Dogs & Cats with Diarrhea, What to Feed

In a previous Caring for Pets post we discussed diarrhea and using probiotics and medications to treat it. In addition dogs and cats with diarrhea need a special diet.

Special Diet for Dogs & Cats with Diarrhea
When pets have diarrhea, the gastrointestinal tract (gut) should be rested. That’s right, rested--the same as we would do for a sprained ankle. Just as we don’t take sore ankles on long hikes, or up and down stairs, or even for short jogs, we don’t ask a gut with diarrhea to work. Instead, we give it easily digested foods. For most pets, this 4-day diet allows the gut to heal:

Day 1: Broth only
Day 2: Broth with mashed vegetable or mashed potatoes
Day 3: Broth with mashed vegetable or mashed potatoes, and the meat used to make the broth
Day 4: Broth with mashed vegetable or mashed potatoes, the meat used to make the broth, and pet’s normal diet.

Broth
Broth is made by cooking any meat or fish in water, for example, chicken or pork. Homemade broth is superior to store-bought because the odor of cooking stimulates the pet’s appetite.

Meal frequency
Serve small frequent feedings rather than two large feedings. For example, offer broth every hour or half hour.

Meal amounts
If your pet weighs 5 to 10 pounds (2-5 kg), offer ¼ cup of broth every half hour. If your pet weighs 50 lb offer it ½ to ¾ cup of broth every half hour. Offering too much too quickly may cause vomiting.

Meal temperature
Serve broth and all meals at 100 F or 40 C. This is about prey temperature and is the temperature the pet’s enzymes and digestive system work best.