There are two types of dogs. Dogs that are eating machines, able to eat absolutely anything and everything without consequences. Then there are dogs that have extreme stomach sensitivities and need constant attention to maintain healthy digestion. If you’ve recently acquired a new dog and don’t know whether he/she has a sensitive stomach, don’t panic! Canine Caviar is gonna show you some of the most common dog breeds susceptible to sensitive stomachs. We’ll teach you signs and symptoms that your dog may have stomach issues, and what you can do to help your dog if you don’t know already.
Most Common Types of Dogs with Sensitive Stomachs
German Shepard
Yes, the ever popular German Shepard is one of the dogs with sensitive stomachs. The German Shepard is prone to develop food allergies, especially towards chicken, beef, corn, wheat, and soy. They also tend to develop megaesophagus. Megaesophagus is a disorder where the dog’s esophagus enlarges to an unhealthy size. This makes it difficult for the dog to swallow food and water. It’s common for German Shepards to have an inflated stomach and intestines in what is commonly known as Eosinophilic Gastroenteritis. Your Shepard will experience a poor appetite, weight loss, diarrhea, and vomiting. Lastly, German Shepards are at risk for bloating, a disorder where the stomach gets very large and flips over. This is a deadly occurrence and dogs susceptible to bloating should follow strict diets to avoid it and other stomach issues.
Miniature Schnauzer
The Miniature Schnauzer is also susceptible to major stomach issues such as ideopathic hyperlipidemia. This condition states an excess in fat lipids within the dog’s bloodstream, which causes vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and lethargy. Ideopathic hyperlipidemia is a catalyst for more of the Miniature Schnauzer’s conditions. Miniature Schnauzers have a direct connection to pancreatitis. Pancreatitis is the inflammation of the Pancreas, which can ultimately lead to your dog feeling ill and potentially dying.
Yorkshire Terrier
The cute Yorkshire Terrier is another breed of dogs with stomach problems.Yorkshire Terriers are also susceptible to pancreatitis just like the Miniature Shcnauzer but can also develop hemorrhagic gastroenteritis. Hemorrhagic Gastroenteritis is similar to Pancreatitis but with some differences. This condition includes symptoms such as diarrhea with blood. Hemorrhagic Gastroenteritis may develop due to stress, allergies, parasites, and bacteria. You should monitor your Yorkies for any of these symptoms.
Great Dane
The large Great Dane is another member of dogs with sensitive stomachs. Besides being susceptible to Megaesophagus, Great Danes are at high risk for bloating. Due to its body structure, the Great Dane’s probability of an overturn stomach is higher than most dogs, and its diet will certainly affect that probability.
Irish Setter
The Irish setter is the last dog on our list for dogs with stomach problems. The Irish Setter is highly allergic to Gluten, often found in wheat and other grain products. This makes the breed susceptible to many gluten related stomach issues such as IBD. IBD (Inflammatory Bowel Disease) is when the stomach and digestive tract of the dog have a high amount of inflammatory cells which disrupts the lining of the digestive tract. Irish Setters are also prone to gluten-sensitive enteropathy (GSE). GSE leads severe weight loss, diarrhea, and skin problems.
Does My Dog Have Stomach Issues?
If you’re unsure whether your dog has stomach problems, there are luckily some common symptoms you can look out for. After reading about our list of dogs with stomach problems, you might notice that a common symptom is diarrhea. If your dog is experiencing consistent diarrhea it might be a major sign that your dog’s stomach isn’t responding well to its diet and may need to be checked up on.
If you see your dog develop a lack of appetite, this could be a sign that your dog is developing stomach problems. Lacking appetite has connections to inflammatory diseases so if you notice your dog eating substantially less, consider visiting your local vet.
Nausea and vomiting go hand in hand as a telltale sign your dog might be suffering from stomach issues. If your dog is vomiting its food on a regular basis, a diet change is in order. Your dog reacts to the ingredients in his diet which can be painful and result in the development of more serious conditions.
One last important symptom to watch out for is blood in your dog’s stool. Evidence of blood is closely tied to intestinal diseases such as HGE. These symptoms are the most common that denote the possibility your dog has stomach problems. Of course, always check with your vet before taking any action.
A Simple Way to Help Dogs With Sensitive Stomachs
You might be wondering what is causing these symptoms to arise. Does he have a condition? Is she allergic to her dog food? It can be hard to determine the cause of your dog’s tummy troubles which is why we suggest a visit to your vet. Don’t worry though, one of the most common reasons for your dogs symptoms may just be related to his current diet.
If you and your vet determine that your dog is allergic to some ingredient in its current diet, it’s time to make a change. Changing what he/she eats is one of the easiest actions you can take to alleviate your dogs problems. You have to be careful though. A sudden change in diet can have an adverse effect on your dog and cause more pain. In order to successfully change your dog’s diet, it must be done gradually. We suggest that this transition to a new diet be done in a time span of 10-14 days.
Start the process by adding some of the new diet food to your dog’s existing diet. With each new day, take out some of the old diet and gradually add more of the new approved diet. This process should continue until your dog is eating only the new diet. Your dog should be happily enjoying his new diet and his symptoms should drop.
Here’s a Suggestion
But what if I don’t know what to change his/her diet to? With so many options, it can be hard to decide. You want to make the best possible decision so that your dog’s diet change goes by smoothly. Our advice is to choose a diet that not only addresses your dog’s needs but goes above and beyond. it should be the best dog food for sensitive stomach.
Canine Caviar’s Special Needs limited ingredient dog food is the best dog food for sensitive stomach problems. Special Needs is a limited ingredient dog food entree that is scientifically designed to help dogs with sensitive stomach problems. Its simple brown rice and chicken combination is great for sensitive stomachs and is 100% hypoallergenic making it friendly to dogs with allergies. On top of that, Special Needs limited ingredient dog food is low sodium and gluten free. This is good considering some of the big stomach conditions had a direct correlation with gluten diets. Special needs is also perfect for older dogs. If you have a senior dog, you can kill two birds with one stone with this diet. Looking for a suggestion. Special needs is great sensitive stomach dog food to try out!
If you want to see if Canine Caviar’s Special Needs limited ingredient dog food is in your area, check our store locator or our online stores. For any questions, email us at info@caninecaviar.com or call our friendly customer service at 714-223-1800
We hope this article helps you and your furry companion. It can seem scary to care for dogs with sensitive stomachs but no worries. Simple steps can be taken to help your dog and leave a smile on its face. Check our other articles for more helpful tips.