It’s inevitable that our dog will get sick every once in a while. Whether they’ve eaten something that upsets their stomach, they have a blockage or they’ve just got a tummy bug; digestive upset is common, and needs to be dealt with properly to not cause further harm.
Eliminate Serious Illness
Of course if your dog is vomiting, and very sick, always take them to see a vet to ensure there isn’t a blockage, or it isn’t a more serious issue. Once you’ve ruled out anything life threatening or more serious issues that’s when you can start working on their gut health to get them back to feeling their best!
Moving Away From Chicken & Rice
When it comes to helping recover from digestive upset, many of us turn to the age-old remedy of chicken and rice. While this combination can be beneficial in some cases, it's essential to understand that it's not always the best option for every dog or every situation. Recent studies have shown that this remedy is actually outdated and there are much more nutritionally rich things to feed your dog to help them recover faster!
Although rice is easily digestible, it is a pure carbohydrate with very little nutritional value. For dogs, carbohydrates aren’t actually essential in their diet, and studies have shown that a high carbohydrate based diet can cause inflammation to the gut microbiome. This is why it isn’t necessarily the best option when it comes to recovering from digestive issues. Instead we recommend steamed pumpkin! This is a much more nutritionally dense, easily digestive carbohydrate with a full range of minerals to help soothe the digestive tract!
Add that with a lightly cooked protein, chicken can be okay, but it is also a known allergen which if your dog doesn't normally eat chicken we wouldn’t recommend this as it can cause further upset. Try something like turkey or duck instead, these are nutritious and less likely to cause a reaction in your pet.
Supplementation
Finally we recommend adding supplementation to this to speed recovery even further. The first one is pet safe bone broth. This is AMAZING for a sick stomach as it is gentle, full of incredible minerals and collagen to help repair the gut lining. If your pup isn’t eating much, even just bone broth to get them started is amazing until they regain their appetite.
The final touch to this gut friendly protocol is prebiotics and probiotics! They are another amazing supplement to add to this nutritious, yet gentle meal to rebuild their gut back to normal. Probiotics in times of digestive upset are amazing to keep the good bacteria in the gut, that way you are not starting from scratch when they are feeling better. Try doubling the recommended dose of our Prebiotic & Probiotic Supplement in times of digestive upset.
While chicken and rice may have a place in helping dogs with digestive upset, it's important to understand that they are not always the best or only option. By seeking guidance from your veterinarian and considering alternative, nutritionally balanced options, you can provide your furry friend with the best care possible during their road to recovery.
