is oatmeal good for dogs stomach

Can Dogs Eat Oatmeal? How Much Oatmeal Should You Feed Your Dog?

Nothing feels better like waking up in the morning and digging into a bowl of freshly cooked oatmeal, topped with a concoction of fresh fruits, peanut butter, and other nutritious add-ons.

As a pet parent, you should know that its not unusual for your pup to share the same interest in what you are eating. But, can dogs eat oatmeal? It is nice to add to our dog's diet? Or are they better off munching on their favorite commercial dog food?

CanIs Oatmeal Good for Dogs?

Oatmeal is a delicious and nutritious breakfast staple that has been in American households for hundreds of years. It was introduced in America by the Scottish settlers in 1602.

And while some of us simply love to dig in a food bowl filled with oats, most are hooked to this healthy snack for its nutritional benefits.

Fortunately, the reasons that make hulled oat grains good for humans are also the same for dogs. When served in moderation, plain oats can benefit your furry buddy in several ways. Plain oatmeal is packed with proteins, dietary fiber, and antioxidants.

Oats also have a hearty dose of important vitamins, minerals, and fatty acids, such as vitamin B, linoleic acid, calcium, phosphorus, and a lot more.

It is also a great alternative carbohydrate for canines with gluten allergies that makes them sensitive to grains or wheat.

Can Dogs Eat Oatmeal? Is it safe to give?

Oatmeal is safe for dogs as long as it is served plain and cooked. Or if you do add some toppings or mix other ingredients with it, make sure to stay away from chocolates, almonds, raisins, grapes, salt, and artificial sweeteners like xylitol since all of these are harmful to your pup.

When preparing oatmeal for your dog, mix it with warm water instead of milk because canines can be ultra-sensitive to dairy, and their bodies cant break down lactose properly the way we, humans do.

Most dogs would experience stomach upset, including vomiting and diarrhea when they consume even a small amount of milk.

Again, remember to cook oatmeal first before serving it to your dog because raw oats can be harder for him to digest which can only upset your dogs stomach. Uncooked oats can also be more difficult for your pup to chew and swallow, which can put him at risk of choking.

Additionally, never give your dog flavored oatmeal (e.g. blueberry, cinnamon, etc.), as it often contains more added sugar and it may even have xylitol or birch sugar, which is toxic to dogs. And while instant oatmeal can be easier and faster to prepare, its definitely not a healthy choice for your dog.

Before you purchase any oat, you should also read the label. Make sure that you are buying 100% whole grain oats as opposed to processed grains.

Apparently, whole grain oatmeal is more nutritious. The latter lacks the benefits that your dog can get from whole grains oats, and they can also be harder for your pup to digest.

Finally, avoid giving your dog too much oatmeal at once because it is high in calories, rich in fiber, and contains a lot of carbohydrates.

These can be a triple threat to your dogs health causing unhealthy weight gain, stomach upset, and other health issues.

Health Benefits of Oatmeal for Dogs

As mentioned earlier, adding oatmeal to your dogs diet can result in several health benefits when served properly and in moderation.

And this should not come as a surprise since too much of any human food can cause digestive issues to dogs. Just because you are devouring a bowl full of oats every morning, doesnt mean that your canine companion should, too.

Then again, when done right, feeding oatmeal to your dog can give him the following benefits:

Promote Healthy Coat and Skin Health

Some of the key nutrients present in oats are the B vitamins and linoleic acid, a type of omega-6 fatty acid.

B vitamins play an important role in keeping your dogs skin and coat healthy. In addition, linoleic acid is another potent fatty acid that supports skin health, and it can also help maintain the integrity of the skin barrier, reduce inflammation, and promote the healing of wounds.

Support Digestion and Regulate Blood Glucose Levels

Oatmeal is a rich source of soluble fiber, which can help dogs (especially older dogs) with irregular bowel movements, and it can also regulate blood glucose levels. As a result, a normal blood glucose level can lower a dogs risk for diabetes, heart problems, and other ailments.

May Lower Cholesterol Levels

Oatmeal can be beneficial for dogs with abnormally high levels of cholesterol, such as those with genetic or metabolic health conditions.

And this can be attributed to the presence of beta-glucan in oats, which is a type of fiber that has been associated with an improved heart condition.

However, more studies are needed to confirm the effects of beta-glucan in reducing cholesterol levels in dogs.

May Avoid Overeating

Its not advisable to give your dog oatmeal in large quantities at once as this can just upset his stomach and increase his chances of being overweight.

However, if your dog is already overweight, he can benefit from eating a moderate amount of plain oatmeal a few times a week.

As we know, oats are rich in fiber, which can make your dog feel full longer. As a result, he wont have the urge to dig on his bowl now and then, or to follow you around and beg for more food.

How Much Oatmeal Should You Feed Your Dog?

Your dog should be eating a balanced diet to ensure optimum health and safety. As a rule of thumb, you can add one tablespoon of cooked oatmeal for every 20 pounds of your dogs body weight.

How to Serve Oatmeal to Your Dog Correctly?

As discussed earlier, you should always cook the oatmeal first before serving it to your pup whether you give it alone, or sprinkle it on top of your dogs food. And of course, let it cool down for a while before giving it to your dog.

After serving your dog oatmeal, dont forget to observe his reactions, especially if its his first time. If you notice adverse reactions, consult your veterinarian immediately.

Can Dogs Eat Oatmeal, and Should They?

Cooked oatmeal can be a healthy addition to your dogs diet. You should opt for plain varieties prepared with water instead of milk, and increase the amount slowly over time to assess your dogs tolerance.

Oatmeal is a common breakfast staple thats favored for both its versatility and potential health benefits.

It has also become an increasingly common ingredient in many types of commercial dog food.

While it seems clear that oatmeal is generally safe for your canine companion, you may wonder whether you should use caution with some preparation methods and if its truly healthy for them.

This article reviews whether dogs can and should eat oatmeal.

Oatmeal is highly nutritious and has been associated with several potential health benefits.

Promotes skin health

Oats are rich in B vitamins and linoleic acid, a type of omega-6 fatty acid (1).

B vitamins play a key role in skin health and may be involved in the production of healthy skin cells (2).

Meanwhile, linoleic acid is also essential for skin health and can help maintain the integrity of the skin barrier, promote wound healing, and alleviate inflammation (3).

Although these benefits have not been studied in dogs specifically, dog skin is similar to human skin.

Supports digestion

Oatmeal is high in fiber, with over 4 grams of fiber in each cooked cup (240 grams) (1).

Fiber has been linked to a number of potential health benefits, especially in terms of digestive health.

Fiber moves slowly through your body undigested, adding bulk to stool to support regularity (4).

Although studies in dogs specifically are limited, research suggests that increased fiber intake may be beneficial for treating constipation (5, 6).

May lower cholesterol levels

If your dog has high cholesterol levels due to metabolic or genetic health conditions, oatmeal may be beneficial.

This is because oats are a good source of beta glucan, a type of fiber that has been associated with improved heart health (7).

Humans studies have shown that oats could help reduce cholesterol levels, especially in people with high cholesterol (8, 9).

One study in 14 dogs observed similar findings, showing that supplementing with oat beta glucan for 71 days reduced levels of total and LDL (bad) cholesterol (10).

However, more large, high quality studies are needed to confirm whether oats may help lower cholesterol levels in dogs.

summary

Although more research is needed, oatmeal may help support skin health, promote regularity, and lower cholesterol levels. However, studies on these benefits in dogs specifically are limited.

Although oats are a great source of nutrients, keep in mind that not all types are suitable for your furry friend.

In particular, raw oats can be difficult for your dog to digest and may cause stomach upset.

You should also steer clear of flavored varieties, which are often high in sugar and may contain ingredients that can be toxic to dogs, such as chocolate, raisins, or the sugar alcohol xylitol (11, 12).

Additionally, be sure to prepare oats with water instead of milk, as many dogs cannot digest lactose very well (13).

Finally, keep in mind that increasing their fiber intake too quickly can also cause unpleasant digestive side effects, including gas or bloating (14, 15).

To keep negative side effects at bay, its recommended for fiber intakes to increase slowly over time by 13 grams per day, as well as with plenty of water.

summary

While oatmeal can be nutritious, certain types may contain ingredients that are unsuitable for dogs and can cause adverse digestive side effects.

According to the American Kennel Club, you can typically feed dogs around one tablespoon (15 grams) of cooked oatmeal for every 20 pounds (9 kg) of body weight (16).

Given its rich content of soluble fiber, oatmeal has also become an increasingly common ingredient in many types of commercial dog food (17).

Its especially popular among pet owners with dogs who have difficulty tolerating other grains, such as wheat.

Some specific examples of dog food that contain oatmeal include:

• Wellness Complete Health Deboned Chicken & Oatmeal Recipe
• Purina Pro Plan Sensitive Skin & Stomach Lamb & Oatmeal Formula
• Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula Fish and Oatmeal Recipe
• Castor & Pollux ORGANIX Organic Chicken & Oatmeal Recipe
• Nutro Wholesome Essentials Venison Meal, Brown Rice & Oatmeal Recipe

summary

Several popular types of commercial dog food contain oatmeal.

When prepared properly, oatmeal can be a healthy addition to your dogs diet.

Be sure to only feed dogs cooked oatmeal and opt for plain varieties prepared with water instead of milk.

You should also increase their intake gradually to assess your dogs tolerance.

However, keep in mind that oatmeal should be included as part of a balanced diet and not be used to replace commercial dog food.

Additionally, its a good idea to consult your veterinarian before making any changes to your dogs diet, especially if they have any underlying health conditions.

Five Foods to Feed Dogs With Upset Stomachs

Feeding a sick dog, especially one dealing with a decreased appetite, upset stomach, diarrhea, and vomiting, can be stressful. To deal with some symptoms, you may want to ask your vet about an over-the-counter stomach and diarrhea treatment. But a bland diet can help address some of these symptoms while also giving your dog the nutrition they need to recover.

The following recipes are intended for use for dogs with symptoms of mild stomach upset, including gas, nausea, constipation, and diarrhea. As these symptoms are occasionally signs of a more serious problem, always check with your vet before taking treatment into your own hands. Only use these recipes once you have ruled out other health risks and discussed your dietary plan with your veterinarian. Also, remember that dogs with existing health conditions like diabetes, cancer, and allergies, as well as senior dogs, might need additional nutrition to stay healthy.

Chicken and Rice

Chicken and rice are prime ingredients in many dog foods, and these mild foods sit well on upset canine stomachs. Plus, this bland meal is easy to prepare. All you need are boneless, skinless chicken breasts, along with some rice. Cooked white rice is lower in nutritional value than brown rice, but its blandness makes it more suitable for upset stomachs.

Oils, butter, and added seasoningscan irritate your dogs stomach and make the problem worse, so stick with plain boiled chicken and rice and save the extra stuff for your own meal. Make sure the chicken is cooked thoroughly and cut or shred it into small, bite-sized pieces for your dog, since enthusiastic canines might choke on this unexpected treat. You can also purchase pre-packaged chicken and rice meals for dogs.

Shredded Chicken

Shredded chicken is easy on upset stomachs and acts as a huge eating incentive for dogs with decreased appetites. Plain, unseasoned, boiled, shredded chicken is easy to digest and is packed with essential vitamins, minerals, fats, and amino acids, making it a great snack for dogs feeling under the weather. Cooked chicken keeps in the fridge for three to four days, or you can freeze it for two to six months.

Pumpkin

Feeding your dog unseasoned pumpkin can have digestive health benefits. Its high in fiber, which helps regulate the canine digestive systems. Cooked, peeled, unsalted, and unseasoned pumpkin contains vitamin E, thiamin, niacin, vitamin B6, folate, iron, magnesium, phosphorous, dietary fiber, vitamin A, vitamin C, riboflavin, potassium, copper, and manganese, giving your dog a nutritional boost along with a little digestive help.

Adding pumpkin to your dogs meal usually helps regulate mild constipation. Veterinarians recommend one to four tablespoons of pumpkin, depending on your dogs size. Canned pumpkin is a convenient alternative to preparing pumpkin yourself, as long as it is unseasoned. Feeding your dog a can of pumpkin pie filling might end up sending you back to the vet, as the spices and sugars could irritate your dogs stomach and cause further complications. You can also buy pumpkin supplements designed for dogs to add to your pets food.

Bone Broth

Bone broth is a very mild, liquid meal that sits easily in upset canine stomachs. It is also a nutritious and delicious way to add moisture and flavor to dry food and encourage dogs with reduced appetites to eat. To make a bone broth for dogs, fill a crock-pot with beef marrow bones or bones with plenty of joints, like turkey and chicken legs. Cover the bones with two to three inches of water, cover, and cook on low for 20 to 24 hours.

Let the broth cool in the fridge to let the fat form a hardened layer at the top. Scoop it off and store the jelly-like broth in the refrigerator. If you want to use the broth to add moisture to dry food, microwave the broth just long enough for it to go from a semi-solid jelly to a liquid, but not long enough to get hot, as hot broth can burn your dogs mouth. Freeze the broth in small containers like an ice cube tray for later use.

While bone broth is full of healthy bone marrow, cooked bones themselves can be dangerous for dogs. Make sure you remove all of the bones from your broth before serving. Straining the broth will ensure no small bones escaped your notice.

Baby Food

Veterinary emergency hospitals often use certain types of baby food to feed the dogs in their care. Baby food is very easy to swallow and digest and is a great way to give oral medications. Considerfeeding Stage II meat-based baby foods like chicken, lamb, and turkey, as long as the baby food does not contain ingredients or additives that might be toxic to dogs, like any garlic powder or onion powder.

While none of these recipes should be used as a replacement for proper medical care, feeding a bland diet can alleviate some of your dogs intestinal discomfort while also providing them with foods theyll love. These recipes for dog digestive health also make delicious treats for when your dog starts feeling better, so consider saving some for later to reward your canine patient.