Best Dog Food For IBD [Updated June 2023]: Our Top 9 Selections To Manage The Disease

Perhaps your dog is not eating as much as he used to. Or maybe he’s constantly getting an upset tummy.

You might think that it’s just a case of having a sensitive stomach or being finicky with his food, but in some cases, it can turn out to be an inflammatory bowel disease. 

Inflammatory bowel disease or IBD is not to be taken lightly. It can severely impact your dog’s health when not managed properly. A dog’s IBD left untreated can result in loss of weight, dull and poor coat, lethargy, and decreased muscle mass. 

OUR TOP 3 PICKS FOR BEST DOG FOODS FOR IBD

The disease can be caused by several factors, which include: food allergies, genetic markers, parasites, bacteria, or a weak immune system.

A dog’s IBD is not caused by feeding the wrong kind of food, but it can be worsened by feeding your pet food products that his body reacts adversely to.  

As dog lovers, we want what’s best for our canine friends. In this article, we will discuss the best dog food for IBD to help your pet cope, and hopefully, thrive. You can also read up further on ways you can manage the disease further down this article.

1. Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Gastrointestinal
2. Ollie Fresh Lamb Recipe
3. Wellness CORE 95% Turkey & Spinach
4. ACANA Freshwater Fish Recipe
5. Solid Gold Sunday Sunrise Recipe
6. Natural Balance Gentle Balance Formula
7. Castor & Pollux Organix Small Breed Recipe
8. Canidae Pure Senior Limited Ingredient Diet
9. Nutro Puppy Tender Chicken, Sweet Potato & Pea Recipe

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Best Dog Food For IBD: Our Top Choice

Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Gastrointestinal Low Fat 

Top 5 Ingredients: Water Sufficient For Processing, Pork By-Products, Pork Liver, Brewers Rice Flour, Corn Grits

Guaranteed analysis:

Royal Canin Gastrointestinal Low Fat is a veterinary dog food diet made specifically for canines who have difficulty digesting fat.

It comes with prebiotics to maintain the balance of the bacteria in the gut; dietary fibers for optimal stool quality; and EPA, DHA, and omega fatty acids to soothe the GI tract.

This wet food recipe has one of the highest number of reviews on Chewy.com. 98% of 1571 customers highly recommend it, which says a lot about the effectiveness of the product. It also has an 88% 5-star rating. 

What many reviewers like about this wet food is that it has helped their dogs with delicate digestive systems cope. They found that through the food their pets experienced renewed energy, increased appetite, healthy weight, decreased incidences of upset stomachs, and were not throwing up or suffering from diarrhea anymore. 

It’s not just excellent for IBD sufferers, but also for canines who have pancreatitis, allergies, and other intestinal or sensitivity issues.

Although we would like to see better quality ingredients, in this instance, function is best. And based on the sheer numbers of those who found this dog food recipe helpful, we agree that it should hold the top place. 

Pros:

• Ideal for both short-term and long-term digestive sensitivities
• Low fat content for dogs who have trouble with fat
• Adapted fiber level for weight maintenance despite fat restriction

Cons:

• Need to provide veterinary advice or authorization to buy
• Can be expensive for long-term use

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Best Dog Foods For IBD: Runners Up

1. Ollie Fresh Lamb Recipe

Top 5 Ingredients: Lamb, Butternut Squash, Lamb Liver, Kale, Rice

Guaranteed analysis:

Ollie offers fresh food that’s safe enough for humans to eat, but especially designed to give canines complete nutrition.

The foods are minimally processed and gently cooked to preserve the essential nutrients they contain. There are no artificial flavors that may cause an upset tummy. There are also zero soy, wheat, and corn, which are common allergens in pups.

This Ollie lamb recipe, like all of Ollie’s food offerings, is customized to your furry friend so that he gets the precise nutrients that he needs, unlike pre-packed dog food that is usually a one-size-fits-all. The brand perfectly proportions each serving to take away all the guesswork on your part. 

According to Trustpilot, Ollie’s recipes have a 4.4 rating out of 5 from 792 reviewers. Most of the pet parents are happy with the foods’ complete and balanced nutrition.

Several dogs who used to have tummy problems with their previous dog food suffered none when given Ollie. 

We are always happy with fresh food because that means there are fewer preservatives present (if there are any) and all ingredients are recognizable.

From what we’ve seen of the ingredients in this recipe, we can say that all of it is real nutrition from premium ingredients. And that’s a plus in any dog lover’s book.  

Pros:

• Freshly made 
• Precise nutrition customized to your pup’s needs
• Premium and recognizable ingredients

Con:

• More expensive than conventional dog foods
• Delivery dates are sometimes not followed strictly

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2. Wellness CORE 95% Turkey & Spinach

Top 5 Ingredients: Turkey, Water Sufficient For Processing, Spinach, Cassia Gum, Xanthan Gum

Guaranteed analysis:

Wellness CORE 95% Turkey and Spinach is a natural and grain free wet food that is made of 95% premium turkey. The rest of the ingredients are made up of spinach, flaxseed, essential vitamins, and chelated minerals. 

If your pup is highly sensitive to many ingredients, this wet food recipe takes most of the worry out of feeding your pup. There are no fillers, no common food sensitivity triggers, and everything in the list of ingredients are recognizable.

So far, there are only 29 reviews on Chewy, but the majority of reviewers rated it 5 stars out of 5. 100% also recommend the Wellness CORE Food recipe to other dog owners.

One common factor among the reviews is this Wellness CORE food’s high quality. One buyer rated it as excellent because the food helped her dog, who had a sensitive stomach and recent gastric surgery, cope and thrive.

As for us, we decided to check both the reviews and the list of ingredients carefully. Just by looking at the list, we’ve know that this Wellness CORE diet is a premium type of wet food.

And based on customer reviews, we’re glad to know that it is also extremely functional. 

Pros:

• Meaty since it’s 95% turkey
• No preservatives, artificial colors, meat byproducts, wheat, or soy
• No legumes

Con:

• A little expensive

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3. ACANA Freshwater Fish Recipe

Top 5 Ingredients: Rainbow Trout, Catfish, Catfish Meal, Whole Red Lentils, Whole Pinto Beans

Guaranteed analysis:

Acana Freshwater Fish Recipe is a wag-worthy grain free dry dog food that is made with 60% fish ingredients that include catfish, rainbow trout, perch, whitefish, and mackerel.

The remaining 40% of the ingredients are made up of fruits, vegetables, and botanicals. There are zero artificial colors, preservatives, or flavors. Though there are minerals, vitamins, and prebiotics added.

If your pup doesn’t take to poultry or other meats, this protein packed dry dog food diet made up of fish might do the trick. And since it doesn’t contain fillers or artificial stuff, there’s less chance that your pup’s irritable stomach might be triggered.

175 reviewers gave this grain free recipe an average of 4.6 out 5 rating. According to many, the food doesnt trigger their dogs’ food and tummy sensitivities.

There has been no more tummy issues, stools are firmer, and the pups’ skins have become itch-free when put on this dry dog food diet. 

We do like it whenever we find a recipe that doesn’t skimp on the ingredients. This is one of those. The first three ingredients are different kinds of fish and there are more further down the list.

The carbohydrate sources are whole vegetables that are either fresh or raw. The only downside is that it’s high in fat, which may not be ideal for some dogs with IBD.

Pros:

• Made of 60% fish
• Does not contain corn, soy, tapioca, or grains
• Coated with freeze-dried cod

Con:

• High in fat

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Other Dog Foods That Work for Dogs with IBD 

These dog foods below may not have been rated as the best in our list, but they still made it to our selection process because they’re excellent for dogs with IBD.

1. Solid Gold Sunday Sunrise Lamb, Sweet Potato & Pea Recipe

Top 5 Ingredients: Lamb, Lamb Meal, Sweet Potato, Chickpeas, Lentils

Guaranteed analysis:

Solid Gold Sunday Sunrise is a gluten and grain free recipe that supports a dog’s healthy metabolism with its protein-rich formulation and unique blends of functional superfoods, rich omegas, and living probiotics. It’s a holistic dry dog food that will give your furry sidekick a healthy immune system and gut. 

The dry dog food takes its fat from two different quality sources: chicken fat and salmon oil. The combination of the two brings pups enough omega fatty acids to control inflammation, provide joint health,  improve their mobility, and encourage healthy coat and skin. Meanwhile, because it’s grain free, the sweet potato provides energy through its supply of carbohydrates. 

This Solid Gold Sunday Sunrise recipe has a score of 4.7 stars out of 5, and 95% of customers give it a highly recommended rating.

The grain free food is low fat which helps some pups maintain their stomach acids and decrease incidences of stomach upsets. One customer whose dog has IBD symptoms say that the dry dog food recipe helps keep her dog completely free from irritable bowels.

We’re pretty happy with the formulation of this diet. There are no cheap fillers or meat byproducts. Aside from the lamb, this grain free diet also features ocean fish meal for further protein content.

And, of course, there are lots of good reviews from actual buyers, which is why we included it in our list.

Pros:

• 100% grain free and gluten free
• First two ingredients are lamb
• Contains live prebiotic and probiotic bacteria

Con:

• Two kinds of legumes are in the main ingredients

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2. Natural Balance Gentle Balance Chicken, Barley, & Salmon Meal Formula

Top 5 Ingredients: Chicken, Chicken Meal, Brown Rice, Chicken Fat (Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Cassava Flour

Guaranteed analysis:

Natural Balance Gentle Balance is a high-quality dry dog food that’s designed to support a dog’s digestive system.

It’s crafted with ingredients such as inulin (from chicory root) to promote healthy digestion, prebiotics to keep intestinal health, and zinc and vitamins for maintaining the health of a dog’s immune system. It uses high-quality meat (chicken) for protein and whole grains as healthy carb sources.

The digestible food is made to be gentle on a dog’s stomach to help pups with digestive issues recover and thrive. Despite being focused on digestive health, it offers complete nutrition for your dogs, from the tip of his nose to his tail. 

Natural Balance has 4.7 stars out of 5 given by 182 reviewers. The food reportedly keeps diarrhea and stomach upsets at bay.

According to many pet owners, this dog food recipe has helped firm up stools, kept dogs from itching, calmed tummies, and removed smelly gas. 

We’re all for functional recipes. This dry dog food formulation uses quality and healthy ingredients to address digestive issues.

Since it contains rice, it’s not ideal for dogs with grain allergies, but for everyone else, rice and other grains can be better sources of energy than legumes. It’s got our vote and it’s got the votes of many other buyers too.

Pros:

• Starts with two quality meats
• Complete and balanced nutrition for digestive health
• Plentiful omega fatty acids

Con:

• Kibbles can be too big for small dogs

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3. Castor & Pollux Organix Small Breed Recipe

Top 5 Ingredients: Organic Chicken, Organic Chicken Meal, Organic Oatmeal, Organic Barley, Organic Brown Rice

Guaranteed analysis:

Castor & Pollux Organix is an organic dog food that’s made for small breed adult dogs. It’s made with organic and responsibly-raised free-range chicken as well as organically grown produce. It’s a non-GMO diet that uses foods that are grown without the use of synthetic fertilizers or chemical pesticides.

With the exception of salt, potassium chloride, live microorganisms, and the added vitamins and minerals, everything else in this recipe is organic to give your pup the purest kind of food. 

Based on 43 reviews, this organic dog food has garnered a score of 4.3 out of 5 stars. Purchasers noted that the food agrees with their pups’ sensitive stomachs. Since being on the diet, the dogs’ energy has been boosted and no more allergies. 

You can appreciate the thoughtfulness that goes into the selection of each ingredient in this organic recipe. We like that there’s no artificial stuff, fillers, meat meals, meat byproducts, or cheap ingredients in the diet. Rather, it’s made with all the good stuff you want for your dog. 

Pros:

• Made with 95% or more organic ingredients
• Has a USDA Organic Certification
• Contains probiotics and prebiotics

Con:

• Not cost-effective for daily feeding

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Further Recommendations

Canidae Pure Senior Limited Ingredient Diet

As dogs get older, their nutritional needs change. This is true for all breeds, and the Pure senior dog food from Canidae provides your dogs with what they need to thrive as they get older.

This grain free diet is specifically formulated to help with gentle digestion in mature dogs so that they thrive and do well in their twilight years.

It is crafted with just nine wholesome ingredients (Chicken, Chicken Meal, Turkey Meal, Sweet Potatoes, Garbanzo Beans, Peas, Potatoes, Suncured Alfalfa, Chicken Fat). 

A blend of different probiotics helps aid in digestion while boosting the immune system, and there are also tons of vitamins and minerals designed to provide your older pup with everything they need to thrive, including glucosamine and chondroitin.

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Nutro Puppy Tender Chicken, Sweet Potato & Pea Recipe

Nutro Ultra has been around long enough to know what makes a high-quality premium dog food. They do not skimp on the protein sources, and their gravy mix is full of flavor that all puppies will eagerly enjoy.

It’s a grain free puppy food that is free from byproduct meals, wheat, soy, corn, and anything artificial. There aren’t any legumes or potatoes either. Just pea fiber and sweet potatoes to give your little furball enough energy for his everyday play.

The first five ingredients are chicken, pork broth, chicken broth, sweet potatoes, chicken liver.

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Signs That Your Dog May Have Inflammatory Bowel Disease

There are a number of signs that dogs with IBD have. If you see the following in your dog, you need to seek out veterinary advice immediately. It may or may not be IBD, but early intervention is the key to help your dog live a normal life.

IBD Symptoms:

1. Chronic vomiting – Dogs with IBD have sensitive stomachs. Once a dog’s tummy is inflamed, it can show through chronic vomiting. Check closely which foods or treats tend to trigger his upset stomach.

2. Chronic diarrhea – Dogs with IBD suffer from inflammation, which can be contained in the large or small intestine. If it is located in the intestines, it usually shows up as diarrhea. The occasional loose stool and mucus are normal, but if there’s blood in the poop, bring him to your vet immediately.

3. Weight loss – Many dogs with IBD experience a decreased appetite for food, which can lead to weight loss in the long run.

They may not be eating much because they feel poorly afterward. However, in some dogs, it’s the exact opposite. They may have a voracious appetite to make up for their inability to digest and absorb the food they eat.

Ways You Can Manage IBD Symptoms In Your Dog

There is no cure for IBD, although complete recovery is possible. For most dogs, it’s a lifelong condition but the IBD symptoms can be managed in a variety of ways.  

1. Your Dog’s Diet – Depending on the results your pup gets from his medical tests, special dog food diets can be a lot of help.

Normally you’d be required to feed your dog hypoallergenic food, a high fiber diet, or a low residue one. It may take eight to twelve weeks for real health benefits to be seen so patience is required.

Some diets are not specifically geared towards IBD, but the way the food is formulated can be extremely helpful for dogs suffering from the disease.

Look for dog food that contains natural ingredients, is nutritionally balanced, and contains ingredients that aid digestion. 

2. Medication – In some cases, the veterinarian will prescribe drugs for your dog. Antibiotics, probiotic supplements, or anti inflammatory medications may be prescribed.

3. Deworming – Sometimes deworming is recommended for parasites in the digestive tract.

4. B12 Supplementation – Most dogs with bowel inflammatory disease are unable to absorb vitamin B12 into their bodies so an injection may be needed. 

Choosing The Best Dog Foods For IBD Sufferers

Dogs suffering from IBD have sensitive stomachs and can be quite picky. But the process of finding the best dog food for your pet requires trial and a lot of patience.

Each dog is different and may have a completely different response to one dog food compared to another. However, these are the diet characteristics that many veterinarians recommend when selecting what to feed your pet.

1. Minimal or no additives

It’s difficult to know which ingredient in a dog food your pooch is reacting to, but you can make it easier by selecting a dog food recipe with few ingredients and additives. Those additives can trigger an allergic reaction in your pet that you want to avoid. 

The best food for your pup is one that contains natural ingredients. Consider too his food sensitivities. Dog foods with fewer ingredients are the easiest to keep track of, particularly if your furry buddy has many sensitivities you need to watch out for. 

2. Highly digestible food

For many dogs with sensitive stomachs, fiber and fat are the hardest to digest, especially when their gastrointestinal tracts are inflamed.

Some dog foods address this problem by providing low fat and fiber recipes. Wet dog foods can also help because high-moisture foods are easier to digest than dry kibble.

While you can go immediately for grain free foods, many dogs do well on grain-inclusive diets. It may be that your dog shows more IBD symptoms when he’s fed food with wheat, but will thrive when given a diet with simple white rice.

3. Novel proteins

Novel proteins are those proteins that your canine has not been exposed to yet so his immune system does not react to it.

Based on research, the usual culprits in reactions are beef, chicken, and dairy. If your dog is okay with these animal proteins, continue giving them to him. However, if he reacts to them, a recipe with novel proteins is recommended.

More and more dog food brands are now offering pups different animal protein sources. Duck, venison, buffalo, and the like may just be what your dog needs if he can’t take the usual protein choices. 

4. Nutritionally Balanced Meals

Some dogs need lower residue meals so that their digestive system won’t get irritated by working overtime.

In cases like this, it’s even more important that you choose a dog food with balanced nutrition formulated to make up for the less fat or fiber present in the food. Your dog should still get enough energy for his daily activities.

Transitioning to New Food

There’s a right and wrong way to switch to new food so that you don’t upset your pup‘s fragile stomach. Do it gradually over the course of a week.

For the first day, put in 25% of the new dog food and 75% of the old. On day three, the new dog food should make up half of the meal. On day 5, only a fourth of the meal should be made of old food. By the 7th, fully transition him to the new diet.

Final Thoughts on IBD

The prognosis is good for canines who are diagnosed with IBD. Once the veterinarian determines the right diet or medication, most dogs with inflammatory bowel disease may be on it for life but many will be able to live normally. Some are even able to get off the drugs completely. For many, IBD has no effect on a dog’s life span.

Careful nurturing and a good diet are the keys to successfully managing the disease. Just keep feeding your pup with a nutritionally balanced diet that promotes healthy digestion, and he should be fine.