What to do when your dog or cat has an upset stomach resulting in loose stool, occasional vomiting, or more consistent vomiting and diarrhea? That depends on several factors - often, we can help with food or supplements.                 

Our disclaimers: If you've just found this blog, and your pet has been throwing up for more than 8 hours off and on, it's time to see your holistic or traditional vet for immediate nausea relief. (After that, you can utilize the tips in this blog post.) If your pet has had diarrhea (not just loose stool) for more than 24 hours, see your vet - pets can become dehydrated quickly with sustained diarrhea. And see your vet if your pet has blood in their vomit or diarrhea. If you suspect your dog or cat has eaten something dangerous or poisonous, call your veterinarian or urgent care vet - the tips below are inappropriate in this case.

What We Can Help with Food & Supplements
With all that now said, there is a lot we can do to help our dogs and cats' upset stomachs. Occasional vomiting, acute loose stools, chronic loose stools, grass eating resulting in vomiting, acid reflux, and other chronic stomach upsets can be reduced and even solved with food and supplements. Check out our two lists below for some of the supplements and foods we recommend for stomach issues, then scroll on to find out how to implement them.               

Our Favorite Supplements to Keep on Hand for Upset Stomachs     
At home or on the road, these are some of our favorite supplements to keep on hand to combat upset stomachs! We always recommend taking a pumpkin supplement with you on road trips... just in case! Traveling can induce stress, and stress can induce loose stools, creating a domino effect of issues during your otherwise fun trip. Oh no!    

Most of these supplements are shelf-stable and come in small pouches or travel-size, making them road-trip necessities:        

       

Foods to Feed               

  • Pureed pumpkin 
  • Powdered/dehydrated pumpkin
  • Raw goat milk at room temperature
  • Boiled chicken
  • Low-fat ground beef, drained and rinsed
  • Bone broth made for pets (we carry many brands we love)
  • Pre-packaged, freeze-dried meal replacer like Grandma Lucy's Simple Replacement
  • Pre-packaged, gently cooked, frozen food, thawed and at room temperature

A Note on Rice: While eating white rice works for some dogs to help an upset stomach, dogs generally do no not digest rice well. It takes a lot of work for the body to break down. Rice is a carbohydrate and white rice has a high glycemic index, meaning it will cause a rapid spike in blood glucose levels. We recommend keeping pumpkin puree or one of the above supplements on hand for when an upset stomach hits. Pumpkin and all supplements listed (except goat milk) are shelf stable and last for a year or more un-opened (many last a long while once opened!)
        

Let's Get Your Pet Feeling Better
Now that we have those lists, it's time to put them to use!
A bland diet with or without fasting is best when your dog or cat has loose stools, short-term diarrhea, or vomiting issues. We recommend starting with The Honest Kitchen herbal digestive supplement, pumpkin (purée or freeze-dried/powdered), Carna4 Flora4, slippery elm powder, or goat's milk before adding solid foods. Before consumption, powdered supplements must be mixed with a little bone broth, water, or raw goat's milk. These supplements will help soothe an upset stomach. Offer a small amount of one of these supplements of your choice. Wait 10 to 20 minutes, and then offer a little more. For pumpkin purée supplements, do not exceed 1 TB per 10lbs of dog or cat in 24 hours (some added fiber is good, but adding too much extra fiber will cause... well... more loose stool!) Follow the directions listed on the canister or bag for powdered pumpkin supplements.                

When to Fast? If your dog or cat has vomited more than once within 1 hour, fasting or withholding food for 2 to 8 hours can help the stomach settle. If your pet stops and continues not to vomit during fasting, offer one of the supplements above. Wait 10 to 20 minutes, then try a little bland food. If your dog or cat keeps the bit of bland food down, offer a little more in 10 to 20 minutes. Take it slow with the food.                 

Occasional Vomiting with Grass Eating in Dogs
Grass eating and occasional vomiting due to grass consumption usually indicate a nutrient missing from your dog's diet. Consider adding a supplement such as Green Juju's Just Greens or Bailey's Blend to your dog's mealtime. These supplements provide vitamins and nutrients that your dog's body may be missing. Some dogs and cats enjoy eating grass but eat too much and then vomit! If the Green Juju supplement does not help within 2 to 4 weeks, you may need to supervise your pet and distract them or bring them inside when they begin to eat grass. Doing this consistently will help resolve the learned behavior of eating grass. *If your pet eats a little grass here and there, it does not always indicate that your pup has an upset stomach - many dogs enjoy snacking on certain types of grass.           

       

Throwing Up Bile 
If your pet is throwing up small amounts of bile on a regular basis with no other symptoms (and especially at night), acid reflux could be to blame. Try feeding a small amount of raw goat's milk before you usually see the bile vomit happen. Try this for one to two weeks. If you see no improvement, speak to your holistic or traditional veterinarian.                

Chronic Loose or Soft Stool
We saved the most complex topic for last. Chronic loose stool is a sign that something is awry with your dog or cat's digestion. Often, the cause can be a lack of a healthy gut biome or food sensitivity. Sometimes, your pet could need more fiber in their diet as well.

If a weak gut biome is to blame, adding a probiotic supplement to your dog or cat's daily meals can make a huge difference to their quality of life and quality of poop! A probiotic is a living bacteria or microorganism present in the body that is beneficial to or supportive of your pet's health. If present in sufficient numbers, these bacteria starve or crowd out harmful microbes by depriving them of nutrients and space in the microbiome (in the digestive tract). Probiotics may also secrete chemicals that can kill pathogenic bacteria and even viruses. We have several excellent probiotics we trust, and we are happy to help you find a perfect probiotic fit for your pet in-store, over messenger, or in a one-on-one consultation. All pets benefit from taking a probiotic daily.

For pets that need more fiber in their daily diet, adding a supplement such as pumpkin purée or Green Juju greens can make all the difference in the world! That added fiber helps firm up stools and provide fiber missing in your pet's food. While not a digestive issue, these products can resolve those issues for pets with chronic (non-acute) anal gland issues. My dog, who used to randomly express his anal glands (usually on the sofa, eww), now eats Green Juju's Just Greens freeze-dried blend daily. This has solved the leaky anal gland issue for my dog! Puréed pumpkin has also worked for this issue for him.      


Food sensitivity may be present if your pet has been on probiotics or pumpkin/greens for 60 days with no improvement in their chronically loose or soft stool. Food sensitivities can be a difficult thing to narrow down. Tests exist to identify or rule out food sensitivities, but these are not always accurate. The best way to narrow in on food sensitivities is to start an elimination diet. Switch to a limited ingredient, single protein food, and keep your pet on that food for 60 days. Raw frozen foods can be very helpful with this as they generally contain very few ingredients, very little starch, and some do not contain a vitamin pack (they are a balanced complete diet through food ingredients). During an elimination diet, your pet may receive (consistent/the same) supplements or medications, if needed, and single protein treats that match the protein in the food. Adding other treats during this time can disrupt and negate the elimination diet. It may seem boring for your pup or cat, but elimination diets can remove food sensitivities. If loose or soft stools become firm after 60 days, add a small amount of ONE specific treat or food every week, as long as stools remain firm week-in-and-week-out. If stools begin getting soft again with a newly introduced food, you may have found the food sensitivity culprit!            

Does your pet have a chronic loose/soft stool or stomach issue? This is the perfect reason to book a nutritional consultation with one of our certified pet nutrition team members. Book your one-on-one no-pressure consultation here, and let us help you get your pet feeling their best!