Health

What Is the Best Dog Food for Digestive Problems?

If your pup constantly struggles with gas, constipation, or diarrhea, you’ve probably long been searching for the best dog food for digestive problems. Did you know that raw dog food is easier to digest than any other type of dog food?

Here’s what you need to know about a raw diet for dogs and why it’s the best dog food for digestive problems.

Introduction to Raw Diets for Digestive Issues

Studies have shown that frozen raw dog food is easier to digest than kibble, “gently cooked,” freeze-dried raw, or any other type of dog food. How can that be?

Despite a Pug looking nothing like a wolf, dogs’ digestive systems are nearly identical to the digestive tracts of their wolf ancestors. While omnivores like people have both pointy front teeth for tearing meat as well as flat molars for grinding plant matter, carnivores like dogs have sharp, pointy teeth and jaws that only move up and down with no side-to-side motion for grinding.

Additionally, dogs have highly acidic stomachs perfect for killing any bacteria that may be found on raw meat as well as short digestive tracts ideal for extracting nutrients from raw muscle meat, organ meat, and bone. Omnivores have longer digestive tracts for processing carbohydrates, and herbivores have even longer intestines than omnivores, which proves that dogs with their short intestines aren’t meant to be eating carb-rich kibble.

Raw Pet Food Ingredients

A raw diet for dogs should contain uncooked muscle meat, organ meat, and bone in appropriate ratios. If you DIY a raw diet for your dog, you may need to add supplements to ensure your pup is getting all the nutrients they need.

We Feed Raw’s pre-portioned patties are nutritionally complete and balanced for dogs of all life stages with approximately 80% muscle meat (with associated fat and connective tissue), 10% organ meat, 10% finely ground bone, and an added pre-mix for all the vitamins and minerals your dog needs.

When you choose We Feed Raw, you don’t need to give your dog anything else besides our food. However, some dogs—especially those with digestive problems—may benefit from certain toppers like canned pumpkin, kefir, probiotics, prebiotics, or fermented greens.

Problems with Grain-Based Kibble

While dogs have developed some ability to digest grains and other carbohydrates, they never evolved more than a limited amount of amylase to digest carbohydrates, and they don’t require carbs in their diet at all. As a result, many kibble-fed dogs have digestive problems since their bodies aren’t designed to process the high carb load in even grain-free kibble.

Remove the carbs from the equation, and many dogs with chronically bad stomachs suddenly start to thrive and have regular, small, firm, less-smelly poops than they did when eating carb-rich kibble.

Symptoms of Poor Digestion in Pets

Symptoms of poor digestion in pets include:

•Diarrhea
•Vomiting
•Blood in stool
•Depression
•Changes in stool color or consistency
•Lethargy
•Not wanting or not being able to eat
•Gas
•Abdominal pain
•Bloating

Digestive Benefits of Raw Pet Food

Since raw dog food is easier to digest, some of its benefits include less gas, firmer poop, less-frequent poop, overall better digestion, and—because up to 90% of the immune system resides in the gut—a stronger immune system.

Identifying the Best Dog Food for Digestive Problems

The best dog food for digestive problems is a nutritionally complete and balanced raw diet like We Feed Raw. Naturally limited-ingredient and easier to digest than any other type of dog food, a raw diet for dogs will solve the digestive problems of most dogs (after a gradual transition to prevent further stomach upset).

Special Considerations for Different Life Stages and Sizes

Puppies and senior dogs can have even more sensitive stomachs than adult dogs. Is a raw diet appropriate for them, too? Yes! In fact, We Feed Raw uses a cold-pressure process to inactivate potential pathogens, making our food safe for even the youngest of weaned puppies and dogs with various health conditions.

Additionally, since our patties contain finely ground bone, even dogs with bad teeth, puppy teeth, or no teeth can enjoy our food and still get the benefits of a raw diet.

Transitioning to a Raw Diet for Dogs with Digestive Problems

Any time you transition a dog to a new diet, you should make the change gradually, and that’s even more important when dealing with dogs who have digestive problems. Dogs with the most sensitive stomachs may need a few weeks to slowly transition to a fully raw diet without experiencing digestive upset.

Want more information on transitioning to raw? Check out The Complete Guide to Switching Your Dog to a Raw Diet.

Case Studies and Success Stories

Still not convinced that raw dog food is the best choice for your pup? Read these reviews from real We Feed Raw customers:

“As soon as we went to raw, my new dog can't wait to get fed. And maybe this is TMI, but he was pooping 4 times a day, now twice and half the amount. Which means his body is actually using and processing this diet much better!” -Sarah

“So far Cooper is loving his WFR food and has already shown his body is loving it, in his poops. He’s a GSD who’s had nonstop issues with loose or runny poops since he was 10 weeks old and even after switching to another food delivery, we were still having issues and most of that food ended up in our yard. So I’m extremely happy with the results I’m seeing so far in just the 6 days he’s been on the WFR diet.” -Teresa

“We have a picky GSD. Plus, she has issues with chronic loose stools. We’ve tried almost every GI diet available including prescription diets and homemade-type dog food deliveries. We’ve been able to transition our dog to We Feed Raw in 4 days. She loves the food and she’s never had better-formed stools. Yay!!! Thank you!” -HT

The Best Dog Food for Digestive Problems Is We Feed Raw

There’s no doubt about it; We Feed Raw is the best dog food for digestive problems. Take our quiz now to get your pup started on a life-changing meal plan and get rid of their digestive problems sooner rather than later.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the best dog food for digestive problems?

The best dog food for digestive problems is a nutritionally complete raw dog food like We Feed Raw. Studies show that frozen raw dog food is easier to digest than any other type of dog food, and dogs don’t benefit from the high carb load in kibble.

What is good dog food for digestive problems?

A good dog food for digestive problems is We Feed Raw, a nutritionally complete and balanced raw dog food for dogs of all life stages, including the growth of large-breed puppies. Naturally limited-ingredient and free of hard-to-digest carbohydrates, a raw diet is the best choice for pups with digestive problems.

What is the best dog food for dogs with digestive problems?

The best dog food for dogs with digestive problems is a raw diet, especially the nutritionally complete and balanced easy-to-feed pre-portioned patties from We Feed Raw.

What is the best dog food for older dogs with digestive problems?

The best dog food for older dogs with digestive problems is We Feed Raw, a finely ground nutritionally complete and balanced raw diet that’s easy to digest and simple to feed.

What is the best dog food for small dogs with digestive problems?

The best dog food for small dogs with digestive problems is raw dog food, particularly a nutritionally complete and balanced finely ground frozen raw diet like We Feed Raw. Our patties contain all the nutrition your small dog needs and are easy to eat, even for dogs with small mouths or bad teeth.

What is the best dog food for senior dogs with digestive problems?

The best dog food for senior dogs with digestive problems is We Feed Raw, a nutritionally complete and balanced raw diet that comes in easy-to-eat finely ground frozen patties. We deliver pre-portioned patties to your door; you just thaw and feed.