Our Guide to Your Dog's Sensitive Stomach
Did you know that humans aren’t the only ones that can experience a sensitive stomach? We don't know a dog owner that enjoys the prospect of cleaning up the results of canine digestive issues. It's doubly challenging because you're worried about the health of your dog as well. Fortunately, dogs that have sensitive stomachs or digestive issues can sort these issues out, and we can help! These stomach issues typically come as a result of a few different factors: diet changes, eating routines, and eating habits.
Fret not; we’ve prepared a rundown of ways to address your pet's problems. Keep reading for our practical guide on how to handle your dog's sensitive stomach.
1. Monitor Their Food Intake
When your pets have a stomach problem, the best course of action is to pay close attention to them and what they eat. In general, the biggest factor here is their food, but you shouldn't count out the other things they may get into around the house or outside. Puppy eyes can make it hard for you, or for children, to resist giving your dog the leftovers on the table, or they may have found a decomposing avocado peel in the garbage can that they decided looked delicious. These additions to their diet can agitate their stomach.
The best solution is to monitor what they eat and be sure to feed them properly. As a rule of thumb, have them consume smaller, more frequent meals and we strongly recommend limiting the table scraps and human food. Most dogs that are older than 6 months should eat twice daily. However, if your dog is experiencing an upset stomach and you've been closely monitoring the rest of their intake, we recommend switching to smaller portion sizes with three or four smaller meals per day.
Our other recommendation is to make sure that they are eating regularly sized meals! Join our Automatic Ordering program, where you can receive 30% off your first order and 15% off every order after that! You're able to customize your order size, frequency, and delivery destination!
2. Be Highly Selective of Your Dog Treats
So, we've covered food, and now let's cover the other main part of your dog's diet: dog treats! The same principles apply: opt for specific treats for dogs, don’t just give them whatever they or you want! When you know your dog has a sensitive stomach, that means you know you have to be even more careful. There's a possibility that certain treats, flavors, or proteins are causing indigestion and an upset stomach.
Wondering which treats are best for your dog? Speak with one of our staff members! Everybody at EarthWise Pet Marysville has over 300 hours of training on dog nutrition and diet. Contact us today with any questions, we would be happy to help!
When it comes to dog treats, aim for high-quality and highly-nutritional foods. We have a huge variety of dog treats to choose from with various flavors, ingredients, proteins, styles, and purposes.
3. Take Them to the Vet
If you've spoken with a pet nutritionist (like one of our staff) and you've been feeding your dogs appropriately and their problems persist, then we have to recommend taking your dog to a local veterinary practice here in Marysville. Professional veterinarians will be able to assist in identifying the underlying causes of your dog's stomach problems and provide you and your dog with the right medications and treatments.
We also recommend that in specific cases, such as finding blood in your dog's stool or vomit, you skip steps one and two and jump straight to step three to get seen by a veterinarian immediately!
Conclusion
If your dog has a sensitive stomach, make sure you're monitoring their food intake and choosing the right dog food and dog treats for them. It might take a little bit of extra work on your part to ensure that the places where they frequent (house, outside, park, etc) don't have things they could munch on readily available.
For further assistance, advice, or pet supplies, come to your local pet supplies store in Marysville, WA! We have a wide selection of natural pet and raw foods, along with pet treats and other pet supplies!