What Is A Bland Diet For A Dog With Ulcers?

The Short Answer is:

Bland diets contain little protein, fat, or fiber, but are high in carbohydrates. This is all in favor of soft food that is easy to digest so that the dog’s stomach can rest. When your dog has diarrhea, his diet should be low in fiber in order to reduce stool production.

In this article you will know the answer to the query “What Is A Bland Diet For A Dog With Ulcers?“.

Does your dog seem to be losing his appetite? Are you concerned about his health? It is so difficult to tell what a pet is feeling since he has no way to tell you when he is in pain. Ulcers are one health issue many pet owners tend to overlook.

Do you have a dog with ulcers? Sadly dogs can also develop ulcers like us and the causes are pretty much the same. The remedies such as putting your pet on a bland diet are just as effective.

What are the symptoms of ulcers in dogs?

Usually ulcers start with heartburn and discomfort after eating. It is impossible for your dog to complain about heartburn or reach for an antacid as you do.

Pet owners would not detect anything until the symptoms are hard to ignore which is why in many cases they would not suspect anything until the illness has progressed.

Stomach or intestinal ulcers destroy tissue and cause chronic pain after developing on the lining of the stomach or intestines.

As the pain becomes unbearable you will notice that the dog is not himself anymore. The release of digestive acids makes the pain worse causing him to refuse to eat. 

People usually put their pets on a bland diet as soon as they notice vomiting and diarrhea.

What is a bland diet for dogs?

Bland diets contain little protein fat or fiber but are high in carbohydrates. This is all in favor of soft food that is easy to digest so that the dogs stomach can rest.

When your dog has diarrhea his diet should be low in fiber in order to reduce stool production. 

Most pet owners prefer homemade recipes for their pets because they know there are no preservatives or other chemicals in the food. However there are some commercial bland diets on the market but in most cases pet owners prefer homemade recipes. A stomach ulcer-stricken dog should not be exposed to nasty chemicals!

Homemade bland diet

Was there food your mom used to give you when you were sick? The most likely answer is rice and lean meat. When your dog has diarrhea and is vomiting everywhere you should give him that. 

It is best to use either chicken breast or ground beef but you can also use turkey breast. It is best to boil the meat and rice until they are both cooked and then mix them 50/50. Although you can put more rice than meat in the dogs bowl like 65/35 you run the risk of him getting offended by such a food so its best to make sure he smells enough meat.

To prevent the absorption of too much fat the rice should be prepared separately from the meat.

Oil and seasoning should not be added. This is why the dish is called bland!

 How much bland diet to feed a dog?

Whenever your dog is experiencing diarrhea and vomiting the first thing you should do is withhold food for a couple of hours in order to ease the symptoms. In the case of vomiting and diarrhea some experts say your dog should fast for 12-24 hours. Nevertheless not everyone agrees with this suggestion. To regain his energy the dog will need some food if he is already weak. A puppy should not be allowed to fast!

Try offering small amounts of water every 10-15 minutes if the dog appears dehydrated as is often the case with an upset stomach.

Your dogs weight will determine how much food to give him. It only takes half a cup of rice and half a cup of meat to feed a very small dog weighing less than five pounds throughout the day. Large dogs over 100 pounds should get some 4-5 cups throughout the day in small portions. Space meals out by at least 2 hours.

After your dog has vomited and has diarrhea make sure to rehydrate him. For every pound of body weight a dog needs about one ounce of water per day. In order to correct electrolyte imbalances in your dog add some Pedialyte to his drinking water if you suspect he is dehydrated.  

How long does it take a bland diet to work on a dog?

Initially you need to see if the dogs symptoms improve. Within a few hours you should see some improvement if the problem is not serious. But do not expect miracles. Frequent bowel movements might continue for a few days. If so they will be more frequent than usual.

You must ensure that your dog sticks to the bland diet for it to work. You are responsible for this as the dog will not raid the fridge. Keep treats and bones to a minimum. 

How long to feed a dog a bland diet?

If the dog is fed a bland diet for four or five days his stools should improve significantly. Once your stools are back to normal you can reintroduce regular food gradually if the diet is working. 

Give your dog a small portion of his regular food and a bland diet for the rest of the time. 

Reduce bland diet meals and increase normal food servings if no setbacks occur.

As soon as your dog shows no signs of diarrhea after one week you can stop giving him rice and feed him normally. 

Bland diet for dogs – scrambled eggs?

If your dog has an upset stomach but you do not have the ingredients or the time to make the standard rice and boiled meat dish what can you do? 

It is easy to prepare scrambled eggs and they can indeed be a good substitute for rice. In a bland diet egg whites are ideal since they are low in fat but whole eggs will also work. Although eggs have a high protein content which should be avoided in a bland diet at least they have a low fiber content. 

Eggs do not have to be scrambled; hard-boiled eggs can also treat diarrhea but they’re more difficult to feed the dog. A bland diet does not allow fried eggs however. 

You can substitute pumpkin for rice in a bland diet as well. Pumpkins have a lot of pectins which can soothe sores and protect the stomach lining. You can prepare ground turkey and pumpkin puree without using any of the spices used in pumpkin pie. 

Bland diet for dogs with ulcers?

There are many bland diet recipes that are good for dogs with ulcers as you need to give his stomach a rest in order for the sores to heal.

In any case if you suspect your dog has ulcers you should consult your veterinarian immediately. Often we humans are afflicted with bacterial illnesses so a doctor may prescribe antacids as well as antibiotics.

You can also consider natural ulcer treatments. As a remedy for ulcers people often give their dogs licorice root aloe vera slippery elm echinacea or alfalfa. Try supplementing your dogs diet with L-glutamine and quercetin to strengthen his immune system and prevent new ulcers from forming.

Bland diet for dogs with diarrhea and vomiting?

Dogs that are young and in good health do not need to worry much about occasional diarrhea and vomiting. Most upset stomachs are nothing more than that.

If the dog gives you a funny look when you offer him rice and chicken put him on a bland diet right away.

You can still offer the dog a more palatable meal with just chicken – it will be absolutely plain regardless. It is easy for animals to digest shredded chicken meat so the poor thing has to eat. However make sure you take out the bones and the skin.

You can also use beef scrambled eggs or pumpkin. Experts suggest that dogs with upset stomachs can also eat baby food – meat-based commercial food designed for bigger babies. Choose a dish that does not contain garlic or onions such as lamb chicken or turkey.

You can also prepare a bone broth for your dog. It is very mild on the stomach nutritious and tastes better than other bland diet recipes.

Bland diet for dogs with allergies?

Dogs can become allergic to food just as they can get ulcers. The symptoms of food allergies in dogs are similar to those in humans with rashes and itching.

There is however the possibility of vomiting and diarrhea as well. As many pet owners claim its hard to tell if the dog has a sensitive stomach or if there is an underlying health problem.

In the event that your dogs symptoms are due to an allergy put him on a bland diet until his stomach is better.

Then try an elimination process. Wait a couple of days before introducing a new food into the dogs diet and see if the symptoms reappear.

You should repeat this process until you find the culprit the food your dog is allergic to. 

You should never introduce two new foods at once because you would not know which one is causing your dogs issues.

In some cases the ingredients in commercial diets are not clearly labeled so you need to be very careful if your dog suffers from allergies. Additionally the fillers in pet food can be the first cause of an allergic reaction in dogs. There are even such fillers in products intended for dogs with sensitive stomachs.

Dogs can be allergic to any type of food. In dogs beef chicken fish corn dairy and soy are the most commonly reported allergens. A dogs first food allergy occurs between five and twelve months old when they are very young. 

Amanda (Author)

With over a decade of experience, Amanda is a distinguished dog trainer. Her expertise in canine behavior has transformed countless lives, fostering harmonious human-canine connections. Through compassionate and personalized approaches, she empowers owners to understand and connect with their furry companions, creating a legacy of joyful tails and transformed lives.

Osvaldo Maciel (Content Reviewer)

Osvaldo Maciel, a stalwart in the field with 14 years of experience, is a revered dog trainer. His journey is defined by a profound understanding of canine behavior, shaping unbreakable human-canine bonds. Osvaldo guides owners to connect with their beloved pets, leaving an indelible mark of happiness and transformation. His legacy shines through the countless lives he has touched.