A bland dog food diet is important for your dog if you notice that he has digestive problems, such as diarrhea. Dogs can get diarrhea due to a number of reasons such as bacteria, viruses, fungi and the most important treatment is to control his diet. Bland dog food diet helps with such digestive problems and is also easy to cook. The main ingredients of a bland diet are rice and low fat meat; you can add yogurt and sweet potatoes to these. However, if the diarrhea persists or you notice other symptoms, it is best to see your veterinarian for a checkup.
Bland Dog Food Diet Recipes
Bland dog food diet recipes are based on high quality proteins and gluten free carbohydrates. You can choose to buy commercial bland food or cook it at home. The main ingredients are low fat meat (i.e. chicken or turkey) and rice.
You should avoid fatty meat because the fat will only worsen the symptoms of diarrhea. Rice is also very efficient in dogs with diarrhea. It balances the proteins in bland diet food and it is easy to digest.
The most common bland food recipe is made by mixing 50% rice and 50% low fat meat. Even if it seems tasteless, it is not recommended that you add any other ingredients such as butter, salt or other type of seasoning.
Yogurt can be added (i.e. 1 or 2 teaspoons in the meal). Yogurt is a probiotic and equilibrates the bacterial flora in your dog’s digestive system. It also promotes a healthy digestion.
Another bland food recipe you may administer to your dog is a mix of 1/3 meat and 2/3 white rice. You can add 1-2 teaspoons of yogurt and 2-4 teaspoons of boiled sweet potatoes.
If you want to make the meal even tastier, you can boil separately 1 cup of rice, 2 eggs and 1 pound of chicken liver. Chop the eggs and the liver and add them to the rice. You should feed your dog very small portions (2 teaspoons every few hours) in the beginning and then increase the portions as he feels better. When the symptoms subside, you can give him dry food.
Nutrition Control in Dogs with Diarrhea
If your dog suffers from mild diarrhea, you can follow a 5 days nutrition schedule to make sure he heals completely.
It is recommended that:
- on the first day you only give water to your dog without feeding him anything else.
- On the second day you should only feed him rice and water.
- On day 3 he can have a mixed portion: half low fat cooked meat and half rice.
- On day 4 you can give him half a potion of dog food and half rice and on day 5 you can return to his regular diet.
If the symptoms persist and the condition worsens, you should consult your veterinarian immediately. When you see the first signs of diarrhea, look for other possible symptoms. Diarrhea might be a symptom for other more serious conditions and special treatment might be necessary.