to the vet?

When your dog has acute diarrhea, it is not necessary to consult the vet immediately. Just think of it this way: when we have diarrhea ourselves, we do not immediately go to the doctor either.

When it comes to chronic diarrhea, or when the dog is also showing other symptoms, it is a different story. Contact the vet if your dog has a fever in addition to diarrhea, is lethargic, has blood in its stool, or no longer wants to eat or drink and shows signs of dehydration. In combination with diarrhea, these symptoms can be so severe for a dog’s body that they may even be life-threatening, so it is essential to act quickly. Always call the vet if you are in doubt. However cliché it may sound, it is true: it is better to call the vet once too often than not often enough…

Boiled chicken with rice is outdated advice

It is often recommended that dogs with diarrhea be given boiled rice with chicken, as this is supposedly easy to digest and gives the dog’s intestines a chance to settle. In fact, this is rather strange advice. A dog’s gastrointestinal tract needs 6 to 8 weeks to adjust to new food, so why completely change your dog’s diet when its intestines are already upset?

In addition to needing time to adjust to new food, a dog’s body can do very little with rice. Dogs are unable to digest large amounts of rice, and rice also contains little nutritional value.

What can a dog with diarrhea eat?

So what can you give a dog with diarrhea? Choose easily digestible food with high-quality nutrients, but do not suddenly switch to a different type of food. Does your dog normally eat fresh meat or wet food? Then choose meat with an easily digestible protein source, such as turkey or venison. Does your dog’s daily menu consist of kibble? Then we recommend dividing the amount of kibble into smaller portions and giving them to your dog throughout the day, for example every 2 to 3 hours. Also skip snacks and other treats for the time being.

Riverwood Adult Venison & Lamb with Rabbit dog kibble contains easily digestible protein sources. Our range also includes various varieties with easily digestible protein sources from the Riverwood Mono Protein canned foods. Both the Riverwood Venison & Lamb with Rabbit dry food variety and the various easily digestible Riverwood Mono Protein wet food varieties are suitable for dogs with diarrhea.