Diarrhea and vomiting are one of the two main problems faced by dog owners. In fact, they are the main reason for taking them to the vet. For these reasons, it is essential to keep a bland diet prepared for such cases. It will help reduce the amount of vomiting and diarrhea and will also help the dog feel better.
Whenever you feel that your dog is suffering from a gut problem such as diarrhea or vomiting, remove his food and give his stomach a break and let him rest for a few hours. You can allow your dog to drink water. However, make sure he doesn’t drink too much as it can lead to additional vomiting.
In the meantime, when your dog’s stomach is at rest, you can cook the bland diet that you will be feeding your dog for the next few days.
Here in this article, we will talk about the mixed bland diet for dogs. When to use the bland diet for dogs? What ingredients are used in the bland diet, and how long can you use this diet for your dogs?
What Is a Bland Diet for Dogs?
The bland diet is similar to what your mom and dad used to feed you when your stomach got upset. Since the dog is a member of your family, they need the same diet and care as you.
If your dog suffers from diarrhea or vomiting, he needs a soft or bland diet that is easy to digest. The gentle recipes for dogs are designed in such a way that they will calm their digestion, normal appetite, and bowel movements.
When To Use a Bland Diet for Dogs?
Now the most common question dog owners ask is when to start a bland diet in dogs. The simple answer is that whenever your dog has an upset stomach and suffers from loss of appetite, the best way to improve his body condition is by providing him with a bland diet.
A bland diet has all the ingredients that are easy to digest and do not add to existing nausea, and also absorb extra moisture.
However, a bland diet is not a substitute for veterinary care and is only used when recommended by a veterinarian. On the other hand, if your dog suffers from vomiting, diarrhea, or bloody diarrhea and does not eat, consult your vet and rule out the primary cause.
How To Prepare a Bland Diet?
As you know, the bland diet is made up of foods that are easy to digest and that provide a calming effect on the digestive system. Basically, the bland diet recipe includes boiled meat like hamburgers, turkey, or chicken and starch like sweet potato or white rice.
While preparing a bland diet, take all the meat and cut it into small pieces. Now boil this meat and set it aside. Now bring the white rice to a boil and mix the meat and rice in a 65/30 or 50/50 ratio.
Remember not to add oil or spices and cool it to room temperature before giving it to your dog.
To achieve better results, you can add digestive supplements to your dog’s diet. They are small, easy to digest, and filled with good things for health. Supplements like Black Balance by Medrego, consist only of natural ingredients including beneficial fulvic and humic acids.
Thanks to these components, this product improves the work of the stomach and intestinal microbiome.
Also, improves the absorption of nutrients from the gastrointestinal tract and removes heavy metals and free radicals from the body. Thereby, these supplements improve the work of the digestive system, which helps with vomiting and diarrhea.
How To Feed the Bland Diet?
After preparing the bland diet, most vets recommend not feeding anything for at least 2-3 hours after your dog vomits or has diarrhea, as it will help settle the stomach. If there is any improvement in the dog’s condition, water can be given in a small amount, and wait and see if the vomiting or diarrhea starts again or not.
If there are no signs of any problems for another 2-3 hours, you can start feeding him a bland diet.
Provide the bland diet in a small amount at first, such as a small serving the size of a meatball or a tablespoon, and again wait 2-3 hours and look for signs of vomiting. If there is no sign, you can gradually increase the amount of bland diet. For example, you can increase the amount of bland diet from 2 tablespoons to half a cup and a cup every few hours.
How Long Can a Dog Be Kept on a Bland Diet?
Vets recommend keeping your dog on this diet for two to three days after they have stopped having diarrhea or vomiting.
Once the dog has gone back to normal function, begin adding his regular food with a bland diet and gradually increase the amount until your dog is entirely moved to his usual diet.
Most owners want to keep their dog on a soft bland for their dog’s good. However, it is essential to understand that the soft diet is not a complete diet. Although it provides some nutrients and calories that can aid your dog in recovery, it is not yet a complete diet, and your dog needs his regular food to make a full recovery.
If you want to keep your dog on a homemade diet for an extended period, consult your veterinarian and form a diet under his supervision. Also, if vomiting and diarrhea are not resolved by the bland diet and are also accompanied by abdominal pain and fatigue symptoms, see your veterinarian immediately.
Few Things To Consider When Feeding a Bland Diet to Your Dog
If your pet suffers from a bowel disorder, a soft diet is regarded as an excellent step toward recovery, but sometimes there are conditions where a soft diet is not a good option.
- Sometimes, intestinal discomfort can be life-threatening, such as when your dog eats any foreign object such as stone, toy, water, or any other thing that can cause blockage and vomiting in these conditions, the bland diet will not work.
- Similarly, some organ diseases can be the cause of vomiting in dogs. Also in these cases, a bland diet will not work. If you are feeding a bland diet and your puppy continues to vomit after every eight hours, you should consult your vet.
- Similarly, if diarrhea does not improve within 24 hours on a bland diet, more medication is required to control diarrhea.
Conclusion
A bland diet is not a treatment for vomiting or diarrhea, but it can help alleviate gut discomfort conditions. It is very important to consult your vet first and proceed with treatment according to his instructions.
The Medrego team always suggests consulting a qualified veterinarian for personalized advice.
