When your dog shows signs of gastrointestinal discomfort, such as vomiting or diarrhea, it's common knowledge to give them a 'bland' diet. You want to rest your dog’s intestines and lessen its workload by feeding easily digestible meals. Although boiled chicken and rice have long been a long-standing, go-to bland diet. it is not the solution!

Simply feeding chicken and rice is not recommended because it lacks critical nutrients, vitamins, amino acids, and minerals. Although chicken is a good source of protein, rice is a naturally inflammatory grain that dogs do not easily digest. 

The dog’s body needs a lot of energy to break down the rice with minimal gain. Rice is a carbohydrate, a macronutrient not required for a dog’s diet. White rice also has a high glycemic index, which creates an insulin spike. 

Dogs experiencing gastrointestinal distress will not receive enough nutrients from the chicken and rice-only diet. It does not offer any water content, electrolytes, or sufficient vitamins to replenish the losses from gastrointestinal upset. Prolonged chicken and rice feeding could only lead to vitamin and mineral deficiencies.

Many dogs with gastrointestinal problems have a decreased appetite. They are in a negative energy balance, making it challenging to ensure that they eat enough to meet their daily caloric requirements. 

Even though there appears to be a lot of food (which is already hard for an upset gut to absorb), you may be underfeeding your dog due to the low energy density of chicken and rice. In other words, because it's not well-digested, your dog may not only be nutrient-deficient but may not be consuming sufficient calories.

Doesn't Correct Any Gut Microbiome Imbalances

An unbalanced gut microbiome is frequently the cause or effect of gastrointestinal problems. A chicken and rice diet contributes relatively little to rectifying these imbalances and supports the gastrointestinal system compared to better alternative diets. 

The gut microbiome is a living population of microorganisms that help digestion, nutrient synthesis, and absorption. Both beneficial and harmful bacteria reside in the gut microbiome. A healthy microbiome can keep both balanced. However, when your dog is experiencing gastrointestinal problems, there is an overabundance of harmful bacteria. Rice exacerbates this problem as it is a great food source for harmful bacteria.

Probiotics are live microorganisms that, when taken, give health advantages and are sometimes referred to as "good" bacteria. Prebiotics are dietary fibers that feed and encourage the growth of "healthy" bacteria in your stomach. Prebiotics and probiotics can assist in offsetting any imbalances and support healthy gut microbiota.

Fortunately, several alternatives to chicken and rice are available when your dog isn’t feeling well. The other options listed below will help your dog feel better and help replenish nutrients it may lack while experiencing gastrointestinal issues like vomiting or diarrhea. 

Slippery elm is one of the safest and most effective herbs for gut rebalancing. Its mucilage coat soothes and lubricates the mucous membranes lining the digestive tract, making it a recommended solution for gastrointestinal problems.

Since slippery elm has a high fiber content, it can help dogs with diarrhea, constipation, nausea, and vomiting. It is also high in vitamins A, B complex, C, and K, calcium, magnesium, salt, and GI healing qualities. These can help replenish your dog's body during illness and maintain health. 

Slippery elm can be offered on its own or added to bone broth for added nutritional benefit. If you purchase slippery elm as a powder, generally, you will provide 1/4 tsp of slippery elm powder per 10 lbs of body weight. You can mix this into kefir or Greek yogurt.

If purchased as a capsule, offer 1/4 of a capsule twice daily to small dogs, 1/2 capsule twice daily to medium dogs, or one capsule once or twice daily for large dogs. 

Most health food stores, such as Sprouts, Whole Foods, or Jimbos, carry Slippery Elm. It's also available on Amazon, but check the slippery elm's quality before buying. Starwest Botanicals, a popular Amazon brand, is a high-quality option. 

Although Slippery Elm is an excellent herb for calming diarrhea, the tree is now endangered due to the Dutch Elm disease that has ravished the elm population in the United States. Marshmallow root should be used instead whenever possible.

Another alternative to chicken and rice combines full-fat plain yogurt, filtered water, and probiotic capsules. Mix the contents and feed them to your dog on an empty stomach. Although tempting, do not add this mixture to your dog's meal because its beneficial effects will diminish. 

Bone broth is rich in minerals like calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium. These minerals help regulate blood pressure and blood sugar levels, which prevents heart disease and diabetes. They also promote healthy joints, skin, and brain function.

Bone broth also contains glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate, which help keep joint cartilage healthy. This can reduce the risk of osteoarthritis in older dogs with hip dysplasia or other joint problems, such as puppies or young adults.

Some dogs are sensitive to grains in commercial dog food, which can cause allergic reactions, including itching, scratching, ear infections, and diarrhea. Bone broth does not contain grains so that it can be helpful for dogs with these sensitivities.

Bone broth provides many vitamins: vitamin A helps prevent night blindness; vitamin C boosts immunity; B vitamins support metabolism; vitamin K maintains blood clotting ability; folate prevents congenital disabilities in puppies. And iron is essential for hemoglobin production (red blood cells). Glycine, found in bone broth, assists digestion by regulating the production of bile salts and the secretion of stomach acid.

Bone broth is especially beneficial for dogs with diarrhea, as it can help replace the nutrients lost due to vomiting and diarrhea.  Bone broth also contains amino acids that help with the absorption of nutrients and the digestion of proteins. 

Dogs suffering from diarrhea may have lost some of their appetites, so adding bone broth helps give them back some necessary calories to maintain their energy levels.

To make bone broth, follow this simple recipe:

Fill a crock pot halfway with beef marrow bones or bones with many joints, such as turkey and chicken legs, to produce a bone broth for dogs. 

Cook the bones on low for 20-24 hours, covered with 2-3 inches of water.

Allow the broth to chill in the fridge for 2 to 3 hours to allow the fat to firm on top. 

Skim the fat layer. Dogs with GI upset should not be fed a lot of fat. You can save it to add to your dog's future meals.  

For later use, freeze the broth in small portions using an ice cube tray or similar container.

While bone broth contains beneficial bone marrow, cooked bones are extremely hazardous to dogs. Before serving, remove all of the bones from the soup. Strain the broth to ensure no small bones slip through the cracks, saving yourself a trip to the ER.

A standard serving of bone broth for a dog is one ounce for every ten pounds of body weight, and your dog can eat up to two servings per day. 

Using rice when treating a dog for gastrointestinal distress can actually exacerbate the disturbance. Fasting the dog and following up with bland fresh foods with slippery elm or marshmallow root will aid in healing the intestinal mucosa. 

Chicken and rice are not nutritious options for dogs due to their lack of nutrients and difficulty with digestion. 

Offering probiotics to balance the gut microbiome can help your dog feel better sooner.

Bone broth is a suitable, nutritious alternative to chicken and rice and can offer essential nutrients and moisture content.

Benefits of Bone Broth For Your Dog and How To Make It 

97.9 Percent Of All White Rice Is Genetically Modified 

White rice sold in Hawaii, Guam, and Saipan often lacks nutrient enrichment - PMC 

White rice consumption and risk of type 2 diabetes: a meta-analysis and systematic review 

Analysis of the Anti-Inflammatory Capacity of Bone Broth in a Murine Model of Ulcerative Colitis 

Slippery Elm: What to Give Your Dog When They Have an Upset Tummy 

Chicken and Rice Can Do More Harm

Feed Real Institute

Services

Summit

We help with