When we adopt a dog, we take on the responsibility of providing it with the best possible care, including a healthy diet.
This article discusses some of the best foods and soft diets for dogs with gastric problems or gastritis. While these problems may be normal for some dogs, they can be fatal for others.
What is gastritis in dogs?
This is a disease that produces irritation in the animal's stomach. It is one of the main causes of canine vomiting and diarrhea. This is put when the gastric ulcer or stomach mucosa is affected.
We must keep in mind that a canine without prior veterinary visit can hide the symptoms that facilitate the diagnosis of our dog. The worst case we can aggravate acute gastritis and do more damage.
Causes of diarrhea or gastritis in dogs
It can be generated for many reasons, some of them being the consumption of food that is difficult to digest, such as chocolate or salt cookies. We can also see gastritis in dogs with a drastic change in food or diet.
The ingestion of any chemical, either because the canine drank a cleaning solution or took medication, is a possible cause of this acute condition.
A dog may have diarrhea, vomiting, or gastritis due to stress. Canines may become upset due to confinement or boredom, which leads to digestive system problems and intestinal irritation, causing the dog to vomit.
There are some foods that can cause allergies in dogs, as well as intoxication and disease. These canines may also experience irritation and vomiting from bacteria and parasites in their system.
What are the symptoms of gastritis?
The evidence that our dog has this disease is that it begins to have constant vomiting. This goes hand in hand with part of its gastric juices and even sometimes traces of blood. We can also see an increase in the usual salivation and the typical nausea.
What is the soft diet for dogs and what can they eat?
A soft diet for dogs consists of easy-to-digest foods that provide the nutrients they need. This type of diet is recommended by veterinarians for dogs that have suffered from vomiting or have an irritable digestive system.
If your dog doesn't have any health problems, it's still a good idea to put him on a soft diet. It will help keep his body healthy and he'll always be a happy animal. If you don't see results after doing this, you can try other things your vet suggests.
A soft diet for dogs contains low-fat foods, which will not saturate and irritate the digestive system. Similarly, these diets may not contain condiments, since these foods irritate the stomach.
The main homemade food for your animal should be protein-based. However, the amount of protein should be low. These foods must be cooked on the grill or boiled; they cannot contain any fats or oils. This will take care of and prevent future irritations of the digestive system and prevent the animal from having more vomiting.
In what circumstances should I switch my dog's food to a soft diet?
If your dog starts vomiting, you should switch their food to a soft diet. Some of the regular food may be harmful to the animal because it will have an irritated stomach. You should consult with a veterinarian to see if this is the best course of action.
What food should I give my dog with diarrhea or gastritis?
Knowing the possible causes for which our canine has this, we must take immediate measures to help the dog. The first thing is to go to the veterinarian so that he can recommend the indicated treatment for our pet according to his problem and the type of disease with diarrhea.
When a dog has gastritis, it is generally recommended to fast for 12 to 24 hours. This is intended to purge the body completely and restore normality to the mucosa or gastric ulcer, after which the dog can carry out a natural process of digestion. If, after the fast is completed, the dog has not vomited within a period of 12 hours, this will be an indication that the dog is ready to eat.
We will then give the friend a specialized feed for gastritis, but keep in mind that we should not give the dog water, since it can eat or generate new vomiting.
It is recommended that you seek advice from your trusted veterinarian in order to ensure you are giving your dog the necessary amount of water. This is important because when a dog has gastritis they tend to drink excess water which can aggravate the situation and cause them to vomit constantly.
Feed is essential for restoring a dog's health. Low protein percentage feeds are specialized for a dog's digestive system. Portions must be controlled to give a dog the energy it needs. Try to measure if gastritis has been cured through the days.
There is a homemade recipe that we can apply to our dog when he is sick, and it is a feeding by adding a small portion of plain yogurt, when combined with the kibble. The yogurt will help him in his digestive restructuring process.
We can also try this other homemade recipe, we have to add a small portion of spinach liquefied with a little olive oil or water. This has a double effect: as well as helping the digestion process, it will ensure that our dog ingests his feces in case this happens.
Types of homemade foods used in the soft diet
If your dog has gastritis, you may be wondering what to give him. The answer is simple. Most of the ingredients used in the bland diet for dogs are animal-based proteins, but low in fat. In this sense, turkey, chicken, rabbit, and white fish meat are used. Within the group of vegetables and fruits, potatoes, pumpkins, apples, and carrots are usually used.
Similarly, dogs with vomiting and gastritis problems should drink water. However, do not consume too much water because this can cause more vomiting. The liquids to drink are soups and broths, as well as yogurt, which is a regenerative of the intestinal flora.
Supplements for your dog's soft diet to help him recover
If your dog becomes sick, you may wonder what to feed him. The most obvious thing is that you should give him supplements or kibble that contain vitamins. This will help the dog to recover quickly and ease his discomfort. However, you cannot give just any vitamin supplement to these animals, so you must wait for the veterinarian's evaluation and indication.
Yogurt for gastritis in dogs
Some people recommend giving yogurt to dogs with gastritis to help soothe their stomachs, while others believe that it may actually aggravate the condition. Ultimately, it is best to speak with your veterinarian to determine whether or not yogurt is a good option for your dog's gastritis.
They usually suggest a bland diet of low-fat foods, all the protein cooked on the grill or boiled, with fruits and vegetables and some high-carbohydrate foods like rice.
In what proportion should I give the soft diet?
The food strips in this is for dogs are very specific. Since 70% of what a canine with gastritis and vomiting can eat is low-fat meat. The other remaining 30% should be food made up of water and vegetables that are well cooked and cut or mashed. The ideal thing to give them in this type of case is soup or meat broth, because all the ingredients can be perfectly combined.
How long should I give my dog a soft diet?
For canines, there is no standard duration to be followed to the letter. This depends on the health of the dog. If the dog evolves quickly, the original diet can be reintroduced as its main food. But if the dog is still sick, it is advisable to continue with the food schedule for several weeks.
What to do in the case of vomiting or gastric ulcer in my dog?
Many things can happen to your canine that will affect his daily actions. Taking away the joy and sweetness he has always had, one of these can be a gastric ulcer. These act silently, and when they arrive, it is already very difficult to remove them, but not impossible. Therefore, if something like that happens to you, do not hesitate to immediately take your pet to a specialist. He is the only one who can tell you what to do with your pet, do not medicate without being sure of what he has.
Read also: Giardia in Dogs: Causes, Symptoms and Treatment
How can we prevent gastritis in our dog?
If you have already gone through this and you do not want to repeat it, or if it does not happen to you because you have been told that it is a very big headache, you can prevent it. It may be a bit tedious if you are one of the people who feed your dog what they get in the kitchen, but if you want it, it is better that you avoid a gastric ulcer. This is very simple if you put your mind to it, it is not necessary that you buy their normal food, that is, the recommended one. You can also do it, but not by placing some.
First of all, we must avoid giving him homemade things with condiments or treats that are not suitable for dogs, such as cookies. Likewise, chocolates and all those foods that the body's organism will not digest in the same way that a human does. Here are some tips that can help you in a great way:
Your dog does not have the same stomach as you. Therefore, you must take away things that you like but are bad for him. Among these we can locate the fats. These are harmful for him in an incredible way. So are salts, they are all bad, prepare his meals without these substances.
You should avoid giving your dog sweet things. Chocolate is poison for them, and there are other little things that you can give him to try. But only that. All that in excess is where they cause the internal damage to your dog.