Sick dogs require special care, and feeding a sick dog can often be a problematic time.
When our dogs are sick they usually lose their appetite and respond poorly to meals by vomiting, having diarrhea, or refusing meals altogether. There are a lot of things we can do to encourage our dogs to eat sick-friendly meals and feel better faster!
When your dog is sick, you must focus on three things:
monitoring their condition for rapid decline that requires veterinarian attention,
providing nutritious meals that are easy on the stomach and
keeping your dog hydrated!
When it comes to feeding your sick dog, you want to provide them with a meal that is both bland and easy to digest. The most common bland meal for sick dogs would be double boiled rice (rice that is boiled with twice the amount of water you would normally use, and overcooked until the rice is very soft) and boiled chicken breast or ground beef. Ideally you would do 50/50 rice and meat, and you can include additional ingredients that can help soothe the stomach and firm up stool!
TIP: If your dog is dehydrated, add a few tablespoons of plain electrolyte replacement.
Electrolyte replacement fluids and water are extremely important and beneficial for dehydrated, sick dogs! When your dog is sick, keeping them hydrated is of vital importance. Dehydrated dogs will continue to decline and keep feeling worse until they are hydrated again!
Make sure your sick dog has access to fresh water at all times, and you can add 2 tablespoons of electrolyte replacement to their bowl of water, or even in their food!
Some more great TIPS for feeding your sick dog...
When your dog first starts showing signs of sickness - like vomiting, diarrhea or lose of appetite - fast your dog for 24 hours! No food for 24 hours will help settle your dog's stomach. Make sure your dog always has access to fresh water!
When you re-introduce food, start by feeding them in several small meals through out the day.
If you dog is having diarrhea, make sure to take them outside to potty every hour until they start feeling a bit better!
A probiotic (Protexin) and digestive enzymes can really help dogs feel better fast. Good bacteria takes up a lot of intestinal wall space, so bad bacteria can't get out of control!
Keep your dogs hydrated by providing lots of fresh water and electrolytes.
