What to Give a Dog for an Upset Belly

An upset belly is a common issue for dogs, causing discomfort and distress. As a pet owner, it’s important to know how to recognize the signs of an upset stomach in dogs and what you can do to help alleviate their discomfort. In this article, we’ll explore the causes of upset bellies in dogs, how to identify the symptoms, and the best remedies to help your dog feel better.

What are the Signs of an Uncomfortable Dog's Belly?

I. Digestive system

• Vomiting

Frequency: Vomiting may be frequent, ranging from once in a while to multiple times.

Vomit: The nature of the vomit varies, it may be undigested food that looks like freshly eaten dog food or chunks of meat; it may also be a white foamy substance, which may be gastric juices; in severe cases, yellow bile may be vomited, indicating that the stomach is already relatively empty and that digestion has been greatly affected.

• Diarrhea

Stool consistency: the stools may become very thin and watery, a condition known as watery stools; they may also be pasty and unformed; sometimes they may have mucus in them, which makes them look sticky; in severe cases, there may be blood in the stools, with reddish threads or clots in the stools.

Frequency of bowel movements: The frequency of bowel movements may be significantly higher than normal, e.g. 1 - 2 bowel movements per day may increase to 3 - 5 or even more when the stomach is upset.

Related: Dog Diarrhea Home Remedy: Best Remedy For Dog Diarrhea

• Loss of appetite

Decrease in food intake: no longer interested in usual favorite foods, eat significantly less than usual, may stop eating after only a few bites.
Refusal to eat: in severe cases, even complete refusal to eat, no appetite for any food.

• Bloating

Appearance: The dog's abdomen looks more distended than usual, and is more obvious when viewed from the side or above.
Touch: When gently touching the abdomen, it feels tighter and bloated.

II. Behavioral and mental state aspects

• Mental depression

Decreased activity: no longer as active as usual, become lazy, not willing to walk or play, more often lying down or lying.
Uninterested in the surrounding: slow to respond to the owner's call, and can't take interest in toys or activities that usually interest them.

• Abdominal pain

Abnormal Posture: will arch their backs and turn their backs upwards, this is to alleviate the pain in the abdomen.
Abdominal protection: does not like to be touched on the abdomen, and may duck, let out a low growl or show uneasiness when the owner or other people try to touch its abdomen.

III. Other aspects

• Bad breath

As an upset belly may affect digestion, food cannot be digested properly in the stomach, which will produce an odor and cause the dog's exhaled gas to have an unpleasant odor.

Also Read: Dog Treats For Bad Breath: Buying Guide

• Abnormal body temperature

There may be an increase in body temperature, a normal dog's body temperature is between 38 - 39°C. If the upset tummy is caused by an infection, for example, the body temperature may exceed 39°C. However, there are some conditions that can cause the body temperature to drop, such as severe diarrhea dehydration.

What Causes Dogs to Have an Upset Belly?

1.Dietary problems

• Overeating

Dogs that eat too much at once can overstretch their stomachs, leading to indigestion and causing an upset belly. For example, some small dogs may eat uncontrollably when they come across a favorite food, which may be followed by symptoms such as bloating and abdominal pain.

• Food intolerance or allergy

Some dogs may be allergic or intolerant to specific food components, such as grains, dairy products, and specific proteins in meat. After ingesting these foods, your dog's intestines may have an allergic reaction and symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, and belly pain may occur.

• Eating spoiled food

Eating food that has gone bad or spoiled, the bacteria and toxins in it can irritate your dog's intestines and stomach, triggering gastrointestinal inflammation and leading to an upset belly.

2.Parasite infection

• Intestinal parasites such as roundworms and tapeworms

These parasites live and multiply in your dog's intestines and can interfere with the normal function of the intestines. They may damage the intestinal mucosa and take away nutrients, causing your dog to lose appetite, bloating, abdominal pain, diarrhea, and other symptoms of an upset belly.

• Protozoan infections such as coccidia and giardia

can affect your dog's intestinal digestion and absorption functions, leading to symptoms such as diarrhea and hidden pain in the belly, and puppies in particular are more susceptible to these types of protozoan infections.

3.Disease Factors

• Gastroenteritis

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Gastroenteritis caused by viruses (e.g. canine poliovirus, canine coronavirus), bacterial (e.g. E. coli, salmonella) infections or other factors (e.g. medication irritation, foreign body irritation) will damage the gastrointestinal mucous membrane of the dog, resulting in symptoms of an upset belly such as vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and so on.

• Pancreatitis

When inflammation occurs in the pancreas, it will affect the normal secretion and action of digestive enzymes, and the dog may experience abdominal pain, vomiting, anorexia, and other symptoms, and the belly will feel uncomfortable.

Related: How to Best Comfort a Dog With Pancreatitis

• Intestinal obstruction

Dogs accidentally ingest foreign objects (e.g. toys, bones, hair, etc.), which may block the intestines and prevent the normal passage of intestinal contents, resulting in intestinal dilatation, pain, and may also cause vomiting, abdominal distension and other symptoms.

4.Other factors

• Cold

When a dog catches a cold in the abdomen, such as lying on the cold ground for a long time, it may cause a stress reaction in the gastrointestinal tract, leading to disturbances in gastrointestinal peristalsis and stomach discomfort, such as mild abdominal pain and diarrhea.

• Stress reaction

Sudden changes in the environment (e.g. moving house, new members joining the family), long-distance transportation, shock and other stress factors may affect the dog's nervous system to regulate the gastrointestinal tract, leading to gastrointestinal dysfunction and symptoms of an upset belly.

What to Give a Dog for an Upset Belly?

There can be several reasons for your dog's upset belly, such as gastroenteritis, indigestion, and parasitic infections. Before administering medication to your dog, it is advisable to consult your veterinarian as different symptoms may require different treatments. Below are some common medications and recommendations, but always use them under the guidance of your veterinarian:

Common medications

Famotidine: used to treat excess stomach acid and to help relieve stomach upset. 
Metoclopramide: can be used to control vomiting and promote gastrointestinal motility. 
Diphenoxylate / Atropine: reduces diarrhea. 
Montelukast: used to treat soft stools and diarrhea. 
Schnoz / Amoxicillin: for anti-inflammation and elimination of inflammation. 
Cisplatin: for regulating and protecting the stomach and intestines. 
Gentamicin: a broad-spectrum antibiotic used to treat gastroenteritis caused by bacterial infection. 

Precautions

Avoid Human Medications: Do not administer human medications to your dog unless specifically instructed to do so by your veterinarian, as they may be toxic to your dog.
Follow your veterinarian's instructions: Always consult your veterinarian before using any medication to ensure that the dosage and application are appropriate for your dog.
Observe symptomatic changes: During treatment, closely observe your dog's symptomatic changes and contact your veterinarian immediately if symptoms do not improve or worsen.
Preventive measures: Keep your dog's diet hygienic, deworm regularly, and avoid exposing your dog to possible pathogens to prevent the onset of an upset belly.

Foods for Dogs with Gastrointestinal Discomfort

Pumpkin: Pumpkin is rich in dietary fiber, which helps to promote digestion in dogs, improve constipation, and is also beneficial to urinary tract health. 
Apples: apples are rich in minerals, vitamins and dietary fiber, which can relieve constipation in dogs and have a laxative effect. 
Sweet potatoes: sweet potatoes are rich in plant fiber, can help the dog's intestinal peristalsis, prevent indigestion. 
Cabbage: Cabbage is rich in crude fiber, which helps to promote the dog's digestion and is beneficial to the dog's intestines. 
Chicken Breast: Chicken breast is high in protein, which is easily absorbed and utilized by dogs, making it suitable for dogs when they have gastrointestinal discomfort. 
Oatmeal: Oatmeal can promote intestinal peristalsis and help improve constipation in dogs. 
Bananas: Bananas contain antioxidants, which help promote gastrointestinal digestion and improve constipation in dogs. 
Honey water: choosing unprocessed honey helps with intestinal peristalsis and digestion, which is effective for constipated dogs. 
Probiotics: Probiotics are nutritional supplements to improve your dog's gastrointestinal health, which can enhance gastrointestinal peristalsis, promote intestinal digestion and adjust the intestinal micro-ecological environment. 
Moderate amount of fiber: for dogs with an imbalanced intestinal flora, moderate amounts of fiber can be added to the food to help alleviate the symptoms of diarrhea. 

How to Prevent Your Dog from Getting an Upset Belly?

I. Diet

• Regular feeding

Feed your dog regularly and quantitatively to avoid excessive hunger or overeating. For example, feed your dog regularly at 8am, 12pm and 6pm every day, and determine the appropriate amount of food according to your dog's age, weight and activity level.
Puppies generally need smaller meals and can be fed 3 - 4 times a day; adult dogs are fed about 2 times a day.

• Food quality

Choose a good quality dog food, which should contain enough protein, fat, carbohydrates, and essential vitamins and minerals. Check the label of the dog food to ensure that its ingredients are from reliable sources.

Avoid feeding your dog food that is spoiled, expired or contains harmful substances, such as moldy food, food containing chocolate (chocolate is toxic to dogs), onions, grapes, etc.

When replacing dog food, make a gradual transition, for example, new and old dog food should be replaced gradually in accordance with the ratio of 1:3, 1:1, 3:1, to avoid sudden replacement of dog food resulting in gastrointestinal discomfort of the dog.

• Avoid foreign body intake

Keep your dog's living environment clean to avoid accidental ingestion of small toys, bone fragments, plastic bags and other foreign objects, which may lead to intestinal blockage or injury.

II. Lifestyle habits

• Moderate exercise

Take your dog for moderate exercise every day, and determine the intensity and time of exercise according to your dog's breed and age. For example, small dogs should be walked for 30 minutes to 1 hour per day, and large dogs may require 1 - 2 hours of exercise.

Exercise can promote gastrointestinal peristalsis in dogs and help digestion, but avoid strenuous exercise immediately after meals, and it is generally recommended to exercise 1 - 2 hours after meals.

• Keep Warm and Protect Against Cold

In cold weather, provide your dog with a warm resting place, such as a thick kennel, blanket, etc., to avoid your dog's belly from getting cold, especially for small dogs, short-haired dogs or older dogs, which are more sensitive to cold.

• Hygiene management

Bathe your dog regularly to keep your body clean, but not too often so as not to damage the oil layer of your dog's skin. For example, bathing can be done every 1 - 2 weeks in summer and every 2 - 3 weeks in winter.

Regularly clean your dog's eating and water utensils, wash them daily and sterilize them regularly to prevent bacterial growth.

III. Health management aspects

• Regular deworming

Regular internal and external deworming is performed according to the age and living environment of the dog. Generally, internal deworming is carried out once a month for puppies and once every 3 - 6 months for adult dogs; external deworming is carried out once a month according to the instructions of deworming drugs.

• Vaccination

Follow your veterinarian's recommendation to vaccinate your dog against infectious diseases in a timely manner, as certain infectious diseases may cause gastrointestinal discomfort in dogs, such as distemper and poliovirus.

• Observation and Physical Examination

Observe your dog's behavior, appetite, and feces on a daily basis, and promptly treat or seek medical attention if any abnormality is found. For example, if your dog shows symptoms such as loss of appetite, vomiting and diarrhea, take action as soon as possible.

Take your dog to the veterinarian for regular medical checkups, usually once a year for a complete physical examination, so that potential health problems can be detected at an early stage.

FAQs

Conclusion

When a dog has an upset belly, it's crucial to approach treatment with care. Firstly, it's important to determine the underlying cause of the discomfort, whether it's due to dietary indiscretion, infection, parasites, or other factors.

Regarding food, simple and easily digestible options like boiled chicken, white rice, pumpkin, and probiotic - rich foods can be beneficial. These can help soothe the digestive system and provide necessary nutrients without overtaxing the stomach.

For medications, there are several options such as Famotidine for excess stomach acid, Metoclopramide for vomiting control and gut motility, Diphenoxylate/Atropine for diarrhea, and antibiotics like Amoxicillin or Gentamicin in case of bacterial infections. However, it cannot be overemphasized that these medications should only be given under the guidance of a veterinarian.

In summary, a combination of appropriate diet and, if necessary, vet - approved medications is the key to helping a dog with an upset belly. Always monitor the dog's condition closely and seek professional veterinary advice if the symptoms persist or worsen.