Healthy Food for a Sick Dog

It is very distressing when your dog is sick. You want to do whatever is necessary to get your pet feeling well and back to being your healthy, faithful companion. Good nutrition is very important to a dog, especially when your pet needs appropriate nourishment to regain its health and strength during an illness. Proper nutrition is an essential factor in improving your dog̵7;s recovery time.

  1. Healthy Foods

    • Healthy foods for dogs usually contain red meats, chicken with no fat or skin, chopped lamb, white rice, eggs, cooked carrots, natural yogurts, honey, chicken broth, and cooked sweet potatoes. When a dog is ill, provide food in small amounts throughout the day to help ensure the animal will be able to keep it down. Do not overfeed your dog.

    Bland Diet

    • A bland diet is also a basic, and simple-to-make, component in feeding a sick dog. Add rice to boiling water, reduce the temperature, and continue cooking until the rice is very soft and moist. Add small pieces of cut chicken or browned ground beef to the rice and mix well. Let this cool before feeding it to your dog. The serving size will depend on the amount of food you normally feed your dog.

    Symptoms -- Diarrhea and Vomiting

    • If a dog has diarrhea, stop feeding its regular diet and switch to boiled milk or rice, cottage cheese, macaroni or baby food.

      If the dog has difficulty in keeping food down, eliminate solid food and substitute broth or beef bouillon. Give this to the dog in small quantities three or four times a day. When the dog has not gotten sick within 24 hours, gradually start feeding the animal solid foods in small quantities. The dog should be able to eat chopped meat, baby food or Cream of Wheat without getting sick.

      A small amount of cooked chicken can also be added to warm mashed potatoes and fed to your sick pet. Encouraging a dog who is not feeling well to drink fluids is also very important in its recovery.

    Refusal to Eat

    • If your dog is seriously ill, it probably will refuse to eat or will just pick at its food. Put broth into a bottle and feed it by pouring it into the pouch on the side of the mouth. Feed the dog other soft foods by putting them on the back of the tongue in very small quantities and stroking the dog̵7;s throat to make him swallow. Providing a variety of food may also help.

    Veterinary Assistance

    • Consult your veterinarian before giving your dog a homemade diet, particularly if you are giving your dog raw meat. Follow the vet̵7;s instructions. Do not give the animal any food not approved by the doctor and feed according to recommended timelines.