The BRAT Diet

We have all heard of rice and gravy, rice pudding, and the custom of tossing rice at the end of a wedding reception; but rice and diarrhea? Surprisingly enough rice is an excellent cure that has been used to cure GI upsets involving members of the canine family. And I serve my own dogs rice for dog diarrhea, matter o’ fact.

And of course, although obvious I’d hope, I am not a licensed veterinarian, thus although this is my experience with my dogs through the years, be wise about it and smartly consult your own dog’s vet prior to changing your dog’s diet.

For a dog having a case of diarrhea often is nature’s way of helping them eliminate something disagreeable from their intestinal tract. This is especially true if you have a normally healthy dog that seems to be his usual happy self except for the loose, watery stools. Adding some rice to their meals might just provide your pet with a quick, healthy fix. Ironically, although this post does discuss dogs, the similarities between dogs and people in this case – - and why it is relevant on the brat diet site – - including those who feed Immodium to their pet, are strikingly similar.

Of course if you have a young puppy or an older dog with chronic health problems you should take them in to be checked by a vet because they are at higher risk from developing dehydration as a result of the diarrhea

The basic diet of a dog with GI upsets should focus on replacing proteins that they are losing through their loose stools. Providing your pet with a meal that contains equal amounts of cooked meat and rice can help soothe the irritable digestive tract while giving the animal bulk and fiber. If it seems as though you have a dog with an irritable bowel disease some ground flaxseed mixed with regular food will also prove helpful.

The Easy 5 Day Diet: Rice for Dog Diarrhea:

Day 1 – Provide your dog with plenty of water, but no food because it would only irritate his digestive system even more.

Day 2 – Cooked Rice can be given to your dog to eat and they are also allowed water to drink. In fact, make sure they have plenty of water, as rice absorbs it, and the point here is to push “the bad” out of your dog, regulating their upset stomach and diet.

Day 3 – Your dog’s meals should consist of equal portions of baked, stewed or grilled chicken (skinned) and cooked rice. Provide a portion that’s a bit less than their normal meal.

Day 4 - You can now feed your pet a meal that is made with equal portions of cooked rice and the regular dog food that you purchase. Dry is better than wet or soft. Serve mixed, so they don’t just eat one or the other. Rice is sticky, so mixing should be easy.

Day 5 – Advance your pet’s diet so that he is now restarted on his normal meals.

*If your dog is better by the beginning of the 3rd day, and the GI problems seem under control, you can skip the meal plan listed for Day 3. This changes the Rice Diet for Dogs to a 4 day plan instead.

You can make healthy, easy to digest doggie meals at home. Here are some good recipes to use that include meat, rice and yogurt. These are simple and easy to prepare and they promote better digestive health for your pets, but in my experience, this is an especially advanced treatment that honestly I don’t do. I have found that herbs, although o.k. for people, often have adverse effects with my own dog. Even a chicken or beef broth with herbs, although not turned away by most dogs goes down easy, but the side effects can make it not worth their initial pleasure.

I’ll be adding some more rice recipes for your dog’s diarrhea in future posts, or as you let me know. This should give you a good place to start, however.

Sandy

Finding Dog Diarrhea Cures and Fixing It With The Brat Diet?

Dogs can be your best friend, confidant and beloved member of the family. They cheer you up when you are feeling down and can even be good for a laugh or two if the muse strikes them. What is not so funny however is when your pooch has a decided case of diarrhea. Not only is it a mess if they are a house dog, but just like humans it can lead to dehydration and other medical problems.

Before regulating your dog’s stomach and diarrhea symptoms with simple brat diet equivalent solutions like us humans can rely on, you must first learn what’s causing him or her to be sick.  Otherwise finding the diarrhea remedy is a bit pointless, wouldn’t you say?

The first thing you need to do is try and determine the cause of your dogs diarrhea. When you have narrowed down the causes, you will be in a better place to provide your dog with adequate treatment.

Food

Your dogs food could be a big part of the problem, overeating, foreign material and even a change from one brand to the other can cause problems.

Sometimes dogs who are only fed once a day will woof down their food quickly and actually gorge themselves. They do this because they know it is the only feeding they will get until tomorrow. This influx of food can wreak havoc on the digestive system and leave you with a mess. The best idea is to feed them smaller meals several times per day or leave free choice food available at all times.

Some dogs are highly sensitive to the type of food they eat. This is generally a problem with purebred dogs, but can happen to any canine. If you have recently changed your dog’s brand of food to save money and notice bad results immediately, you will want to switch them back quickly.

If you have not changed your dog’s food or noticed any overeating, you may want to have your dog food tested. Unfortunately, the manufacturers sometimes have to recall their feeds because of foreign contaminants or even poison.

Illness

Dogs can also contract illnesses of the small or large intestine that will increase the number of times they have a bowel movement daily. This is usually marked by the presence of blood in the stool, vomiting, weight loss and listless behavior. It is a good idea to see your veterinarian quickly if you notice any of these symptoms.

Chewing

Dogs are like children they will put almost anything in their mouth, including batteries, make-up and chemical bottles they find at eye level, (and sometimes those on the counters!) Some dogs are worse than others about eating or chewing up foreign materials, nevertheless if your furry friend spends a lot of time indoors it might be wise to puppy proof your home.

Other possibilities

Pesticides, worms, common canine diseases and fungus are all things that can cause diarrhea in your pet. Canine parvovirus is especially bad about this and can cause death if not treated quickly. The best thing you can do for your dog, just to be safe is to take them to the vet immediately. The causes of dog diarrhea may be simple but there are so many serious causes you do not want to take chances.

Hello readers,

I’ve been getting some questions as of late that have focused around “dog diarrhea” and how it relates to using the same healthy balance approach that we humans have (I’m assuming you are not a dog reading on your Master’s computer) with the B.R.A.T. Diet.

The fact of the matter is that when my dog is sick, (I have a Terrier that often eats anything and everything”) I use the same basic principals as expressed with the BRAT Diet, but do so with a couple added precautions that are dog-specific, dangers or warnings that people don’t have to worry about.

Of course, I am not a licensed vet, but do feed my dog human grade food and successfully can and do adjust his diet whenever his stomach is upset, or his mood is less than ideal, or he just is not behaving like himself. I’ll work on a couple dog specific BRAT Diet health articles to address some of your concerns. Give me a day or two and I’ll post them when they are ready.

Thanks for your Brat Diet questions – keep ‘em coming.

Sandy