Best Dog Food for Dogs With Sensitive Stomachs

Every dog is unique, and that applies to their dietary needs as well. Some dogs are simply picky eaters, while others might have sensitive guts. If your pup is one of the latter, finding the best dog food for dogs with sensitive stomachs will make sure you can feed your canine companion their fill without worrying about intestinal pain or digestive issues.

Finding the Best Dog Food for Dogs With Sensitive Stomachs

Finding the best dog food for sensitive guts can sometimes be a process of elimination. It can take some trial and error to narrow down the specific foods that your pup has trouble tolerating. It may be worth consulting with your veterinarian or pet nutritionist to determine the right solution, but in general, there are a few types of food that are usually suitable for sensitive tummies:

Lean Proteins

Lean proteins like chicken and turkey are easier for dogs to digest compared to fatty foods. This makes them great for sensitive tummies while still providing dense nutrients and beneficial minerals. Some high-rated dog food products with lean proteins include:

Carbohydrates

Plain white rice, potatoes, and other carbohydrates are great for dogs with sensitive guts because they are easy to digest and very unlikely to irritate the stomach. Carbs can also be helpful for pets who are dealing with diarrhea because they naturally absorb excess fluid in the intestines.

Look for dog food that utilizes carbohydrates as a primary ingredient, such as:

High-Fiber Vegetables

Some of the best dog food for dogs with sensitive stomachs will include high fiber vegetables such as carrots.

Fresh vegetables can be a healthy addition to a dog’s diet in moderation. If your dog has a sensitive stomach, offer a small amount of pumpkin, carrots, or other high-fiber vegetables as a daily snack to help with digestion or constipation.

Ingredients To Avoid if Your Dog Has a Sensitive Stomach

When a dog has a sensitive stomach, certain ingredients can exacerbate digestive issues. Always check the listed ingredients before feeding something to your dog, and think twice if it contains these ingredients:

Artificial additives like BHA, BHT, or food coloring
Low-quality fillers like corn, wheat, or soy
Questionable proteins such as “animal meal”
Spices or seasoning
Sugars and sweeteners

Keep in mind that these ingredients can cause complications for any dog’s health, even one who does not have a sensitive stomach. It is worthwhile to only seek out high-quality dog food products that will promote a healthy body and a long life.

Building a Diet for Your Dog With a Sensitive Stomach

Knowing what food is good for your dog’s sensitive tummy is only half the battle. Using those foods as a foundation, you will need to build a diet and meal plan that still provides all the necessary nutrition without upsetting your dog’s stomach.

At the same time, you might still want to treat your pup to their favorite snacks from time to time, even if those snacks come with a risk of agitating sensitive guts. You can accomplish this in a healthy way by following an easy and affordable diet plan.

Consider talking to your pet’s veterinarian or nutritionist about one of these diet plans:

A bland diet featuring foods that prioritize digestive health
A low-fat diet, usually for dogs with pancreatitis or gastrointestinal disease
A hypoallergenic diet if your pet’s upset stomach stems from a food allergy
A calorically dense diet if your dog can only eat a small amount of food but still needs plentiful calories
A veterinary diet that may require prescription dog food for your pet’s special needs

How To Transition Your Dog to a New Food

Even with the best dog food for dogs with sensitive stomachs, transitioning to a new diet needs to be a gradual process. You can do this by mixing the new food with the old, slowly increasing the amount of new food your dog is having at mealtime.

This gradual transition can be risky if your dog’s old diet is causing problems with their sensitive guts, though. Until your dog is willing to part with their old favorites, try using specialized supplements that help with digestion – your furry friend will just see it as an extra treat, but it can help them overcome the difficulty of starting a new diet.

Signs of a Sensitive Stomach in Dogs

If you are not yet sure if your dog has a sensitive stomach, there are certain telltale signs you can watch for that will reveal if your pet has digestive issues:

Vomiting
Diarrhea
Flatulence or belching
Bloody stool
Loss of appetite or stomach growling

There are a number of factors that can cause your dog to have a sensitive stomach, including dietary problems or food intolerances. Even sudden changes, such as new stress factors in the dog’s life, can cause these symptoms to appear.

Should You Take Your Dog to the Vet for an Upset Stomach?

A dog with a sensitive stomach drinking water from a metal bowl to prevent dehydration.

An upset stomach does not always necessitate a visit to the vet. You can try treating your pet’s upset stomach at home by withholding food for a few hours to see if their tummy settles. Make sure your dog has plenty of water, as dehydration can be a factor. You might also try offering a pumpkin puree or other snacks that promote digestion.

If the symptoms last for more than a day or two, or if your dog is showing severe symptoms of gastroenteritis such as bloody stool or vomit, then you should make an immediate trip to the veterinarian.

If the symptoms of an upset stomach pass within a day, you can still err on the side of caution by visiting the vet, but it may not be necessary. Instead, you can take it as a sign that you might need to adjust your dog’s diet to focus on food designed for sensitive stomachs.

Build a Better Diet With BaxterBoo

At BaxterBoo, our goal is to make it easy for you to find every pet care product you need. We stock the best dog food for dogs with sensitive stomachs and an assortment of other health and lifestyle items. Browse our catalog today or reach out if you have any questions.