How To Choose Your Dog

What to give a dog for an upset stomach? Arwen’s case.

This article about ‘what to give a dog for an upset stomach’ has been inspired by recent events with my little lurcher Arwen.  It will help you if you are struggling with similar problems.

Arwen has never had a good stomach.  In the last 2 years I have struggled to find a dog food which does not upset her.  We have tried all kind of things.   And just when I thought I was winning she would get horrible sloppy poos again.

What not to feed?

Sometimes it is best to start with what NOT to give a dog with a sensitive stomach.  So this is where I’ll begin.  Common items which cause allergies or digestive upsets in dogs include:

• wheat and wheat gluten (the most common)
• corn (often badly digested)
• eggs
• dairy products – milk, yoghurt, cheese
• beef and pork
• soya

Wheat – the most common link

Over the years I have met many owners who have had problems with their dogs’ digestive system.  In almost all cases these dogs were being fed a wheat based diet.  These owners had gone to the vets , who had prescribed tablets for this, and injections for that, without even considering the dog’s basic food!

The owners had no idea that wheat could be causing the problem, and the vet had never asked about what the dog was eating!   So I wanted to mention this specifically.  Wheat gluten often causes reactions such as:

• Sloppy poos / frequent poos / lots of poo
• Itchy skin and scratching
• Dandruff, flaky and scaly skin, even spotty skin
• Excessive or increased shedding of hair, bald patches
• Lots of wind
• Low energy and low mood

If you look at most commercial dog foods, they will list wheat and cereals as their main ingredients.  If you have a dog with a poor stomach, sloppy poo, or other symptoms listed here, AVOID ALL WHEAT.

Try them with a wheat free, gluten free dry complete dog food.  Foods that are known to be low allergy for dogs include salmon, tuna, chicken, lamb, potato, rice, and grains such as oats and barley.  Only feed wheat gluten free or totally cereal free treats. Make sure you also avoid any wet food with cereals in it (which is many of them!).

But sometimes it is more complicated

However in some cases it simply is a matter of trial and error, like Arwen.  It’s distressing for the dog, and also for you as the owner but it has to be done.  And every time you take a step closer to the solution.

After months of trying different things, I worked out the following:

1. If the oil content is more than 11% it causes ‘the runs’
2. Any wheat causes problems
3. High levels of protein (more than 22%) can cause problems if also coupled with high oil
4. High levels of corn might not be a good thing
5. Arwen might also be intolerant to high levels of rice or oats (as one high quality hypoallergenic food with a lot of rice and oats in didn’t work at all well for her)

So I finally found a diet which seemed to be working.  No wheat, no eggs, no dairy, no rice, rich in salmon.  Moderate protein, moderate fat.  All went well for a month.  And then we had the most almightly stomach upset yet again.  I was at my wits end, and started my usual course of treatment.

What to give a dog for an upset stomach.

If you have a dog who gets repeated upset stomachs, use the bland diet method:

• Feed them absolutely nothing for a whole day (24 hours)
• Start them on a bland diet of cooked rice and cooked chicken (about 75% rice) or cooked rice and no-salt canned tuna
• If your dog will manage yoghurt, mix in a couple of tablespoons of bio-active natural yoghurt – this helps the gut bacteria
• After about 3 days, start mixing in a little soaked dry complete dog food (soaked and mashed to a paste)
• Gradually increase the complete dog food and reduce the rice/chicken or tuna mix
• After about 7-9 days your dog should be back on their usual food

Also, if the upset is really acute – especially if it with sickness as well – get them to the vet for some immediate treatment.  The vet can give you injections to calm the stomach and bowels, and tablets to do the same, which you mix with the dog food.  They will also check if the dog has eaten something which has got stuck.

Herbs can work!

I did all this with Arwen.  However I also went online and ordered a herbal mix for dog stomach upsets.  The mix contains camomile, comfrey, valerian (scullcap), aniseed and mint.  Now THIS was the real turning point!

The day after the herbs were first mixed with her food Arwen passed an almost normal poo!  I have kept her on these herbs ever since so that her stomach remains in good condition.  But more importantly I found out what was really causing the main problem.

Cat poo.

Yes, Arwen was eating cat poo from the garden.  I caught her.  Yuck.

So this gave me a stark choice.  I either had to rehome my old cat Hoolie of 15 years, or rehome Arwen.  So I started the rehoming process for both of them.  Thankfully a lovely young couple saw Hoolie on the internet and took her the very next day.  They are delighted.

So am I, because since that time we have had no more upset stomachs.

So let’s recap quickly:

What to give a dog with an upset stomach? Top Tips

1. If your dog shows the signs of wheat intolerance, switch immediately to a wheat gluten free diet.
2. Choose a wheat gluten free diet without eggs, soya, pork, beef  and dairy products (milk and milk proteins)
3. If your dog has a badly upset stomach, use the bland diet method immediately
4. Take your dog to the vets for some immediate relief (injections/tablets) on top of using the bland diet
5. If your dog has sickness/vomiting as well, go to the vets for examination as they may have swallowed something
6. Check your home for any other things which are just lying around or commonly in use, as these might have caused the upset.

Do not be afraid to tackle the problem, even if it is uncomfortable.  I had to give up my 15 year old cat.  But she is happy in her new home and Arwen is no longer getting upset stomachs.

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