Bland Diet for Dogs

A bland diet is designed to cover the nutritional needs of dogs suffering from some condition or trauma affecting their digestive system — dogs who are unwell.

It proves especially useful in cases of diarrhoea, since it makes up for fluid loss and is far more appealing and easier for the dog to digest. Let's look in detail at how to put together a bland diet correctly, the amounts we should use and the benefits it will bring our dog.

Characteristics of a Bland Diet

This name is fairly descriptive of what we owners expect. Physically, we expect it to be soft, since we associate that with being gentler on digestion. That association is more or less accurate, but let's dig a little deeper into what a bland diet should be like:

1. Formulated with highly digestible ingredients: This covers their origin as well as how well cooked they are. We will go into detail on this further on.
2. High moisture: Diarrhoea can sometimes bring on dehydration (especially if it lasts a while).
3. As small a portion volume as possible: This can seem to contradict the previous point, since with so much water the volume increases. How do we manage to reduce it? Very simply, by increasing the number of meals.
4. High palatability: In other words, that the animal eating it actually likes it. In certain kinds of diarrhoea (usually from the small intestine) loss of appetite tends to go with it, so the food has to be inviting.
5. Temporary: Broadly speaking, it should be a temporary solution to a medical situation.

Home-made versions will generally be unbalanced in some macro or micronutrient. There are certain cases (which we will detail further on) where it may be worth considering making it permanent.

In Which Cases Should We Replace Kibble With a Bland Diet?

In every situation where our dog's digestive system is affected, we should give them a bland diet.

The most common indications are during diarrhoea, pancreatitis, poisoning and so on. And after any kind of surgery.

Very elderly dogs and/or those who have lost too many teeth may also need a bland diet permanently. It is an interesting option for dogs with anorexia of another kind (behavioural or post-traumatic), since it has greater palatability.

Foods Used in a Bland Diet

A bland diet is made up of a combination of foods designed to make chewing, digestion and water absorption easier. It also supplies every macronutrient needed to preserve the animal's health and water to support hydration.

The type of foods making up a bland diet are not always the same. We have to design the diet based on the dog's circumstances and their nutritional needs. Generally, except in cases of intolerance or allergy, it can be fairly varied, as long as it is made up of natural, easily digested foods that provide the greatest possible nutritional value.

Protein

This will still be the main component of the diet, but taking care that it comes from lean meats or animals with as little fat as possible, such as chicken or turkey. The most common meats, ranked from highest to lowest fat, are:

1. Lamb: 32.6%
2. Beef: 16.7%
3. Pork: 16.6%
4. Chicken: 9.25%

The most digestible is beef, followed by chicken. Because of its low fat content, chicken is the protein of choice.

They should not be overcooked and should always be boiled or steamed, never using any kind of additive or seasoning such as salt, oils or spices. They should also be bone-free.

As long as our dog is not allergic to any of these ingredients, some boneless, skinless boiled chicken thighs can be a great option, and a cheap one at that.

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrate sources are fairly varied. Their presence in a bland diet (and in canine feeding generally) is absolutely advisable, since they provide a good energy source that, if well cooked, is highly digestible and cheap.

In a bland diet these should be as digestible as possible, which is why by far the most widespread is white rice, since it is a highly digestible grain, gluten-free and very accessible. This can be used alone or combined with other products such as boiled carrot or potato. Another ingredient proving very effective for controlling diarrhoea is pumpkin.

Products to avoid at all costs are wholegrains, since having the husk gives them more fibre, and this proves counterproductive in many cases.

Fruit and Vegetables

Fruit and vegetables are not very advisable in cases of gastroenteritis (diarrhoea), since they provide a great deal of fibre. In other conditions, though, they are very beneficial for the amount of vitamins they provide.

Peeled fruit can be worth including, but it mainly provides carbohydrate, for which any of the sources already mentioned is a better option.

Fruit should always be raw and, where possible, blended. Always with no stone or seeds. As for vegetables, given their high fibre content, they are not a suitable option for a bland diet aimed at treating a diarrhoea episode, which is why it is preferable to turn to other carbohydrate sources.

When to Start a Bland Diet?

If our vet has prescribed it, they will tell us when to start giving it. They will probably give us a recipe too. If we have decided ourselves to feed our dog this way, it will depend on the type of digestive problem they have.

For instance, with a dog with gastroenteritis, it is common to fast them for a day (no food, but with water always available so they do not become dehydrated) and start the following day with a little bland diet with no fruit or vegetables. Even so, this has been shown to be neither effective nor advisable, since the absence of food rapidly reduces the intestinal surface, causing poor absorption at the next meal.

Depending on the symptoms shown, the options are:

• Vomiting: If they vomit everything they eat, the bland diet should be offered in a reduced volume so as not to overload the stomach. If they still vomit it, the vomiting may have another cause, extradigestive or digestive, that does not respond to diet (for example, swallowing a foreign object). In this case a vet visit will be necessary.
• Diarrhoea: Give the bland diet for several days and assess the response. If the condition does not clear up, see the vet.

It is important to bear in mind that not every problem of this kind responds to a bland diet, but since it is a simple and, in some cases, effective solution, it is worth trying. For dogs who have gone through stressful situations but show no digestive conditions, we can start from day one with a complete bland diet.

It is best that, at the start of the bland diet, the portions are quite small and we wait to see how they agree with the dog. We can slightly increase the number of portions to make up the amount.

Supplements in a Bland Diet

Another goal a bland diet should serve for sick dogs is restoring their gut microbiota, since an imbalance in it is often what caused the illness in the first place.

This balance can be restored through giving probiotics (live bacteria) or prebiotics (substances that encourage the growth of the physiological gut microbiota). The easiest way to get hold of probiotics is buying them directly from clinics, or through foods such as unpasteurised cheese or yoghurt.

Even so, given their variable lactose content, these can prove counterproductive, so we do not recommend them in this case. Prebiotics, on the other hand, tend to come added to commercial diets. The best known go by the initials MOS (mannan-oligosaccharides) or FOS (fructo-oligosaccharides).

How Long Should a Bland Diet Last?

There is no set duration, since it depends a great deal on the circumstances that made it necessary. Whatever the response, whatever the treatment, a bland diet will always be part of it. So whether it is the sole treatment or not, it should be kept up for a few days after the symptoms clear.

Reintroducing the original diet should be gradual, since doing it abruptly can cause a relapse.

How Much Should I Give Them?

If our dog is on a bland diet for gastrointestinal problems, we should start with a small amount and gradually increase it at each meal, watching how it agrees with them.

Since these are animals whose appetite tends to be reduced, broadly speaking they will not eat too much. If they eat twice a day, ideally we should move to 3 or 4 meals with smaller amounts.

Remember this information is only a rough guide and should never be taken as a veterinary prescription. If your dog is unwell, it should be a vet who makes the diagnosis.

Other Considerations

Since these are animals who tend to have no appetite, there are two mistakes that should never be made:

• Force-feeding: This is absolutely counterproductive for 2 reasons:

1. It will create an aversion to food.
2. The animal will not want to swallow it, and it will very possibly end up in the windpipe, causing aspiration pneumonia (which can be fatal).

• Leaving the bland diet in the bowl: This only encourages it to spoil and bacteria to grow, which will worsen the illness if the dog decides to eat from it. The food bowl needs to be kept scrupulously clean. If the dog does not want to eat, after around 30-45 minutes we should remove the food, even if it has been partly eaten.

None of this advice replaces a vet visit or amounts to a foolproof treatment. If you have a sick animal, the best course is to see the vet.