What Can Soothe a Puppy's Stomach?

Your poor puppy has an upset stomach. It isn't acting like its energetic self, and it is vomiting or has diarrhea. This can be messy to clean up and, if it continues, can potentially contribute to other health problems. If your puppy continues to vomit or have diarrhea for more than a day or two, or if you notice blood in the mess, call your veterinarian immediately. Otherwise, you can try a few remedies at home in hopes of soothing your puppy's upset tummy.

  1. Grass

    • Your puppy may enjoy chomping on the grass now and then, but it might also have a sudden urge to eat it in large quantities if its stomach is upset. It is natural behavior for puppies and adult dogs to swallow mouthfuls of grass when they aren't feeling well. When your puppy devours grass this way, its system won't digest it. The result is vomiting. This may seem counterproductive, but eating the grass to induce vomiting can actually help settle your puppy's stomach by cleaning out whatever is causing the upset.

    Fasting &Consistent Diet

    • Puppies' digestive systems are still developing, and even subtle diet changes can upset their stomachs. Avoid making sudden changes to your puppy's diet, and cut back on treats. Your puppy's diet should have as little variety as possible while its digestive system is still developing. Give your puppy 12 to 24 hours without food to allow its system to clean itself out. If vomiting and diarrhea stops, begin feeding your puppy again, but break its daily amount into smaller meals until you are sure the stomach has settled. If you do need to change your puppy's food (for example, if you believe the food may be causing the upset stomach), mix the new and old foods together for several meals, slowly including less and less of the old food.

    People Food

    • Not all human food is good for puppies, and some may cause an upset stomach. Others, however, can actually help soothe your puppy's tummy. Mix low-fat plain yogurt with your puppy's dry kibble. The bacteria in yogurt can help soothe and regulate your pup's digestive system. Other foods, such as green beans or pumpkin, are high in fiber. Not only will they help your puppy's digestive system settle down and stay healthy, they will keep your puppy feeling full as well.

    Ginger

    • Ginger is good for what ails the stomach, whether for people or for puppies. Purchase ginger supplements for your puppy to help soothe an upset stomach. Foods that contain ginger are also helpful, though you should give them to your puppy rarely because of higher sugar content. Try ginger snaps or ginger ale. Ginger can help soothe existing upset stomachs or prevent new ones from occurring. If your puppy gets motion sick, for example, give it ginger before a car ride to prevent an upset stomach and vomiting.