The soft diet is designed to meet the nutritional needs of dogs that suffer some type of pathology or trauma that affects their digestive system, dogs that are sick.
It is especially useful in cases of diarrhea, since it compensates for the loss of liquids and the dog finds it much more palatable and easy to digest. If you want to know more about this type of diet, spend a couple of minutes with us.
Index of contents
- 1 In which cases should we replace the feed with a soft diet?
- 2 Foods used in a bland diet
- 2.1 Protein
- 2.2 Carbohydrates
- 2.3 Fruits and vegetables
- 3 When to start with the soft diet?
- 4 Supplements in the soft diet
- 5 Situations to consider
- 6 How long should the soft diet last?
- 7 How much should I give you?
In which cases should we replace the feed with a soft diet?
In all those situations in which the digestive system of our dog is affected, we must supply a soft diet.
Also in convalescence, postoperative, poisoning or other conditions that are generally weak.
Dogs that are very old and / or that have lost too many teeth may also require the administration of the soft diet.
Foods used in a bland diet
The soft diet is made up of a combination of foods designed to facilitate chewing, digestion and absorption of water. It also supplies all the macronutrients necessary to preserve the animal’s health.
Being wet, instead of dry, it helps to compensate for the dehydration that occurs in cases of digestive tract conditions (diarrhea, gastritis or gastroenteritis, etc.).
It is also usually administered in cases where the dog has been through trauma (abandonment or prolonged isolation) or after a prolonged or forced fast.
The types of foods that make up the bland diet are not always the same. We have to design the diet according to the circumstances of the dog and its nutritional needs.
Generally and except in the case of intolerances or allergies, it can be quite varied; as long as it is made up of natural foods, easy to digest and provides the highest possible nutritional value.
Protein
They will continue to be the main component of the diet, but ensuring that it comes from lean meats or animals with the least amount of fat possible; like chicken, turkey or fish.
They must not be overcooked and must always be cooked or steamed, never using any type of additive such as salt, oils or spices. In addition, they must be free of bones.
As long as our dog is not allergic to any of these ingredients, boneless and cooked chicken thighs can be a great option, as well as cheap.
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates must come from white rice, potato, or pasta. Always cooked only with water, without any type of additive. We must ensure that they are well cooked as this will make them more digestible.
Fruits and vegetables
Fruits and vegetables are not highly recommended in cases of gastroenteritis (diarrhea) as they provide a lot of fiber. But in other pathologies they are very beneficial for the amount of vitamins they provide.
The fruits should always be raw and, if possible, crushed, always pitted or pitted. Remember that not all fruits are suitable for dogs, you can see the list here:
- Fruits that a dog can eat
Vegetables by contrast, should always be boiled, some vegetables used in a soft diet are carrots or pumpkin.
When to start with the soft diet?
If our vet has prescribed it, he will be the one to tell us when we should start administering it. If we are the ones who have decided to feed our dog like this, it will depend on the type of digestive problem he has.
For example, a dog with gastroenteritis, it is usual that one day it is in help (without eating, but with water at its disposal always so that it does not become dehydrated) and start the next day with a little soft diet without fruit or vegetables.
For dogs that have gone through stressful situations but do not have digestive pathologies, we can start from the first day with a complete soft diet.
It is preferable that, at the beginning of the soft diet, the portions are small and we wait to see how they fit. We can slightly increase the number of servings, to offset the quantity.
Supplements in the soft diet
Another purpose that the soft diet for sick dogs should fulfill is to restore the recovery of their intestinal flora.
This goal is part of the balance necessary to speed up your recovery and prevent relapses and other problems from weakening your immune system. In this sense, it is very convenient to enrich the soft diet with foods of high probiotic value, such as low-fat cheeses or yogurt.
If our dog has diarrhea, we must avoid this type of supplements
Situations to consider
If our furry friend is dehydrated or in the case where eating solid food causes him too much discomfort, we can start the soft diet based on farm bird broths.
The broths must always be homemade, since those that they sell prepared in the markets, contain too many harmful substances for our dogs and could worsen the situation instead of improving it.
As we notice improvement, we will increase the strength of the foods in their soft diet, replacing the poultry stock with some puree or rice soups.
- Rice with chicken and carrots recipe
How long should the soft diet last?
There is no fixed duration, as it depends a lot on the circumstances that have made its administration necessary.
As our dog’s natural appetite and health improves, we will combine the bland diet with his regular food.
As a general rule, a soft diet is usually maintained for three or four days before starting to administer your usual diet, but in some cases this time range must be increased even for weeks.
How much should I give you?
If our dog is feeding on a soft diet due to gastrointestinal problems, we should start with a small amount and increase it with each
feeding. Noting that it feels good.
If you don’t have digestive problems, a good trick to find out the daily amount of a bland diet is to put twice or even more in your feeder than the amount of feed you normally eat.
Taking into account, that whenever we talk about a soft tooth we will have used an average of two chicken thighs and two glasses of rice when cooking it. Fruits and vegetables apart, since they are not included in all diets.
Remember that this information is only indicative and should never be taken as a veterinary prescription. If your dog is sick it should be a veterinaryn who diagnoses it.