What To Feed A Sick Dog
From time to time your dog may become sick. He may not have anything seriously wrong with him, or he may be recovering from a minor surgery. Perhaps you are following your vet’s instructions and caring for your dog at home. But the fact remains that your sick dog needs to eat something and he may not feel like eating a lot, or he can’t eat his normal food. What are you supposed to feed a sick dog? Or, what is it safe to feed a sick dog?
What To Feed A Sick Dog?
Vomiting
What to feed a sick dog can depend on what is wrong with your dog. If your dog has been vomiting, for example, it may be hard to feed him anything. If your dog has a sensitive stomach and he has missed a couple of meals then you can try to feed him some boiled chicken or cooked hamburger and rice. This is a very plain meal but it may be all that your dog’s stomach can handle if he has been vomiting. It’s even possible that he may not be able to keep this plain food down. If your dog vomits for more than a couple of days, especially if he cannot drink fluids, you need to take him to the vet to find out what is wrong. He could become dehydrated which could make him very sick.
Constipated
If your dog has been constipated then you can add a tablespoon of pumpkin to your dog’s food. Pumpkin is a natural remedy for gastrointestinal problems and it will help return your dog’s stool to its normal consistency. He should be able to have a bowel movement soon after eating some pumpkin. But don’t give him a lot. It’s not necessary. Be sure to give your dog canned (or fresh mashed) pumpkin and not pumpkin pie filling. Pumpkin pie filling contains spices that your dog doesn’t need to have.
Diarrhea
If your dog has diarrhea you can also give him a tablespoon of pumpkin. Just as the pumpkin returns your dog’s stool to a normal consistency when he’s constipated, it does the same thing if he has diarrhea. Again, don’t give too much.
If your dog is constipated or has diarrhea for more than a couple of days you do need to take him to the vet. With constipation the contents of your dog’s stomach can begin to form a blockage which can lead to serious problems. With diarrhea your dog can become dehydrated.
Other Things
If your dog is refusing to eat for other reasons, such as depression, you can try to tempt your dog with some of his favorite foods. Perhaps he’s missing someone in the family who is absent. Getting your dog to eat may make him feel better. However, if your dog is grieving for someone who died, then food probably won’t interest him. You may have to allow your dog to grieve. Keep offering him appealing food, but your dog will probably start eating again in his own time, as long as he’s eating enough to survive.
If you have a senior dog who won’t eat there can be several causes. Your old dog could have a dental problem. Many old dogs stop eating because they have a bad tooth. Have your vet check his teeth. Fixing a bad tooth can get your elderly dog eating again with a new appetite. Older dogs also start having some dulling of the senses so you should make an effort to make their food more appealing. You should warm it up for them, add a tempting gravy, or put a tasty topping on the food to encourage them to eat the food. These things will all help make the food smell and taste better to them. Older dogs can also lose some hearing so make sure your older dog hears you when you call him for dinner.
Conclusion
What to feed a sick dog will depend on what is wrong with your dog. If your dog is sick for more than a day or two, take him to the vet for a diagnosis. If your dog has a fever or there is something seriously wrong with him, head to the vet.
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