Easy Bland Dog Food Recipe for Your Pup

Did you know that about 10% of dogs in the U.S. have chronic digestive problems¹? If your dog is one of them, a bland diet might help. We’ll show you a simple recipe that your vet recommends. It can help your dog feel better when they’re sick¹.

Key Takeaways

• Always talk to your vet before changing your dog’s food, when they’re not feeling well.
• A recipe like Fish and Sweet Potato can make your dog feel better when they’re sick.
• Dogs on kibble might get dehydrated because their bodies absorb water during digestion.
• Drinking water, coconut water, bone broth, and decaf green tea can help keep them hydrated.
• It’s very important for dogs to always have access to fresh water.

What is a Bland Diet for Dogs?

A bland diet for dogs is a gentle meal plan. It’s designed to soothe and reset your pup’s stomach². It’s low in fat and fiber, with easy-to-digest carbs and lean proteins. This diet helps your dog’s sensitive stomach when they’re feeling unwell.

Definition and Purpose of a Bland Diet

The main parts of a bland diet are boiled white rice and boiled chicken breast. You can also use turkey, beef, or fish³. These foods are easy to digest and low in fat, easing your dog’s stomach troubles.

Common Ingredients in Bland Diets

• Boiled, unseasoned white rice
• Boiled, diced chicken breast (without skin and bones)
• Other lean protein sources like turkey, beef, or fish

This diet is meant to be short-term. It offers a gentle, easy-to-digest option for your dog’s stomach to recover³. It helps ease symptoms like vomiting, diarrhea, or loss of appetite by removing irritants and providing simple, nutritious meals.

“A bland diet is a highly digestible, gentle meal plan that is low in fat and fiber, and contains easily digestible carbohydrates and lean protein sources.”

When to Feed Your Dog a Bland Diet

Vets often suggest a bland diet for dogs with digestive issues like an upset stomach, vomiting, diarrhea, or chronic problems like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)⁴. This diet can calm the stomach and make bowel movements firmer, helping the digestive system heal⁴. It’s also used to check for more serious health issues.

Feeding guidelines suggest about 1/4 to 1/3 cups of food per 20 pounds of body weight per meal⁵. Small dogs (up to 20 lbs) should get 1 to 1.5 cups a day. Medium dogs (20-50 lbs) need 2 to 3 cups, and large dogs (over 50 lbs) require 3 to 4.5 cups⁵. It’s best to divide the daily amount into 4-6 small meals⁵.

Dogs usually stay on a bland diet for 3 to 5 days, depending on their response and symptoms⁵. When switching back to regular food, start with a mix of 25% regular food and 75% bland diet for 5 to 7 days⁵.

It’s important to keep your dog hydrated by always having fresh water available⁵. Keeping a food diary to track symptoms, water intake, and feeding times is also recommended⁶.

Bland diets have a single carbohydrate and a single lean protein source, and are low in fiber, fat, and protein but high in carbohydrates⁴. Allowed lean proteins include pork loin, lean ground beef (93%), egg whites, low-fat cottage cheese, and plain low-fat Greek yogurt. Allowed carbohydrates include boiled potatoes, boiled spaghetti, and minute rice⁴.

In summary, a bland diet is often recommended for dogs with various digestive issues to help settle their stomach and promote normal stool formation⁴. By following guidelines for portion control, frequency, and duration, you can help your dog recover and safely transition back to their regular diet⁵.

bland dog food recipe

Standard Bland Diet Recipe

The standard bland diet for dogs includes boiled white rice and diced chicken breast. The skin and bones are removed. This mix offers carbs and lean protein, key for your dog’s health. Always use a meat thermometer to ensure the chicken is cooked to 160°F⁷.

Modifications for Allergies or Preferences

If your dog can’t eat chicken, try lean turkey, beef, or fish. Cook them the same way: boiled or pan-fried without seasoning. Make sure to drain off excess fat⁸. These proteins are safe for dogs with allergies⁷.

You can also add canned or pureed pumpkin or bone broth. But do it slowly to avoid upsetting your dog’s stomach⁸.

The table shows the nutritional info for KOHA Bland Diet. It’s a good choice for dogs needing a bland diet. It comes in chicken or beef and has all the nutrients your dog needs⁹.

Preparing and Serving the Bland Diet

To start, boil white rice until it’s soft and can be crushed easily, which takes about 20-25 minutes¹⁰. Next, boil chicken breast (or another protein) for 10-15 minutes until it’s fully cooked. Then, chop the cooked protein finely and mix it with the rice in a 1:2 ratio¹⁰.

Portion and Frequency Guidelines

The amount of bland diet your dog needs depends on their size. Small dogs up to 20 pounds should get 1-1.5 cups of bland diet daily, in 4-5 small meals¹¹. Medium-sized dogs (20-50 pounds) need 2-3 cups of bland diet, divided into 3-4 meals¹¹. Large dogs over 50 pounds might require 3-4.5 cups, served in 2-3 meals¹¹.

Feed the bland diet in small portions, 2-4 times a day. Avoid giving treats during this time¹⁰. Watch how your dog reacts to the diet and adjust the portions as needed. If they seem hungry, you can slightly increase the amount. If they show discomfort, reduce it¹¹. If your dog has food allergies, try different proteins or talk to your vet¹¹.

Keeping a food diary is helpful while on a bland diet¹⁰. It tracks your dog’s symptoms, water intake, meals, and reactions. This helps you and your vet understand your dog’s progress and make diet adjustments if needed¹⁰.

Transitioning Back to a Regular Diet

When it’s time to slowly add your dog’s regular food back, do it carefully. Mix the bland diet with their regular food over 5-7 days. Start with 25% regular food and 75% bland diet, then slowly change the mix¹².

Watch your dog closely as you increase the regular food and decrease the bland diet. If they show signs of upset, like vomiting or diarrhea, go back to the bland diet. Always check with your vet before making any changes¹².

Your vet might suggest using a commercial bland diet, like Hill’s i/d or Royal Canin GI diet. This can help your dog’s stomach during the transition¹². Feed small meals throughout the day until your dog feels better¹².

If your dog doesn’t like the bland diet, try meat-based baby food without onion or garlic¹². Adding probiotics or plain canned pumpkin can also help with digestion¹².

By slowly introducing regular food, you can make the transition easier for your dog¹². Always talk to your vet if you’re unsure about how to transition your dog back to their regular diet¹³.

Benefits of a Complete and Balanced Bland Diet

A complete and balanced bland diet, like KOHA Bland Diet, gives your dog all the vitamins and minerals they need. It’s also easy on their stomach¹⁴. This diet is ready to serve, saving you time and effort. It’s perfect for managing your dog’s digestive issues or as a regular diet¹⁴.

This diet supports your dog’s gut health. The gut is key to the immune system, making a healthy gut vital¹⁴. A bland diet soothes upset stomachs, prevents diarrhea, and helps with pancreatitis and protein-losing enteropathies¹⁴.

Bland diets are great for dogs with vomiting and diarrhea¹⁴. They’re low in fat and easy to digest. This lets the stomach rest and recover while keeping your dog healthy¹⁴. Many vets recommend diets like Hill’s Prescription Diet i/d Digestive Care and Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diets EN Gastroenteric¹⁴.

Looking to manage your dog’s digestive upset or add a gentle diet to their routine? A complete and balanced bland diet is a good choice. It’s convenient and boosts gut health, keeping your dog happy and healthy¹⁴.

Hydration Tips for Dogs on a Bland Diet

Keeping your dog hydrated is key when they’re on a bland diet. This diet can cause dehydration because it has less fiber¹⁵. You can moisten their kibble with water, coconut water, bone broth, or decaf green tea¹⁵. Freezing these liquids in ice cube trays makes it easy to mix them into their food at mealtime. This helps with digestion and keeps them hydrated¹⁵.

Importance of Proper Hydration

Dogs on kibble diets might face dehydration because the food absorbs moisture¹⁵. Staying hydrated is vital for their organs, immune system, and nutrient absorption¹⁶. Without enough water, they could feel tired, have constipation, or even kidney problems¹⁶.

Liquid Options for Moistening Kibble

Make sure your dog always has fresh water¹⁵. Adding liquids like water, coconut water, bone broth, or decaf green tea to their kibble can help¹⁵. These liquids not only hydrate but also add nutrients and benefits¹⁷. For instance, bone broth supports joints, and green tea has antioxidants¹⁷.

“Proper hydration is essential for maintaining healthy organ function, supporting the immune system, and facilitating the absorption of essential nutrients.” – Dr. Richard Hill¹⁶

It’s important to keep your dog hydrated on a bland diet for their health and recovery. Adding different liquids to their meals helps them stay hydrated and comfortable¹⁵¹⁶¹⁷.

Monitoring Your Dog’s Response

After switching your dog to a bland diet, watch them closely. Look at their appetite, energy, stool, and any signs of pain¹⁸. This will tell you if the diet is working or if there’s something else going on¹⁸.

Watch for good signs like regular bowel movements, more energy, and a better appetite¹⁸. If your dog’s symptoms don’t get better, see your vet right away¹⁸. They can figure out if the diet is right or if your dog needs more help¹⁸.

Remember, every dog is different, and they may react differently to a bland diet¹⁹. But, a good bland diet can really help with digestion and make stool solid¹⁸.

If your dog doesn’t seem to be getting better on the bland diet, or if you’re worried, talk to your vet²⁰. They can give you advice tailored to your dog and suggest other treatments if needed²⁰.

“Closely monitoring your dog’s response to the bland diet is key for their digestive health and happiness.”

Conclusion

Feeding your dog a bland diet can help soothe their sensitive stomach. It supports their digestive health when they’re not feeling well. You can make a homemade diet or choose a commercial one like KOHA Bland Diet²¹.

Make sure your dog stays hydrated and slowly goes back to their usual food²². A bland diet can help your dog feel better and get back to health.

This article covered what a bland diet is and why it’s helpful. It talked about the ingredients, when to use it, and how to prepare it²³²². Knowing about bland diets can help your dog overcome digestive problems and feel better.

In short, a bland diet is a useful tool for pet care. It offers a gentle, nourishing solution for digestive issues. With the right steps, it can help your dog recover²¹²³²².

Source Links

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2. Microsoft Word – BLAND DIET – https://www.arlingtonanimalhospital.biz/storage/app/media/BLAND_DIET.pdf
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