Why do dogs get upset stomachs?
Most dogs experience an upset stomach on occasions. The symptoms can range from lethargy and unwillingness to eat, to vomiting and diarrhoea, which indicate gastric distress. This sort of sickness can last a few hours or extend to a few days. If it does extend beyond 24 hours, you should seek your vet's advice.
Fortunately, in most instances, the cause of your dog’s stomach issues is likely to be something they ate that they shouldn’t have. Dogs are naturally inquisitive and mouthing or sniffing unusual objects is often the way they find out about new things. This inevitably leads to the ingestion of germs and bacteria via touch, chewing or consumption of the object. Most of the time, if your dog is fit and well and has developed a robust digestion and strong immune system as a puppy, these incidents will cause them little, if any, ill effects.
Canine health
How do I recognise stomach problems in dogs?
The signs of possible gastrointestinal problems in dogs may include
- Loss of appetite
- Restlessness
- Sensitivity to touch, especially on the abdomen
- Hardened abdominal wall
- Cramped posture
- Noticeable abdominal noises such as whistling or gurgling
- Increased smacking or licking over the muzzle
- Salivating
- Belching
- Vomiting
- Diarrhoea or slimy faeces
- Lack of faeces
The right nutrition
Keeping your dog's digestion healthy
A dog’s digestive system is significantly different from ours. As dogs vary considerably in size, they need nutrition that is not only tailored to their life stage, but also their breed size. Having evolved from carnivores, like the wolf, their digestive tract is relatively much shorter than ours too; about six times their body length. This means that they need a diet that is easily digested in the 7-10 hours it takes a meal to pass through their body. Looking after your dog’s digestion will help them maintain optimal body condition and support a long and active life.
The best food you can give your dog is a high quality dog food specifically tailored to meet their nutritional needs. Look out for a food which also contains ingredients like antioxidants (such as vitamin E and C), prebiotics, and teeth cleaning minerals.
It's all in the ingredients
Highly digestible foods
Some fibre is recommended to encourage colon health, but dogs are scavenging carnivores so have a digestive system most suited to animal protein and fats. Feeding a diet that is rich in high quality animal protein supports effective digestion, helping them to stay in optimal body condition.
If food contains a higher proportion of ingredients that can't be digested by your dog, these will be fermented in the gut and can lead to gas, loose stools and occasionally diarrhoea. High quality dog foods are specifically tailored to achieve a high level of digestibility.
Healthy reward
Reward with treats appropriately
Excessive or inappropriate treats can upset and harm your dog. Introducing other elements as part of their diet or as a treat can send their digestive systems into overload or shut down with similarly unpleasant results.
Milk can be detrimental and chocolate is toxic for your dog. Many commercially available treats are loaded with calories and could soon lead to weight gain. Most dogs are happy with a kibble or two from their regular diet when accompanied by the word treat!
Our recommended approach
Keep it simple
Our watchword for keeping your dog’s digestion healthy and them happy is ‘regular’. Unlike us, they do not crave variety in their food; they will show the same energetic enthusiasm for the same meal day in and day out. Feed them consistently - regular amounts, of the same high quality diet, at the same time and they’re far less likely to experience stomach problems as, like an efficient engine, their digestive system is perfectly capable of running on the regular fuel source it was designed for.
Take a look here
Frequently asked questions
The recipe of EUKANUBA Daily Care Sensitive digestion is particularly tailored for dogs with sensitive stomachs. This food is rich in rice which is easily digestible for your dog and the special blend of prebiotic FOS and MOS promotes healthy digestion. Furthermore, the food contains butyrate, short chain fatty acids, that positively influences the intestinal environment and nourishes the gut cells. Moreover, the product is wheat-free as wheat is often not tolerated by dogs with sensitive digestion. A tailored blend of fibre completes the food recipe.
There are various reasons to bring your dog’s digestion into trouble. Sometimes, it is just a short-term issue if your dog has been exposed to a stressing situation or has fed something inappropriate. Also the change to a food your dog is not used to can cause digestive problems especially when the food contains ingredients your dog does not tolerate.
If you feel uncertain, contact your vet in order to exclude that a disease is the source of the digestive problems.
Yes. EUKANUBA Daily Care Sensitive digestion is a balanced complete food and is convenient for permanent feeding.
EUKANUBA Daily Care Sensitive Digestion is rich in easily digestible chicken and rice. Furthermore, the food contains prebiotic FOS and MOS promoting a healthy digestion. Moreover, butyrate in the food supports a healthy intestinal environment and nourishes the gut cells. A tailored blend of fibre completes the recipe.
