by Maple Herzog

Created on: September 19, 2009   Last Updated: September 22, 2009

Dogs with sensitive stomach often display signs of indigestion and nausea which includes diarrhea, vomiting and abdominal tenderness. Sensitive stomachs in canines can be caused by allergies, genetic makeup (some breeds are more susceptible to stomach problems) and illness. Imbalance in a dog's digestive system can be triggered by any one item consumed: twigs in the yard, paper on the floor, chicken in his food or even water that has not been purified. If your dog vomits after each meal, he may have a sensitive stomach and should be fed a diet that calms his digestive system.

For dogs with sensitive stomachs, the best kind of food are those that a bland and calming. The tried and tested method recommend by most veterinarians is the basic rice, chicken breast and oatmeal. Simply boil a cup of brown rice, steam some chicken breast and mix them with some cooked oatmeal. This helps to settle the dog's stomach and oatmeal, being a source of fiber, helps bulk up his stool thus preventing diarrhea. Adding canned or boiled pumpkin can also help settle sensitive tummies. While this remedy can be easily made at home, it is important that you talk to a pet nutritionist to ensure that your dog gets adequate nutrients and vitamins when he is on the rice and chicken diet. You may need to add supplements, fruits and vegetables to his diet to ensure that he continues to be strong and healthy even with a delicate tummy.

If your dog has developed a sensitive stomach due to allergies, the first course is determining the source of allergy. This is usually from chicken, corn, wheat or other grains but can also sometimes be from lamb, dairy or certain vegetables. Low quality dog food often contain ingredients that can cause stomach upsets (such as animal by-product and animal fat) and if consumed over a long period of time, may cause allergies in your dog. High quality kibble such as Dick Van Patten's Natural Balance, Wellness Sweet Potato and Lamb as well as California Naturals have been formulated for dogs with sensitive stomachs and contains no grains. Potato protein and chicken have been known to cause allergies in dogs, so if your current dog food contains such ingredients, it is advisable to switch to other products. Duck, lamb and sweet potato are all ingredients that have not been reported to cause allergies in dogs, thus are recommended for dogs with sensitive stomachs.

Feeding kibble high in protein can also offset your dog's sensitive stomach. Dogs naturally have more

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