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After careful analysis, our top recommended dog food for IBD is Holistic Select Adult & Puppy Grain-Free Salmon, Anchovy & Sardine Meal
This is because it’s low fiber content makes it easier for your dog to digest. Plus it’s high quality Chicken protein source make it tasty for your dog too.
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If your veterinarian has diagnosed Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) in your pet then they should be able to advise you on treatment options. Diet can play a big part in managing the disease and any new food needs to be trialed for 6 weeks or more to say whether or not it is helping. Here is what you should look for in a diet for a dog with IBD:
This means a diet that is very easy to digest. Usually, fiber is restricted in these foods, making nutrients more readily available. This adjustment also helps reduces the volume of your dog’s feces, which is helpful if they are passing multiple loose stools a day.
In some cases, the cause of a dog’s IBD is an underlying sensitivity to certain proteins in their food. Trialing dogs on a novel protein diet (a type of protein they may not have eaten before like salmon or venison) or a hydrolyzed diet (a diet where the protein molecules have been broken up into smaller sizes such that the body no longer reacts to them in the same way) can help.
Your dog needs to find the diet tasty as he is likely to be on it long-term. IBD is not a condition that is cured, it will require lifelong management. So, for a diet to be successful it needs to be highly palatable. Some manufacturers offer a palatability guarantee on their foods.
All of our dog food suggestions are carefully selected by professionals. We extensively research the products to check if they’ve been approved by governing bodies before making recommendations. You can read more about our stringent review standards here. And remember, always consult your veterinarian first, before changing your dog’s food.
Holistic Select Adult and Puppy Health Grain-Free is one of the best dog foods for IBD on the market today. This excellent quality diet has been carefully calibrated to provide support for dogs suffering from digestive issues. Its formulation includes such powerful helps as probiotics, moderate amounts of fiber, and digestive enzymes to help promote fluid digestive processes.
A grain-free diet, the carbohydrates in Holistic Select are taken from fruits and vegetables with moderate amounts of fiber and healthy servings of antioxidants to support a strong immune system to help dogs fight disease effectively.
For a diet that packs all of the nutrition and flavor dogs need from the best foods for IBD, it’s hard to go wrong with Wellness CORE Grain-Free Original. A diet that is free from grains, chicken and turkey are the basis of this high quality food, providing dogs with a protein that is easy to digest and high in amino acids.
Wellness CORE has been enriched with glucosamine and chondroitin to encourage joint health. Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids have been included organically through the addition of flaxseed and salmon oil, ensuring healthy coat and skin.
A proprietary probiotic blend enrobes each piece of kibble to aid in digestive processing. To help discourage stomach distress and focus on optimal nutritional quality, Wellness CORE contains no by-products, wheat, corn, soy, artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives.
Halo Holistic is a diet based on top quality, natural ingredients to support good digestion and to alleviate stomach distress in dogs with IBD. Whole chicken is the foundation of this diet, a meat that is rich in nutrients and easy for dogs to process.
Halo Holistic, one of the best foods for dogs with IBD, bases its carbohydrate content on fruits and vegetables that contain optimal amounts of fiber and that are also rich in antioxidants to ensure support for the dog’s immune system. Its recipe is free from artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives as well as wheat, corn, and soy.
DreamCoat, a trademarked supplement blend, has been added to provide a vital support for coat and skin health.
Inflammatory bowel disease, a condition commonly referred to by the acronym IBD, is an ongoing health issue that causes swelling of the delicate tissues of the gastrointestinal tract and stomach. As a result of this condition, dogs with IBD experience poor digestion and an inability to properly utilize and absorb the nutrition contained in their food.
To date, it is not known what factors must combine for a dog to succumb to IBD. Many veterinary professionals believe it is not one root cause but likely the result of multiple different issues which lead to the development of the condition. Some of the issues veterinarians believe may be to blame for the development of IBD in dogs include:
Dogs suffering from IBD exhibit several different symptoms. Among the most commonly seen problems are vomiting, diarrhea or constipation, poor appetite, and weight loss. Unfortunately, since these symptoms can be indicative of many different health conditions that plague dogs, it is extremely difficult to diagnose IBD. The recommended course to determine the reason behind the symptoms is a blood test accompanied with a biopsy of the inflamed tissue from the stomach or intestines.
Diet plays a critical role in helping to alleviate the discomfort from the symptoms associated with IBD. However, some dogs do not experience the relief they need from a dietary change alone and require antibiotic treatment or anti-inflammatory medications for improvement to occur.
For dogs that only experience the symptoms of IBD occasionally, feeding bland meals such as boiled chicken combined with white rice is an excellent course of action to solve the problem. However, for dogs with recurring bouts of vomiting and diarrhea, a permanent nutritional change coupled with veterinary treatment may be required.
The best dog foods for IBD remain free from the allergens which have been commonly identified with gastrointestinal distress in dogs including corn, wheat, soy, artificial flavors, colors, and preservatives.
Correct portion sizes are important to helping dogs achieve and maintain a healthy weight. To help determine the proper meal size for a dog, it is an excellent idea to use the suggested serving size listed on the bag as a starting point. Since each dog’s nutritional requirements will vary according to its breed, age, weight, and activity level, this basic amount can be adjusted until the right portion has been determined.
The dog’s weight and appetite will serve as helpful guides in determining the correct amount.
As a general rule of thumb, the best dog foods for IBD for mature dogs should contain a minimum of 18 percent protein and 5 percent fat. Puppy foods to address this condition must be comprised of 22 percent protein and 8 percent fat with slightly higher amounts also acceptable.
There are certain criteria owners should look for in the best dog foods for IBD. One of the key components is a diet that contains the least amount of additives and preservatives. Artificial flavors, colors, and preservatives are common allergens known to cause stomach distress in many dogs. For this reason, foods containing them are best avoided.
Since dogs suffering from IBD often have poor digestion, ingredients that are easy to process and utilize effectively are key to helping combat the effects of the disease. Foods that possess high moisture content but that contain only moderate amounts of fiber are best to help calm an irritated digestive system.
Any high quality diet should list a meat-based protein as its first ingredient. Since some dogs with symptoms of IBD are sensitive to certain types of proteins, novel meats such as kangaroo, venison, whitefish, salmon, and rabbit are highly desirable. Beef, dairy products, and wheat have been known to cause adverse immune responses, meaning they are best avoided for dogs with IBD.
Though meat meals are perfectly acceptable, by-products and plant-based proteins such as soy, corn, and wheat should be avoided as they have been associated with triggering a poor immune response.
Carbohydrates in a diet to address IBD must be limited to whole grains, fruits, or vegetables that are easy to digest. Moderate amounts of fiber are recommended, and antioxidant-rich ingredients are preferred to help boost the dog’s immune system.
Healthy oils play an important part in coat and skin health as well as keeping the body functioning optimally. These are best derived from animal sources such as chicken fat or oily fish.
Supplements can make a large difference in alleviating the symptoms of IBD in dogs. Prebiotics and probiotics help dogs to establish the healthy gut flora they need to ease stomach discomfort and promote fluid digestive processes. Digestive enzymes are also an excellent idea to help dogs break down their food for ease of absorption.
Here is a basic list of the most important things to look for in a dog food for IBD:
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