What Food to Give Dog with Diarrhea | Bland Diet Basics

Few things worry an owner like a dog with an upset stomach. When the diarrhea is mild and your dog is acting normal—alert, playful, and not vomiting—you can usually handle it at home with a short fast and a bland diet. Here’s the feeding plan veterinarians recommend, what to skip, and when to call the vet.

Start With a Short Fast Before Food

Most veterinary sources, including Cornell’s Riney Canine Health Center, suggest giving your dog’s digestive tract a rest before adding more food. If your dog isn’t vomiting and seems otherwise well, a fast of 12 to 24 hours gives the gut time to settle. Water should stay available at all times so your dog stays hydrated.

Skip the fast for puppies, senior dogs, or dogs with other health conditions unless your veterinarian approves. Those groups can’t handle even a short period without food.

After the fast ends, don’t return to regular meals. That’s where the bland diet begins.

The Go-To Bland Diet: Chicken and Rice

Boiled skinless chicken breast with white rice is the most consistently recommended bland meal across veterinary guidance. The chicken gives easily digested protein while the rice supplies gentle carbohydrates that help firm up stools. Plain cooked pasta and low-fat hamburger are also cited by Cornell as acceptable alternatives, and some owners rotate in plain turkey or scrambled eggs.

Preparation matters: boil or bake the chicken with no salt, oils, butter, or seasonings. Remove every bit of skin and visible fat. Use plain white rice rather than brown, since brown rice’s extra fiber can be harder on an irritated gut.

Portion control is part of the treatment. Feed small amounts several times a day instead of one or two full meals. A teaspoon to a few tablespoons per serving, depending on your dog’s size, lets the digestive tract process food in easier increments.

What to Avoid During Recovery

While your dog is on the bland diet, skip everything rich, fatty, or seasoned. No treats, no table scraps, no regular kibble. Dairy, heavily spiced foods, and anything high in fat can prolong diarrhea or make it worse.

Limit the homemade bland diet to a few days. Long-term feeding of chicken and rice alone doesn’t provide balanced nutrition, so if recovery takes longer than expected, switch to a veterinarian-formulated gastrointestinal diet or call your vet for guidance.

Getting Back to Normal Food

Once stools start firming up—usually within two to three days—begin mixing the regular food back in gradually. Start with a 75/25 blend of bland diet to regular food for a day or two, then shift to 50/50, then 25/75. Most sources suggest a full transition over roughly three to seven days. Going too fast can trigger a relapse.

If the bland diet hasn’t helped after two to three days, or if the diarrhea worsens at any point, that’s a clear signal to contact your veterinarian.

When to Call the Vet Instead

@Home care only works for mild cases. Cornell’s guidelines are clear: seek veterinary care if diarrhea lasts beyond 24 to 48 hours, if vomiting develops, or if you notice blood in the stool, black or tarry stools, dehydration, lethargy, or signs of pain. Puppies, seniors, and dogs with existing illnesses need veterinary guidance before any fasting or diet change.

PDSA notes that persistent diarrhea—or a bland diet that doesn’t improve things within a couple of days—warrants a professional opinion. Dehydration is a real risk with diarrhea, so watch for dry gums, sunken eyes, or skin that doesn’t spring back when gently pinched.

For most dogs, though, the chicken-and-rice approach works. Feed small meals, give the gut time to settle, and transition back to normal food slowly over a few days.