5 Ways To Help A Dog With An Upset Stomach At Home

If your dog seems bothered with stomach issues, I” show you some ways you can settle a dog’s upset stomach. It’s not uncommon for dogs to have stomach problems every so often. Dogs may occasionally ingest toxic substances or foods that are difficult to digest.

How can you settle a dog’s upset tummy?

Five ways to settle a dog’s upset stomach include:

• Letting the dog fast for 12 to 24 hours
• Gradually hydrating the dog with ice chips or small amounts of water
• Feeding the dog bland foods such as rice, boiled chicken, or bone broth
• Giving the dog probiotics
• Taking the dog to a veterinarian

Diarrhea, vomiting, excessive flatulence, and burping are common symptoms of an upset stomach. If your dog’s symptoms persist for over 48 hours or they have excessive distress at any time, you should take your dog to a veterinarian.

Before you get too worried, you should know that a dog’s upset stomach is typically not a serious problem. The stomach will often heal within 24 hours without professional medical attention.

5 Ways You Can Settle A Dog’s Upset Stomach

Though it’s sometimes difficult to tell if a dog has an upset stomach, there are several noticeable symptoms that might be noticeable.

More obvious symptoms include diarrhea, vomiting, burping, and excessive flatulence.

If you see your dog eating grass, that could also be a sign of an upset stomach.

Though eating grass might be how your dog tries to ease its stomach, you should avoid letting it eat grass due to the possible presence of pesticides in the grass.

Less obvious symptoms of a dog’s upset stomach include dehydration, bad breath, lack of appetite, general weakness, and a sad demeanor.

You can test for dehydration by pulling the dog’s lips back and gently pressing a spot on their gums.

If the color of the spot changes and doesn’t quickly return to its original color, your dog might be dehydrated.

Noticing some of the other symptoms might be more difficult, so you should keep a close eye on your dog as soon as you notice anything even slightly unusual.

If you feel your dog has an upset stomach, doing one or more of the following things might help to heal them.

Don’t Feed Your Dog For 12 to 24 Hours

When your dog doesn’t eat for an extended period of time, they are doing something called fasting.

Though it might seem unhealthy to not feed them for a while, letting your adult dog fast for less than 24 hours shouldn’t be a major problem.

If your dog has an upset stomach, it probably won’t be that interested in eating much food anyway.

It’s important to note that puppies shouldn’t fast for more than 12 hours.

A dog’s upset stomach is often a minor issue that will take care of itself within a day or so.

Fasting basically gives a dog’s stomach a break and may help to speed up the body’s natural healing process.

Feeding your dog while it has an upset stomach will sometimes cause further problems and prolong the healing process.

Fasting can be a simple and effective way to heal a dog’s upset stomach if the case is relatively minor.

You should explore other treatment methods if your dog doesn’t get better within a day.

Gradually Hydrate Your Dog

If your dog has an upset stomach due to diarrhea, your dog could be dehydrated due to excessive fluid loss from diarrhea.

If your dog is not up for drinking water normally, you can try feeding them small pieces of ice such as ice chips or crushed ice.

You can gradually introduce water depending on how comfortable they look about drinking it.

You can start by giving them small amounts of water and slowly increasing it throughout the day.

A few teaspoons of water should be good in the beginning, but you can continue to give them ice if they don’t seem to want water.

Since a dehydrated dog may need more than just water, you should also give your dog electrolytes such as potassium, sodium, and chloride.

Dogs that have had diarrhea have likely lost loads of electrolytes that should be quickly replenished.

A fast solution to give your dog plenty of electrolytes would be to give them an electrolyte drink such as Pedialyte.

You can also give them an electrolyte solution for dogs from your local pet store.

Feed Your Dog Bland Foods

If your dog is willing to eat something, you should feed it foods that won’t further upset their stomach.

Foods with added flavorings or anything that might be hard to digest should be avoided.

You should start with nutrient-rich bland foods that are easy for your dog to consume and digest.

Some foods that might be good to feed your dog include rice, boiled chicken, cooked pumpkin, and bone broth.

Any food you feed your dog should be as plain and soft as possible.

You shouldn’t use any oils, butter, or seasonings to prepare any of the foods.

Even small amounts of added ingredients can irritate a dog’s stomach and cause further discomfort.

One of the easier foods to prepare for your dog’s upset stomach is white or brown rice.

Brown rice usually has more nutrients, but white rice may be easier on your dog’s stomach.

Feeding your dog plain chicken is a great way to give them something hearty and nutritious.

You should remove the skin and be sure not to fry or add any ingredients to the chicken that might irritate your dog’s stomach.

Certain vegetables like pumpkin and sweet potatoes can be cooked and blended down to a pulpy liquid.

Plain pumpkin and sweet potatoes have a wealth of nutrients and should be gentle on your dog’s stomach.

Though bone broth might be more time-consuming to make, it can be a fantastic way to feed your dog without irritating his stomach.

Bone broth has a wide range and abundance of nutrients that your dog can easily consume.

Since the fat in the broth might not be good for your dog’s stomach, you should try to remove as much fat from the broth as possible.

A layer of fat might emerge in the broth that you can carefully skim off so your dog doesn’t eat as much of it.

Keeping it simple is the key to all of the foods you feed your dog when it has an upset stomach.

Give Your Dog Probiotic Foods Or Supplements

Like humans, a dog’s digestive system can be improved when probiotics are added to it.

Probiotics have good bacteria in them that are naturally present in the digestive system.

When a dog eats foods with probiotics such as plain yogurt, it can help to strengthen the dog’s immune system, promote healthy digestion, and soothe discomfort from an upset stomach.

You can feed your dog yogurt or kefir as long as they don’t contain sugar or any artificial sweeteners.

Some kefir products may not contain probiotics, so you should look for kefir products that contain live cultures.

If you’d rather use probiotic supplements, you can purchase probiotic dog treats, capsules, or powders to give to your dog.

Your dog might prefer one type of food or product over another, so you should consider your dog’s eating history and habits to determine which food or product will work best.

Since some probiotics might contain additives that can irritate your dog’s upset stomach, you should opt for products that are as plain as possible.

If your dog doesn’t like to eat any probiotic foods or products straight, you can try mixing them with the food they like.

Take Your Dog To A Veterinarian

When a dog has an upset stomach, the problem will commonly resolve itself within a day or two without drastic medical intervention.

Since dogs are naturally curious and playful, it wouldn’t be unusual for them to explore areas that might contain foods or substances that can cause them to have an upset stomach.

If you have tried home remedies like the ones mentioned above and don’t see any significant improvements after a couple of days, you should have your veterinarian check your dog out for more serious health issues.

An upset stomach might signal deeper problems with your dog’s digestive system, such as ulcers, bowel diseases, parasites, and tumors.

A qualified veterinarian should be able to diagnose illnesses related to your dog’s upset stomach.

On some occasions, your veterinarian may refer you to a specialist that can perform an advanced examination.

How Can I Prevent My Dog From Having An Upset Stomach

After your dog’s stomach has healed, you should take measures to prevent them from having an upset stomach again.

Even if your dog hasn’t had an upset stomach, you should be aware of circumstances that might put your dog at risk of having one.

Since understanding health issues aren’t always straightforward, you should be patient with figuring out how to best care for your dog.

You won’t always have the answers for your particular dog right away, but you should gradually be more informed over time.

The more you learn about your dog’s personality, food preferences, and other traits, the more you’ll learn about how to keep them safe and healthy.

Nurture Your Dog’s Mental Well-Being

Though it’s common for a dog to have an upset stomach due to food or something else they ingest, it could also be due to depression and anxiety.

If a dog is constantly worried about something, they might refrain from eating and experience a hormonal imbalance that might lead to vomiting.

Though it can be difficult to detect mental issues your dog might be facing, you should try to be attentive to their emotions as much as possible and address them as needed.

A dog might be sad due to a companion being gone for a long time.

They might be used to playing with that companion or going on walks with them.

If you can play with the dog or do something entertaining with them, you might be able to improve their mood and prevent an upset stomach or another health issue from occurring.

Stay Away From Areas With Germs

Since eating and licking are often a big part of a dog’s normal activities, there’s a good chance food, bacteria, and other digestive issues may be the cause for a dog’s upset stomach.

Being aware of the places your dog goes and knowing as much as you can about what they eat can help to reduce instances of an upset stomach.

If your dog seems to get ill after going to certain places, you should inspect those places more closely to find potential culprits for their illness.

Keeping all areas of your home clean and clear of food waste can be an effective way to prevent upset stomachs.

Your dog might dig through bins and other areas of your house for food that is unfit to eat.

Be Mindful Of What Your Dog Eats

Even if you are feeding your dog healthy foods, you should be aware of portion sizes and additives that may cause problems for your dog’s stomach.

Though packaged dog food can be healthy for most dogs, feeding them food that you prepare can help to ensure unwanted ingredients don’t enter their body.

You should also be aware of allergies that might cause inflammation and other issues in your dog’s stomach.

Some dogs might be disgusted by certain foods, even if they are enjoyed by other dogs.

It wouldn’t be odd for your dog to have an upset stomach from foods that aren’t agreeable to their tastes.

Let Your Dog Be Active

Keeping your dog active and in good shape can be an effective way to prevent an upset stomach.

Gastrointestinal bloating due to an accumulation of gas is a common cause of stomach pain in dogs.

Letting your dog walk around for even a short amount of time can help to reduce gas and bloating.

However, you should be careful not to let your dog partake in vigorous activities around meal time.

Just going on light walks can be very helpful in combating gastrointestinal issues that lead to an upset stomach.