6 Best Dog Food for Sensitive Stomachs, Gas, and Diarrhea Problems

Does it seem like your pup has an upset stomach no matter what you feed them? Food allergies and stomach sensitivities are common in dogs, some dog breeds more than others. Switching your dog to high-quality food with limited ingredients can help solve the problem, but you may be surprised when it turns out to make little to no difference. Certain ingredients such as wheat, gluten, soy, corn, and BHA/BHT are still found in some seemingly “high-quality” dog foods and are common culprits when it comes to upset tummies. So, what is your best bet when it comes to feeding your pup with digestive issues? Here are our six best dog food choices for digestive issues, gas, and diarrhea problems.

1. CANIDAE Grain-Free PURE Real Salmon & Sweet Potato Recipe

This dry dog food has just about everything going for it and is suited to a variety of life stages as well as being tailored to small and large breed sizes. It has all the requirements for sensitive tummies, including using simple, limited ingredients. Salmon is the number one ingredient in this dog food with sweet potato being a close second. Sweet potato is an important ingredient when it comes to your dog’s digestive issues due to its high dietary fiber content. It also contains the essential vitamins and nutrients your pup’s diet needs. This kibble is free of grains, gluten, wheat, and soy, too, so you can make sure you’ve eliminated the most common culprits for digestive issues. It also contains an added probiotic mix which is great for preventing and treating upset stomachs and diarrhea. If your pup does suffer from a sensitive stomach, gassiness, or loose stools, we would 100% recommend giving this food a try to improve your dog’s health.

2. Blue Buffalo Blue Basics Limited Ingredient Grain Free Salmon & Potato Recipe

This limited ingredient dog food keeps it extremely basic with added vitamins and minerals to make sure that dogs with sensitive stomachs get the nutrition they need. This kibble focuses on quality with deboned salmon being its number one ingredient. Blue Buffalo Blue Basics eliminates all of the common upset tummy culprits: chicken, beef, dairy, eggs, corn, wheat, soy, gluten, artificial flavors, and artificial preservatives plus it’s 100% grain-free. It includes a generous helping of pea fiber and pumpkin which helps support your dog’s digestive health. If you’re looking for high-quality dog food with only the best ingredients that is nearly guaranteed to not upset your puppy’s tummy, this one may just be for you (or rather, for your pup).

3. Simply Perfection Super Premium Grain Free Beef and Chickpea Dinner

As long as your dog does not have a sensitivity to beef or lamb, this high-quality kibble by Simply Perfection is an excellent option. This limited ingredient, premium dog food uses beef as its number one ingredient and contains protein fiber to help aid in digestion for sensitive tummies. This kibble is grain-free and does not contain any soy, dairy, artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives, so you know your pup isn’t getting any unnecessary fillers that contribute to their upset stomach. This particular food is advertised as being great for dogs with sensitive tummies or allergies so if your pup falls into either category and prefers the taste of beef to fish, this Grain Free Beef and Chickpea recipe could be a great option!

4. Diamond Care Sensitive Stomach Recipe

If you’re looking for an inexpensive, limited-ingredient option specifically made for dogs with sensitive stomachs, this Sensitive Stomach Recipe by Diamond Care is a great choice. This recipe does not use meat as its main ingredient but instead includes egg and potato as its source of protein, both of which are easier for a dog’s sensitive tummy to digest. This is another recipe that also focuses on probiotics which some strongly believe contribute to a healthy digestive system and can prevent and treat stomach issues. This kibble is formulated without any gluten, corn, wheat, or fillers, and has no artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives.  On top of all this, Diamond Care is a family-owned business who makes their products in the U.S., using ingredients from trusted sources around the world.

5. Weruva Limited-Ingredient Natural Dry Dog Food with Grass-fed Lamb

This limited ingredient dog food focuses on grass-fed lamb and advertises itself as being potato free with “noble grains” – while it doesn’t clarify what exactly it means by “noble grains”, the grains that it does contain are incredibly limited and serve a purpose. This formula also includes both pumpkin and seaweed which promote healthy gut motility and aid in digestive issues. And, of course, this formula would not be on this list if it wasn’t free of unnecessary ingredients. It’s GMO-free and contains no wheat, corn, or soy. Another thing that’s great about Weruva is it’s family-owned by two pet parents, who would not give anything but the best to their animals, so why would they to yours? Exactly.

6. Instinct Limited Ingredient Diet Grain Free Recipe

This limited ingredient dog food is incredibly unique. It’s actually kibble-coated pieces of freeze-dried raw food. Never heard of such a thing? Neither had we! There is only one protein and one vegetable in this recipe which makes for an incredibly limited list of ingredients. This food is specifically meant for dogs with food allergies which is often the source of upset stomachs. It contains no chicken, beef, fish, eggs, dairy, grain, potato, wheat, corn, soy, chickpeas or artificial colors or preservatives. We think it’s pretty safe to say that Instinct is serious about creating food that is safe for pups with allergies. Instinct believes in the power of raw food whether or not your dog has sensitivities. Raw food, even in freeze-dried form, has a ton of nutritional benefits. This limited ingredient food is made in the U.S., with only the finest ingredients sourced from around the world.

If your dog has a sensitive tummy, it is worth getting them tested so you know exactly what you should be avoiding. For dogs with sensitive stomachs, trying out any of these high-quality, limited ingredient foods might be a good idea. Talk to your vet and see what they think before switching your pup’s food, and remember to do it slowly so as not to upset their tummy anymore!