Most people believe that dogs can eat anything! But this isn't the case as dogs have changed a lot over many years.
Just like humans, dogs also have sensitive stomachs that are easily irritated by the foods they consume. While some are sensitive to protein-rich foods such as wheat, soy, meat, chicken, pork, and dairy products, there are cases when the sensitivity of the dog's stomach is due to insufficient nutrients like vitamins, minerals, and fibers.
Fortunately, there are dog foods formulated to minimize or even eliminate the sensitivity issues leading to mild or moderate digestive problems. Finding the perfect diet for your dogs, however, may be quite challenging due to the vast array of dog foods available on the market.
If you are confused about what to pick for your dog, then our reviews and recommendations will be of great help to make a clear choice! Below are some of the best dog foods for sensitive stomach and diarrhea to help calm your dog's digestive tract.
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Best 7 Choices for the Best Dog Food for Sensitive Stomach and Diarrhea - Overview
There are several functional foods suitable for dogs with sensitive stomachs. We've listed our top 3 picks of the best dog food for sensitive stomach and diarrhea.
Editor's Picks | Product Name | Price |
|---|---|---|
Best Choices | Canidae All Life Stages Premium Dog Food | |
Runner-Up Choice for Dogs with Sensitive Stomach | Blue Buffalo Basics Limited Ingredient | |
Most Economical Choice for Dogs with Sensitive Stomach | Whole Earth Farms Grain-Free Natural | |
Best Food for Hypersensitive Dogs | Purina Pro Plan Focus Dog Food | |
Best Limited Ingredient Food | Natural Balance Limited Ingredient | |
Best Food for Allergic Dogs | Hill's Science Diet Dry Dog Food | |
Best Combination Of Rich Nutrients | Nutro Wholesome Essentials Natural |
Best Dog Food for Sensitive Stomach and Diarrhea - Top 7 Picks
The Canidae All Life Stages Dog Food is a high-quality choice for dogs with sensitive stomachs. Despite not being a limited ingredient dog food, it makes up by including a variety of highly digestible proteins and carbohydrates in its formulation.
Its formulation is made up of lamb as its ultimate source of protein. It also contains different varieties of rice, such as rice bran, brown rice, and white rice. These ingredients are known to be gentle on the dog's digestive tract.
Also, this dog food lacks any grains such as wheat, soy, or corn in their composition, thus, making it a tasty and nutritious treat for dogs with allergies and digestive sensitivities. The Canidae All Life Stages Dog Food has added probiotics and cellulase enzymes to make digestion easier for sensitive dogs.
As a bonus, it also comes with antioxidants to support the immune system and omega fatty acids to help maintain healthy and beautiful skin. This is suitable for dogs of all ages, including puppies to senior dogs.
While the Canidae All Life Stages Dog Food is relatively pricey, it is guaranteed to be well worth it due to the possible reduction of stomach problems.
- Contains probiotics and enzymes
- Grain-free formulation
- Rich in antioxidants and fatty acids
- Suitable for dogs of all ages
- A bit pricey
The Blue Buffalo Basics LID Dog Food is an excellent choice for various reasons. It contains carefully selected high-quality ingredients to ensure a well-balanced nutrition and tasty flavor perfectly fitted for dogs with food sensitivities.
This dog food is formulated using a novel animal protein-source from real turkey. It contains fiber-rich food such as pumpkin and highly-digestible foods such as potatoes and peas to ensure gentle digestion for your dog's sensitive stomach.
As an All-Basics recipe, the Blue Buffalo Basics LID Dog Food features a limited ingredient grain-free food without any traces of chicken, corn, soy, and dairy suitable enough for your dog with food sensitivity issues.
With the inclusion of Lifesource Bits, a precise blend of carefully selected holistic vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, this natural dog food formula is guaranteed to support a healthy immune system and oxidative balance.
At its reasonably high price, the Blue Buffalo Basics LID Dog Food is specially formulated with glucosamine and chondroitin for stronger bones, calcium, and phosphorus for healthy teeth, and omega fatty acids for smooth coats. It is also supplemented with a blend of probiotics and prebiotics to enhance your dog's regular digestion.
- A limited number of ingredients
- Contains highly-digestible protein and fiber-rich components
- Rich in vitamins, minerals, and probiotics
- Grain-free formula
- Fairly expensive
- Contains higher protein content from plant sources
The Whole Earth Farms Grain Free Dog Food is an all-natural recipe carefully crafted to support the nutritional requirements in all the life stages of your dog. This formula offers natural taste and goodness packed with complete and balanced nutrition.
Rather than having a single source of protein, this dog food contains multiple sources from real pork, beef, and lamb, which is beneficial for some dogs. It also adds to the taste, thus giving your dog a variety of flavors.
It also contains wholesome and easily digestible carbohydrate sources from dried potatoes, sweet potatoes, and peas. The high-quality salmon oil in Whole Earth Farms Grain Free Dog Food is a superior alternative to canola oil.
To boost nutrition, this dog food comes with a variety of vitamins and minerals working together without compromising their digestive health. Its formula provides all-natural goodness with its grain-free recipe, which contains no corn, wheat, and poultry by-products. The lack of any artificial colorants and preservatives are also significant factors for your dog's digestive sensitivities.
Despite its affordability, the Whole Earth Farms Grain Free Dog Food contains higher plant protein and flavorful herbs, which are not palatable to some dogs.
- Multiple sources of protein
- Grain-free recipe
- Contains easily digestible carbohydrate and high-quality oil
- Rich in vitamins and minerals
- Affordable
- Contains plant protein
- Taste not suited for some dogs
The Purina Pro Plan Focus Dog Food is designed specifically for hypersensitive dogs. It provides a healthy balance of high-quality and natural ingredients, including protein, carbohydrate, and fiber sources.
Its formulation is prepared with one of the finest sources of protein, which is real salmon. This is combined with percentages of rice and oatmeal to keep digestion gentle and easy.
As any food for sensitive stomach, the Purina Pro Plan Focus Dog Food lacks some of the common food allergens, including corn, wheat, soy, poultry, and any meat by-products. Also, it contains no artificial colors and flavors, which is beneficial for dogs with sensitive stomachs.
To top it all, this meal comes with prebiotic fiber to promote digestive health and support your dog's well-being. It also contains antioxidants to help maintain a healthy immune system while keeping your dog healthy and happy.
Other than its digestive enhancing features, this high-quality dog food is rich in linoleic acid, which is an omega fatty acid that supports healthy coat and skin. However, Purina Pro Plan Focus Dog Food is a bit pricey and is not ideal for puppies and older dogs.
- Contains the finest source of protein
- Grain-free formulation
- Rich in prebiotic fiber
- Contains antioxidants and linoleic acid
- No artificial colors and preservatives
- More expensive than similar formulated dog foods
- Not ideal for feeding puppies and older dogs
The Natural Balance LID Dog Food offers premium quality nutrition to ensure that your dogs are healthy and happy. To safeguard is its effectiveness. It uses simple formulations with limited ingredients to minimize the chances of any food sensitivities.
The food contains premium protein and carbohydrates sources to maintain a systematic and specific effect on your dog's digestive health. Potatoes, which are highly digestible for dogs, make an excellent energy source that also supports healthy skin and shiny coats.
For its carbohydrate source, the Natural Balance LID Dog Food is supplemented with chickpeas and peas, which works perfectly for dogs of any breed. This makes it a complete and well-balanced nutrition for puppies, adults, and senior dogs.
This limited-ingredient food is filler-free and grain-free. You will not find any traces of wheat, soy, corn, or chicken in its composition. There are also no artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives, which ensures optimal digestive health and functions.
Despite its beneficial effects on the dog's digestive tract, some may find the Natural Balance LID Dog Food protein content insufficient. Also, some picky dogs don't seem to enjoy their taste.
- Limited ingredient diet
- Premium protein and carbohydrate sources
- Filler-free and grain-free
- No artificial additives
- Insufficient protein content
- Unlikeable taste to some dogs
Hill's Science Diet Dog Food is ideal for dogs with sensitive tummies and hypersensitive skin. Its formulation provides precise and balanced nutrition for dogs to stay and enjoy a healthy lifestyle.
This unique blend uses high-quality, natural, and easily digestible ingredients to ensure optimal nutrient absorption and easier stool pick up. It comes with a unique source of prebiotic fiber to help support the balance between the gut microorganisms present in your dog's stomach.
Also, Hill's Science Diet Dog Food recipe has less protein than other brands. This reduces the likelihood of triggering any possible allergic reactions. It contains no artificial flavors, colors, and preservatives to ensure its optimum performance on your dog's tummy.
As for its other benefits, this formula contains omega-6 fatty acids alongside with the other nutrients to encourage a healthy skin and glowing coat. The supplementation of Vitamin A, Vitamin E, Vitamin D3, minerals, and antioxidants in its formulation also gives beneficial effects to your dog's immune system.
The downfall of Hill's Science Diet Dog Food, however, includes its high price, its grain component, and its taste.
- Easy to digest
- High-quality and natural ingredients
- Contains prebiotic fiber
- No artificial flavors and preservatives
- Rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants supplementation
- High price
- Contains some grain components
- Taste is not likable by some dogs
The Nutro Wholesome Essentials Dog Food is a nutritious recipe packed with ingredients that support a healthy digestive tract. This formulation guarantees a combination of rich nutrients and flavors into one amazing treat.
To ensure its tailored nutrition, its recipe is crafted using high-quality protein sources from various real products, including beef, chicken, lamb, or salmon. You are guaranteed to have safe dog foods due to its carefully chosen wholesome and non-GMO ingredients.
Each of Nutro Wholesome Essentials Dog Food contains no chicken by-product meal, corn, soy protein, and wheat, which are harmful to dogs with sensitive stomachs. This also includes real and recognizable ingredients with no added artificial preservatives, colors, and flavors.
Additionally, its formulation comes with good sources of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, which help promote healthy skin and luscious, shiny coats. This dog food is also fortified with various vitamins, minerals, and nutrients to ensure good health and optimum growth.
Despite these nutritional values and very affordable prices, the Nutro Wholesome Essentials Dog Food is tailored only for your small dog breeds with unique needs.
- High-quality protein sources
- Natural and non-GMO ingredients
- Grain-free formula
- No artificial preservatives
- Rich in vitamins and minerals
- For small dog breed only
What You Should Know When Choosing the Best Dog Food for Sensitive Stomach and Diarrhea?
No matter if your dog has a sensitive stomach or suffering from diarrhea, the digestibility of his diet should be given utmost importance. The higher the quality of the ingredients used, then the more digestible these foods will be. Moreover, if your dog can properly digest their food, a boost in his overall wellness and health can be observed.
Manufacturers came up with tailored recipes suitable for dogs with sensitive stomachs. Some improve the digestibility of the food while others incorporate various stomach-soothing strategies in the formulation. Here are some of the essential things to look for in choosing dog food for sensitive stomach and diarrhea.
1. Easy-to-Digest Ingredients
Several ingredients are typically easier to digest on the dog's system and rarely produce problems.
This includes carbohydrates-rich foods such as potatoes, oatmeal, and brown rice. Lamb and salmon, which are good protein sources, are also good for your dog's stomach.
However, digestive difficulties may arise from the addition of wheat, corn, and cruciferous vegetables. The addition of chicken may also cause problems since it is difficult to digest.
2. Increased Fiber Content
In contrast to the easily digested ingredients, dogs may also benefit from indigestible ingredients such as fiber.
Fiber provides the bulk for your dog's stool. It promotes smooth passage of food in their intestinal tract. Also, fiber can speed up or slow down the food's progress through the digestive tract of dogs prone to constipation or those suffering from diarrhea.
Some of the fiber-rich ingredients include whole grains, pumpkin, berries, and green leafy vegetables. Manufacturers also incorporate food by-products such as beet pulp to increase the fiber content of their recipes.
However, restraining the fiber content of your dog's diet is essential. Too much amount of fiber may trigger excessive production of gas and lead to a drastic increase in the volume of stool produced.
While most dogs can adapt to the higher fiber content over time, it is still wise to give extra caution in selecting dog food for sensitive stomach and diarrhea.
3. Moderate Fat Content
Fat, other than being delicious, is an essential dietary component to your dog's diet. But too much amount of fat may also stress your dog's stomach.
Most dog food recipes come with acceptable levels of fat. It is best to look for a food that contains about 10 to 15 percent of fat content.
Keep in mind that wet and semi-moist foods normally contain more fat than that of kibbles. Thus, it is wiser to switch to dry food when soothing your dog's stomach.
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4. Lacks Unnecessary Additives
Dogs tend to experience digestive upset as a response to artificial additives such as dyes, preservatives, and flavors.
Dogs don't care about the appearance and color of their food. Most food formulas also use naturally occurring mixed tocopherols for product preservation. Dog foods contain high-quality ingredients that don't require flavor-enhancing compounds.
Moreover, some ingredients, such as antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables, which only aim to provide additional nutritional values, can cause an upset stomach to sensitive dogs.
To avoid these problems, choose a dog food that features natural and limited ingredients, which is often called "Limited Ingredient Diets." They are among the best options for dogs with sensitive stomachs and are also helpful for dogs suffering from food allergies.
5. Included Probiotics
Probiotics refer to the good bacteria that occur naturally in the intestinal tracts of dogs. They help promote proper digestion by outcompeting the harmful bacteria and fighting off pathogens.
While they are generally present in the intestines of healthy dogs, some factors such as stress, illnesses, and intestinal disturbances can remove them.
To fix this problem, provide your dogs with foods that are fortified with probiotics. Some dog foods offer four or more bacterial strains giving more value than those containing only a single strain of probiotic.
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Final Thoughts
Food is most likely the culprit causing a sensitive stomach in dogs. As a dog parent, you may get overwhelmed by the vast array of food choices available on the market. Thus, finding the best dog food for sensitive stomach and diarrhea may be a bit challenging!
Among the best choices listed above, Canidae All Life Stages Premium Dry Dog Food is our top choice. This formula contains the perfect blend of protein, carbohydrates, probiotics, and other essential nutrients needed by your dog to stay in shape with fewer problems on the digestive tract.
Hey there, I’m Ruby Smith, founder of Pet So Fun, and I’m here to provide you with useful information about your precious pet. All pets deserve the best care, don’t they? But not all pet owners have access to the right products and tips for their pets. And the central core of my work here is to change that.