Bland Diets for Dogs

Dogs experience many of the same stomach upsets as humans do. A regimen of fasting followed by a slow re-introduction of bland foods will help soothe the stomach and help the dog recover from his illness. Bland diets are also useful in helping veterinarian diagnose food allergies and other health concerns. You can purchase bland diets commercially or prepare them at home.

Commercially Available Diets

Commercially available bland dog foods are prepared by several prescription diet manufacturers. One of the most notable is Hills Science Diet. Several prescription diets are available from Hills, through your veterinarian, though the most common is W/D. This diet includes a single protein source and rice to meet the dog's nutritional requirements as well as be easy to digest. Two other popular manufacturers are Nutro and Iams. Both of these manufacturers follow the single protein source/rice plan to provide excellent nutrition in an easy-to-digest format.

Homemade Diets

You can prepare the same type of diet at home by combining a single protein source such as chicken or lamb, with soft cooked rice, yogurt and boiled sweet potato. While you can provide this type of diet for a few days to a sick dog, if there is reason to feed your dog this type of diet long term, consult a veterinarian about vitamin and mineral supplementation. Dogs fed a consistent homemade bland diet may suffer from a lack of certain vitamins and minerals you can easily supplement using a tablet or powder.

Conditions That Require Bland Diets

Bland diets provide the dog's digestive tract with the opportunity to continue healing, especially after a virus, while still being able to provide the dog with the vital nutrients he needs. Dogs that have chronic diarrhea may need to be on bland diets long term in combination with medication and possibly fiber therapy. Conditions where bland diets may be prescribed include leaky gut syndrome, internal parasites, parvo and other viruses, bacterial infections, food allergies, inflammatory bowel syndrome, dietary indiscretion and Dysbosis.