What to Give a Dog with Upset Stomach: 10 Remedies

At some point, you'll have a dog with an upset stomach.

In most cases, that is not a cause for concern and will disappear in a day or two.

However, note that if your dog frequently shows signs of stomach upset, especially if accompanied by vomiting and/or diarrhea, it may have a food allergy, be sensitive to specific foods or ingredients, or have a medical problem that must be addressed with a veterinarian.

But you can occasionally handle a dog with an upset stomach with a minor dietary adjustment and some home remedies.

Signs & Symptoms of Upset Stomach in Dogs

Common tell-tale signs of a dog with an upset stomach are:

• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Eating Grass or licking the floor
• Nipping at their sides
• Lethargy
• Loss of appetite
• Passing very smelly gas
• Gurgling noises from the stomach

Each symptom doesn’t necessarily indicate an upset stomach in a dog.

But if your pet has two or more of these symptoms or the symptoms last more than a few days, it's likely dealing with tummy issues.

How to Treat a Dog with an Upset Stomach

1. Fasting

Intermittent fasting is completely safe for dogs as long as it's for a short period of time, so put your pet on a food time-out.

A 2014 study with 20 dogs treated for cancer found that fasting helped with vomiting and diarrhea and did not pose any dangers.

Therapeutic fasting is not the same as starving your dog, and it's necessary when a dog is going through bouts of diarrhea and/or vomiting caused by tummy problems.

A 24-hour fast for a dog with an upset stomach will give its digestive system time to recover. During the fast, ensure the dog can access cool, fresh water.

The more water a dog drinks, the faster this stomach upset will subside.

RELATED: How to Make a Dog Drink Water: Easy to Follow Steps!

2. Bland Meals

Bland foods will be best for a dog with an upset stomach.

The most common homemade bland diet for adult dogs involves simply mixing 75% plain boiled white rice with 25% boiled lean chicken breast without skin or bones (you can also use lean ground beef).

Try these recipes:

• Recipe: Homemade Dog Food for an Upset Stomach
• Recipe: Chicken and Rice Dog Food for Upset Stomach
• Recipe: Dog Treats for an Upset Stomach
• Recipe: Dog Treats for an Upset Stomach

Keep a dog with an upset stomach on a bland diet for a few days to prevent further issues.

The symptoms should resolve, and stool should return to normal in about 5 days, but sometimes the bland diet regimen may take up to 10 days.

Use the following feeding amounts for a homemade diet recipe:

How Much Homemade Dog Food to Feed According to Weight

WEIGHT	AMOUNT OF FOOD
<5 pounds	½ cup of food
5 – 15 pounds	½ – ¾ cup of food
16 – 30 pounds	1 – 1 ½ cups of food
31 – 50 pounds	1 ½ – 2 cups of food
51 – 75 pounds	2 – 3 cups of food
76 – 99 pounds	3 – 4 cups of food
>100 pounds	4 – 5 cups of food

Smaller amounts fed more frequently are best for dogs with an upset stomach.

So take the above total amount and break it down into 3 to 6 meals per day (i.e., for a dog of approx. 51 – 75 lbs weight, cook 3 cups of food and separate it into six 1/2 cups to feed six times during the day).

Note: This bland homemade diet should be fed to your dog strictly without anything else added (no other treats, supplements, table scraps, foods, or bones) for 4-5 days.

How to Transition a Dog Back to Normal Diet

When you reach days 4 to 6 on a bland diet and the symptoms have resolved, start reintroducing your pet's regular diet by gradually mixing it with the bland diet.

Keep reducing bland diet ingredients and increasing amounts of regular food for approximately 5 to 7 days.

Note: When reintroducing a dog back to the normal diet, keep up with the feeding frequency (i.e., 3 – 6 feed times a day) until you're finished with the transition.

Also, still keep all dog treats, table scraps, etc., away from your pet for at least another week.

If homemade dog food cooking is not an option, you can also choose a commercial bland diet.

Pick either a sensitive stomach brand or one of the best bland dog food brands designed for upset stomachs:

3. Feed Some Yogurt as a Source of Probiotics

Certain foods are good for a dog with an upset stomach.

Yogurt contains natural probiotics, the helpful live bacteria (albeit a minimal amount) that will relieve an upset stomach and help get rid of gas and diarrhea.

Scientists confirm that a helping of yogurt can positively affect the digestive system in humans, mice, and our pets, dogs, and cats in particular.

When feeding it, ensure that it’s plain yogurt, the kind used for cooking, and not flavored or sweetened yogurt.

4. Use Broth During Fasting

Bone broth is a trendy “food” choice for fasting people, and it's perfect for pets who are going through therapeutic fasting after and during bouts of diarrhea or vomiting caused by stomach upset.

Chicken or beef broth is a good compromise when your pet is hungry for more than just water but isn’t up to solid food.

You can cook it yourself! Take a look at our simple recipe below.

RELATED: Recipe: Bone Broth for Dogs

You can also buy a pre-made broth.

When purchasing, read the label carefully and make sure there are no spices like onion or garlic.

It cannot be easy to find completely plain broth that will be safe for dogs, but some do exist. There are also broths made specifically for dogs, and our three favorites are:

5. Include Sweet Potato or Pumpkin

Finally, fresh, raw sweet potato and pumpkin (not the store-bought, canned varieties) are two great bland foods for a dog with an upset stomach.

Give the dog a fresh pumpkin or cook up some sweet potatoes.

Remove the skin and mash up the insides, then give your dog a few tablespoons to help eliminate diarrhea and gas and soothe an upset stomach.

Sweet potatoes and pumpkin are often part of a bland diet guide for any dog with an upset stomach because of their low-calorie content, nutrition, fiber content, and ease on a dog's digestive system.

RELATED: Recipe: Dog Treats with Sweet Potato & Pumpkin

How to Prevent Stomach Upset in Dogs

1. Change Your Dog’s Water More Frequently

Water that sits around in your dog's water bowl can get stale and even start growing bacteria from your dog’s saliva.

Studies show that some pet bowls also make our dogs sick, and using a stainless steel bowl is better than a plastic one.

Also, ensure your dog always has fresh, cold water to drink. Note that not all tap water is safe for dogs.

While it may not necessarily cause stomach issues, hard tap water can have health consequences, such as urinary health issues, according to a 2016 study.

If you have access only to hard water at home, you'll need to switch to bottled water or distilled water kept in the fridge so it’s always cool.

Distilled water is very inexpensive and is much better for dogs than hard water from the tap.

2. Don’t Change Your Dog’s Food Suddenly

Completely switching a pet's diet suddenly can cause a dog to have an upset stomach.

Any diet changes should happen gradually because a dog's stomach needs time to adjust to new ingredients.

Also, food variety is rarely necessary for dogs as long as they get a well-balanced meal. Dogs need consistency in their diet more than variety.

If you are going to change your dog’s food, do it slowly over the course of 6-10 days.

Add a handful of new food to a dog’s regular food and slowly increase the amount of new food mixed with the old food until your dog is comfortable eating only the new food.

RELATED: How to Switch Dog Food

3. Don’t Feed Your Dog Some Human Food

Certain human foods are healthy for dogs to consume.

But most foods from your table could be why a dog's stomach is upset.

Their digestive systems aren't designed like ours, and they may not process those foods properly.

Some other foods may even be downright deadly.

4. Give Your Dog Probiotics

Studies show that probiotics can benefit a dog's digestive system.

But if you have a dog with an upset stomach, you'll need to treat this problem until it goes away completely and then start giving probiotics to prevent future stomach problems.

Probiotics are a great way for dogs to keep their digestive systems healthy and prevent diarrhea, vomiting, and stomach upset.

You can use probiotic supplements, add them once or twice a day, or choose foods with probiotics (e.g., yogurt).

5. Avoid too Many Dog Treats

Too many rich and high-calorie treats are the most common reason a dog develops an upset stomach. No more than 10% of their daily caloric needs should come from treats.

While some healthy treats are less likely to upset a dog's stomach, keep the amount to a minimum and only use them as a training reward.

Remember to use your dog's regular dry kibble as treats. This is normally lower in calories and healthier for the dog.

RELATED: How Many Treats Are Too Many For Dogs?

When to Take Your Dog to the Vet for a Stomach Ache

You don't necessarily need to see your vet immediately if your dog likes to eat grass or shows other mild symptoms of an upset tummy.

However, it may be an emergency if your dog shows any of the following symptoms:

• Continuous vomiting
• Continuous diarrhea
• Retching, but nothing comes up
• Blood in his stool
• Foreign objects in the vomit or stool
• Distended stomach
• Fever
• Lethargy
• Dehydration
• Nervous pacing
• Uncontrollable drooling
• Weight loss

You should also take your dog to the vet for his upset stomach if the symptoms last more than two or three days.

A dog's upset stomach should usually clear up within 48 hours, so longer than this may indicate a more serious issue.

Potential Causes of Your Dog's Upset Stomach

Part of dealing with your dog's upset stomach is figuring out what caused the issue.

The most common reason for an upset stomach in dogs is because of something your dog ate or how he ate it.

If your dog eats too quickly and immediately goes outside to play, you may be dealing with your pup's upset stomach.

Other possible causes are:

• constipation
• gas
• parasites or bacteria
• food sensitivities

If your pup's stomach gets upset regularly, then dog owners may want to ask their vet about possible conditions causing the problem. They could be:

• bloating
• gastrointestinal infections
• obstructions
• inflammation
• ulcers
• Hemorrhagic gastroenteritis
• digestive system cancer
• Inflammatory bowel disease
• ulcers
• motion sickness
• malabsorption can all cause
• liver failure
• kidney issues
• parvovirus
• uterine infections

It's important to note that you don't always need to determine the cause of your dog's upset tummy, especially if it goes away independently or with one of the abovementioned remedies.

Dog With Upset Stomach: FAQs

How Long Does It Take for a Dog to Get Over an Upset Stomach?

Your dog's stomach issues should disappear within 48 hours or so, possibly within 24 hours.

You should visit the vet if you still notice the symptoms after a few days.

What to Give a Dog for Upset Stomach and Vomiting?

Dog owners frequently wonder if they can give their pup human medicine for an upset stomach.

Most dogs can safely have bismuth subsalicylate (Pepto-Bismol).

However, it is best to consult your vet before giving your dog any human medication.

Your local emergency veterinary hospital can also offer suggestions.

They may also give you a prescription after examining your dog.

What Can I Give My Senior Dog for an Upset Stomach?

A great option for dogs with stomach aches is canned pumpkin.

This is good for your canine's digestion.

You can also try giving him a tablespoon of unsweetened yogurt.

Other options include plain brown rice or boiled and shredded chicken.

 

Dog With Upset Stomach: Before You Go…

If you have a dog with an upset stomach, you can try some remedies at home to help relieve his symptoms, ease indigestion, and speed his recovery.

It's critical to consider the potential triggers of stomach upset in dogs and be mindful of their clinical symptoms.

By taking the appropriate step, you can help them feel normal again.

Dogs may recover from an upset stomach naturally, but if it persists after 48 hours, consult with your vet.

Related Articles

• The Best Dog Food for Dogs With Diarrhea and Loose Stools
• Home Remedies for Dog Diarrhea: 4 Quick Fixes
• My Dog Has Bloody Diarrhea: Causes and Treatment

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