Has your dog been acting funny of late? Like not being able to keep anything down, repeatedly pooing, emaciating and not interested in food? These might be symptoms of Inflammatory Bowel Disease. IBD is a syndrome that causes the intestinal tract to be inflamed.
Dogs with IBD are of special needs and are meant to be fed with special foods because of the sensitivity of their digestive tracts. For this reason, dog lovers have formulated special meals that dogs with IBD can safely eat.
Amongst various dog foods on the market, we’ve carefully handpicked the best dog food for IBD.
Table of Contents
- Best Dog Food for IBD – Comparison
- Best Dog Food for Inflammatory Bowel Disease Also for the UK
- 1. Solid Gold – Sunday Sunrise Holistic Adult Dog Food
- 2. Halo Natural Dry Dog Food, Small Breed Chicken
- 3. Nutri Source Pure Vita Grain Free Beef & Red Lentils
- 4. Wellness Core Natural Grain-Free Dry Dog Food
- 5. Canine Caviar Open Sky Grain Free Limited
- 6. Blue Buffalo Basics Limited Ingredient Diet
- 7. Nature’s Recipe Grain-Free Dry Dog Food
- Things to consider before buying dog food for IBD
- Final Verdict:
Best Dog Food for IBD – Comparison
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Best Dog Food for Inflammatory Bowel Disease Also for the UK
1. Solid Gold – Sunday Sunrise Holistic Adult Dog Food
This is one of the fantastic dog foods on the market that is safe for dogs with Inflammatory Bowel Disease. It combines functional superfoods with pasture-fed lamb. The superfoods are combined with living fiber-rich probiotics and omega fatty acids. This exclusive and unique combo provides high-density protein and helps your dog’s bowel to be in good health.
Dogs with IBD are to be fed with meals that have high fiber and are hypoallergenic; the Solid Gold dog meal meets these criteria. Some dogs have chicken protein allergy; if your dog is one of those, feeding him with this nourishing dog food would be one of your best bets.
Pros:
- Overly nutritious and appetizing
- Free of grain and gluten
- Promotes healthy metabolism and provides immune support.
- Combines 20 functional superfoods, omega fatty acids, and living probiotics
- Gives your dog a healthy and shining look
Cons:
- After opening, the food needs to be refrigerated to avoid mold growth
2. Halo Natural Dry Dog Food, Small Breed Chicken
This is another best dog food for IBD. This natural dog food combines whole chicken, chicken liver recipe and grains, including fatty acids. The special protein package strengthens your dog’s muscles while the fatty acids provide your dog with a shining coat.
This product is not only meant for adult dogs but also puppies or small breed dogs. The kibbles are small and flatly shaped to easily fit into your little guy’s smaller mouths and find easy passage into his digestive tracts. This ‘whole chicken’ dog meal would help keep your dog’s bowel healthy.
If eating has been an issue for your dog, we can assure you that this dog food would appeal to his appetite. That means no more picking on food; no more weight loss; no more shedding. With this, your dog would even be the one to remind you of mealtime always.
Pros:
- Contains premium protein package of a whole chicken and chicken liver recipe
- Helps to calm the bowels and improves metabolism
- It has smaller kibbles perfect for puppies and small breed dogs.
Cons:
- Not good for dogs sensitive to chicken and grains.
3. Nutri Source Pure Vita Grain Free Beef & Red Lentils
Whether your dog is just a few weeks old or already a big guy, this dog food is perfect for all life stages. It works wonders by calming your dog’s bowels and improving his appetite. With this dog food for IBD, your doggy would cease not to request more and more bowls.
This particular one is made with a blend of a variety of fruits combined with beef and red lentils. It is palatable, healthy and overly delicious. It does not contain ingredients that can trigger allergies. If your dog is allergic to grain and gluten seems to upset his tummy, try out this food on him. The food is free of grain and easily digestible.
Pros:
- Delicious and packed with nutrients
- Ideal for all life stages
- It is grain-free
Cons:
- Contains a high level of protein which might be a little bit of trouble for some dogs to process
4. Wellness Core Natural Grain-Free Dry Dog Food
Just as its name implies, this is a dog food that improves IBD and ensures the total wellness of your dog. It is free of grains and contains the right amount of proteins, fats, and carbohydrates. None of the nutrients is excess; neither is there any not sufficient.
This dog food is perfect for all life stages. Also, whether your dog is a small breed, medium or large breed, you can feed him with this very delicious dog food. Specially made for dogs with IBD, it is free of sensitive ingredients that might upset your dog’s intestines.
In this food, your dog gets everything he needs to live a healthy life – very proteinous turkey and chicken combined with real natural vegetables and essential vitamins and minerals.
Pros:
- 100% grain-free;
- Free of preservatives, colours, and allergens.
- Contains pasture-fed lamb
- Gives balanced nutrition that improves coat and overall well-being
- Perfect for all life stages and breeds sizes
Cons:
- Increases dog’s bowel movement
Also Read: The Best Dog Food for Urinary Health – Urinary Care
5. Canine Caviar Open Sky Grain Free Limited
Just so you know, the digestive system of dogs does not do well in handling a high level of proteins or carbs. Hence, you need to be careful when purchasing your dog’s food, especially if your dog has a sensitive digestive tract.
Assuredly, the Canine Caviar Open Sky is one of those few dog foods on the market that have everything in the right proportion. With a constant intake of this food made with limited ingredients alkaline diet, a blend of flaxseed and fishmeal, single lamb protein, pearl millet, and other natural ingredients, you would be surprised at how radiant, healthy and beautiful your dog can be.
Despite the fact that it is free of tapioca, wheat, eggs, corn, soy, GMOs, dairy and potato, its taste is still so heavenly.
Pros:
- No colors or preservatives
- Free of gluten and other bowel-sensitive ingredients
- Contains heavy nutrients with balanced nutrition
Cons:
- Not ideal for dogs sensitive to grains
6. Blue Buffalo Basics Limited Ingredient Diet
On this list is another fantastic dry dog food. Being a limited ingredient diet, It contains just one premium protein, so as not to upset the bowels of your “special needs” dog. It is specially made for adult dogs alone as the kibbles might be too big for puppies to take into their digestive tracts.
This particular one does not contain beef, chicken, eggs, soy, corn wheat or dairy. Its only source of protein is a real natural salmon. The salmon is combined with potatoes, peas, and pumpkins to aid digestion. We can assure you that this is a perfect one for your dog.
Pros:
- A super blend of natural salmon and potato
- Free of grains, additives, and ingredients that trigger allergies
- It is perfect for all breed sizes.
- Improves the dog’s metabolism and overall wellness
Cons:
- Formulated for adult dogs only.
7. Nature’s Recipe Grain-Free Dry Dog Food
The best dog food you can ever offer your pet are ones made with 100% natural ingredients. The fact that your dog has IBD is enough reason for you to ensure that all he takes in are unadulterated.
Nature’s recipe has real chicken as its primary ingredient; its taste is so yummy. Instead of grain, the manufacturers use a blend of potatoes and pumpkin to make it easily digestible. The added vitamins and minerals are needed to make your dog very healthy, even in looks
Whether you own a small, medium or large breed dog, this dog food is recommended for all.
Pros:
- Jam-packed with premium protein
- All ingredients are natural and real
- Suitable for all breed sizes
- Free of grain, artificial colours, flavours, preservatives, soy and ingredients that are termed sensitive.
Cons:
- Best for puppies
- Not suitable for dogs sensitive to chicken
Things to consider before buying dog food for IBD
Purchasing dog food for IBD is something that has to be carefully done. In fact, you need to consider some factors before you can decide that particular dog food would be best for your dog. Here are some of the factors
Your dog’s allergy
The fact that the dog food is labeled “nutritious”, “delicious” and “recommended for IBD” does not make it best for your dog. You would be surprised to know that your dog is allergic to quite a number of foods. The food he is allergic to might be one of the ingredients used in the formula, so you have to be on the lookout for recipes with such food.
Discovering the food(s) your dog is allergic to takes careful observation. This is because food allergies can occur at any stage of life. The most surprising is that your dog can start to be sensitive to the same food he has been eating for a long time. So, when you notice that itching and irritation, know what your dog is reacting to.
Dog food Ingredients
Dog foods for IBD contain a special and unique combination of various ingredients. Quite a number of superfoods are blended together to serve as a supplement for the things your ‘special needs’ dog cannot eat.
Aside from having the main ingredient, there are some other underlying ingredients combined with the main ingredient. In the excitement to get a good meal for their dogs, most people forget to cross-check these underlying ingredients, focusing only on the main ingredients.
Having known the foods your dog is sensitive to, you should check the listed ingredients used in making the formula. Ensure you go through the pack carefully to be certain that the recipe is free of sensitive ingredients that might upset your dog’s stomach.
Natural ingredients
When purchasing dog food for IBD, ensure the one you would be going for has ‘natural ingredients’ stated on its pack. You would not want to aggravate your dog’s health condition, would you?
Dogs with IBD have more sensitive stomachs. Hence, everything your “special needs” dog would take in should be natural, that is no chemical additives or preservatives should be included. Although some would say minimal additives would not do any harm, we recommend that there should be no additives.
Dog’s life stage and breed
Is your dog a puppy or an adult dog. Just as the digestive tract of a human adult is stronger than an infant, so it is in dogs too. Make sure you are getting the ideal dog food for the stage your dog is.
Also, the dog’s food does not all come in the same size. Some have big kibbles that will not fit into smaller mouths. Dog’s food with big kibbles is made for adult dogs while the ones with smaller kibbles are made for puppies or small dogs.
Asides your dog’s life stage, you also need to consider the breeds. Dogs are of different breeds. There is a small breed, medium breed, and large breed. The small breeds are capable of handling only smaller kibbles because of their short digestive tracts.
Flavor preference
Aside from knowing the foods your dog is sensitive to, also observe the kinds of food he likes. This would guide you in purchasing the best food for him. Having a meal that contains his preferred flavour would stimulate his appetite and make him eat more.
Wet or dry kibble
You also need to consider the kind of kibble your dog would love to have. Some kibbles are made dry while some are wet. Kibble preference varies in dogs. While some dogs like their kibbles wet, some like them dry. However, if the food that suits your dog’s needs is one with dry kibbles, you can make it wet yourself by soaking in warm water.
Price
Yes, We know you love your little buddy so much but do not overdo yourself. Go for a dog food within your budget – one you can afford to buy every two to three weeks, depending on how much your dog eats. There are perfect ones at affordable prices.
Final Verdict:
Often, the best way to treat IBD in dogs is through dietary therapy. Except he has been diagnosed with chronic IBD which needs antibiotics and anti-inflammatory treatment, getting a delicious dog food recommended for IBD would help cure the disease.
Mind you; your dog might need some time to get used to the new formula. Hence, you should keep an eye on him.