How to Choose the Best Dog Food for Sensitive Stomachs
Like most people, some dogs are also sensitive to specific food ingredients. However, for other canines, a sensitive stomach may be a sign of a more severe problem. This article will assist you in how to choose the best dog food for sensitive stomachs.
If you can’t be around your dog most of the time, try to use an indoor security camera to monitor your canine companion.
If you suspect something’s wrong, schedule an appointment with your vet to examine your fur baby. You can use the video clips you recorded and give them to your vet as a reference. The footage may help them with their diagnosis.
Remember that there’s a variety of food items that some breeds have trouble tolerating. Hence, it’s best if you start looking for some symptoms first.
How to Determine if Your Fur Baby Has a Sensitive Stomach
A sensitive stomach refers to mild intestinal upset in dogs. Occasional vomiting, loose stools, and flatulence are common symptoms of stomach aches in canines.
Your fur baby can experience one or all of these symptoms. But, if the symptoms are severe, you need to consult your vet immediately.
Ingredients in Dog Food That Trigger Upset Stomach
Not all dogs are the same. Some of them can digest everything that goes into their stomach without a problem. Others, on the other hand, experience discomfort from the subtlest changes in their diet.
To help you pick the best dog food for your fur baby with a sensitive stomach, you need to be aware of the food aspect of canine nutrition.
Here are food-related triggers of sensitive stomachs in canines:
Quality Ingredients
It’s tricky to determine the quality of the ingredients in dog food. However, an excellent way to know its quality is to search for clinical studies performed on a specific food brand.
Then select a brand that outperforms its competitors statistically. Also, you shouldn’t be intimidated in contacting the manufacturer directly.
Remember that the latest brands may not have sufficient clinical studies, as research requires time to evaluate. However, it doesn’t mean that they aren’t a good choice for your furry friend.
It’s also a good idea to confirm if the brand employs a board-certified veterinary nutritionist as one of its staff. If it does, you can be sure that the company is knowledgeable about the nutritional value of its products.
Vitamins and Minerals
Most commercial dog foods are packed with sufficient amounts of vitamins and minerals in their formulas.
But if you’re feeding your furry friend a special diet, such as a home-cooked meal or a raw diet, it may be suffering from nutrient deficiency.
For this reason, please consult your vet to ensure that you’re feeding your canine companion all the nutrients it needs for proper digestion.
Fibre
Sometimes, your canine companion needs a little extra fibre in its diet. For example, beet pulp is fibre-rich and can provide good fecal quality in dogs without affecting the digestibility of other nutrients.
Protein
Some canines have a hard time digesting some types of protein well. For instance, if your fur baby is on a chicken-based diet, you can opt for a different protein source, such as beef, lamb, or fish.
Fat
Food items high in fat are more complicated to digest than those with higher carbohydrates or protein.
Make sure you read the ingredient label on your canine companion’s current food.
If oils or fats are listed in the first four ingredients, this can indicate that the dog food might be too high in fat for your fur baby’s digestive system.
Find dog food that is lower in fat, and then look for the percentage in the nutritional information on the label.
The Best Commercial Dog Food for Dogs With a Sensitive Stomach
Commercial dog foods are convenient to use. Most of the time, they also offer the best options for dogs with sensitive stomachs.
Unfortunately, the number of formulas can be intimidating. To help you pick the right dog food for your pup, below are the top two things to consider:
Complete and Balanced
Look for dog food that claims “complete and balanced.” It means that it is specifically formulated to provide your dog with all the nutrients it needs.
Selecting a complete and balanced diet for your pet reduces its risk of a sensitive stomach that results from nutritional deficiencies.
Labels
Analyse the protein, fibre sources, and fat content of the dog food you’re eyeing. Ensure that your fur baby is eating the correct life stage version. Discuss any pet food recalls with your vet.
Conclusion
Remember that finding the optimal food item for your dog’s sensitive stomach takes time. You may even end up trying several dog food types before you find the one that suits your fur baby.
For this reason, it’s necessary to speak with your vet for advice. This way, they can develop a diet plan custom-made to your canine companion’s needs.
References
Author’s Bio:
Fay Smith worked in communications for five years before settling down with her husband. She is a happily married woman who multitasks between freelance writing and managing her household.
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