What to feed your dog on an upset stomach: Proven home remedies

Just like humans, dogs can get an upset stomach too. One moment your dog seems perfectly fine, happy and wagging their tail but the next moment they refuse to eat, they look sad and try to vomit. If you are also going through this situation, don’t worry. It’s actually very common in dogs to have an upset stomach.

Usually most of the upset stomach cases are mild and nothing much to worry about. With proper diet and management, we can cure an upset stomach. Dogs can’t tell us what is wrong with them, so it’s easier for us to panic at small things.

I am sharing this information based on my personal experience. These are the signs that I noticed when my dog had an upset stomach and what I did to make them feel better. Here is a guide that explains how to know if your dog has an upset stomach and what you can do at home to make them feel okay.

How to know your dog has an upset stomach

Diarrhea or Vomiting

This is the most common sign that your dog shows if they have an upset stomach. If your dog has vomited just once or twice then it’s not that serious. But if vomiting is frequent then its best to seek vets guidance. Same with diarrhea as well, note down the color and check whether there is any blood in it or not. Presence of blood in stool needs urgent vets attention.

Loss of appitite

If your dog suddenly refuses to eat foods and treats that they usually love, it could be because of an upset stomach. My dog also refuses to eat food for hours and sometimes an entire day. They seem low on energy. It was mainly cause of gut pain and nausea. Skipping one meal is not much concerning but not eating for an entire day is something to worry about.

Eating Grass

Dogs usually don’t tend to eat grass. Sometimes out of nowhere, they instinctively eat grass to soothe their stomach. My dog used to eat grass occasionally to introduce vomit. She does it to release discomfort from her stomach. It’s normal for dogs to eat grass sometimes but excessive eating paired with other symptoms can be alarming.

Stinky Fart, burp and stomach noise

Stinky farts and burps indicate that food is not being digested properly and is rotting or being fermented in the stomach. Stomach growling means that the stomach is either empty, full of gas or unsettled gut. It is not that serious on its own but the combination of this and other symptoms can lead to serious issue.

Licking their paws

If your dog licks its paw often, it’s cause their gut health is imbalanced. Paw licking is a self soothing behavior. It is triggered by gut discomfort. If your dog’s digestive system has bad bacteria, they lick their paws as a sign of gut discomfort. It temporarily manages the discomfort that they are feeling internally. This is the most common sign most owners overlook.

Bloated stomach

A large swollen/bloated stomach needs immediate vet attention. A visible swollen belly is a classic sign of GDV in dogs. The stomach expands like a balloon. Bloat, or GDV (gastric dilatation and volvulus), is one of the few conditions in dogs where minutes actually matter more than hours. To learn more about it do check our GDV in dogs blog.

What can be done to soothe upset stomach in dogs

These are proven food remedies that have helped my dog recover its gut health. Every dog is different so the same food remedy may not work for every dog.

Hard boiled eggs

Eggs are packed with proteins, healthy fats and minerals. Eggs are easier to digest than rice. They are more gentle on the stomach. You can replace eggs with chicken and give them with rice. But rice is harder to digest so it’s better to lower the ration of rice or avoid rice if possible.

I started feeding my dog boiled eggs when she had an upset stomach. Now it has been my routine, I feed her eggs and chicken in rotation to ease her digestion. Keep the eggs simple no oil, no butter and no seasonings. As spices are not good on dogs guts. Make sure the eggs are fully cooked as raw eggs might have the risk of salmonella.

Pumpkins

If your dog has constipation or diarrhea then pumpkin is the best option. It helps to treat diarrhea and constipation in just a day or two. Pumpkins loose up hard stool and tighten up loose stool. It is because pumpkins have both soluble and insoluble fiber. You can incorporate 2-3 tablespoons of pumpkin in your dogs meal.

I feed my dog pure boiled mashed pumpkin while she has an upset stomach. I has been a game changer because her stool got better in just a day. I have been feeding her pumpkin occasionally and no just when her stomach is upset. Pumpkin is always stocked up in my freeze for this reason.

Greek Yogurt

Greek yogurt is actually very good for dogs guts. Depending on the size of your dog, you should maintain the portion. Make sure to use plain Greek yogurt with no added sugar. It has natural probiotics in it. Yogurt balances gut bacteria helping our dogs to fart less.

Whenever my dog’s stomach is filled with gas, I give her yogurt. It actually made a noticeable difference. It cleared up her gas and soothed her upset stomach. She is a medium sized dog, so we give her about 2 tablespoons of Greek yogurt. One plus point is that my dog loves yogurt so it’s like a healthy treat for her.

Keep your dog hydrated

It’s important to keep our dogs hydrated when they lose their appetite. A plain, unsalted bone broth is good for hydration and some energy in dogs. If your dog refuses to drink the broth then small sips of water every 20-30 minutes is better than a large bowl of water in one serving.

When my dog was nauseous, I gave her some broth and small sips of water. It is because she was vomiting earlier so I decided to give her a small portion. This helped with her vomiting as well. She was actually consuming broth without letting it all out. This was a huge relief for me.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. How long does a dog’s upset stomach last?

Ans. An upset stomach usually lasts for 12 hours or a day. It can ease with proper diet and rest. If it lasts for more than 2 days, it’s better to seek vets guidance.

Q2. Should I feed my dog chicken or egg for an upset stomach?

Ans. Chicken and Eggs both are fine to give your dog. But eggs are much better as they are easily digestible. Eggs contain protein, healthy fats and fibers and is much gentle on the stomach.

Q3. How much pumpkin should I feed my dog?

Ans. You can feed up to 2-3 tablespoons of pumpkins. Make sure the pumpkin is pure or canned not the pie filling one as they have added sugar in it. You can give pumpkin with boiled eggs or rice as well.

Q4. When should I stop trying home remedies and visit vet?

Ans. The answer is simple, if your dog’s condition doesn’t improve even after trying all the alternatives then it’s time to visit the vet. Also if your dog’s belly looks visibly swollen then rush them immediately.

Final Thoughts

An upset stomach in dogs isn’t something to worry about as its very common. Dogs can digest something that they shouldn’t have which causes their stomach to be upset. As pet parents, it’s our responsibility to understand when our dog’s gut is affected. The right diet and patience can make our dogs gut come back to normal.

I have also experienced this many times with my dog so pumpkin, eggs and yogurt has been a must have in my kitchen. This blog is for informational purpose where I share what has worked for my dog. Veterinary supervision is never to be neglected.