Is your dog on a high quality meat based diet? And yet itching incessantly, pooping loose stools, or have low energy levels or behaves moody? Your pup’s discomfort reach their peak during seasonal allergies? All this repeats despite having eliminated every possible allergen contaminants? They are highly likely, signs of dogs with sensitive stomach & skin.
Feeding dogs with sensitive stomachs, certainly is a task that haunts pet parents in Bangalore. Nearly every professional in the pet food industry recommends low carb dog food for sensitive skin. And the list of dog friendly prebiotic vegetables are all carbohydrate heavy or have a high Glycemic Index.
Our search for natural remedies for dog’s gut health
We struggled with sensitive skin and stomach in dogs at home. An Indie, with food intolerances, seasonal allergies and a sensitive tummy.
First, we did an elimination diet to rule out protein intolerances. We found our dog to be intolerant to chicken & eggs.
Second, we fed our dog a low carb grain free diet. Which of course helped reduce the symptoms. However, during seasonal changes we reluctantly administered steroids. That gave him the most relief, no matter how short lived.
The Purpose
We realised, we had to work on gut health for dogs with sensitive stomach & skin. Finding natural remedies for dog’s gut health, when your dog is intolerant to starch needed multiple trials.
Finally after detailed research, we slipped on a “banana”!! The versatile, nutritious and readily available in India vegetable: Raw Banana/ Plantain/ / Balekayi/ Kaccha Kela/ Vazhakkai/ Aratikaya/ Pachakaya/ Kaacha Kola took the limelight.
Raw Banana For Dogs
Raw bananas are used widely in Indian cooking. It is a substitute for potatoes. Raw banana AKA plantains are unripe green bananas, used as a vegetable.
Benefits of raw banana for dogs:
- It’s one of the few prebiotic vegetables, that are not only high in resistant starch. It in fact has a low glycemic index.
- It’s high in fibre, making it one of the best foods to improve dogs gut health.
- Owing to the low Glycemic Index value, compared to potatoes & grains. Raw banana for dogs with diabetes, dog’s on a weight loss diet, dogs on an anti inflammatory diet, like dog’s suffering from cancer, arthritis is highly recommended.
- Antioxidants and Vitamin C in raw bananas can help fight free radical damage, promoting healthy skin & coat.
- Cooked plantain for dogs are an excellent source of potassium, a mineral vital for maintaining blood pressure and supporting proper heart function.
- Magnesium in raw bananas promotes calcium absorption and bone density.
Our Results
With our mutt, we’ve fed this meal combination for over a year. Here are the results:
- There are no more steroids getting administered during seasonal allergies
- No smelly dog, no skin flare ups or redness under his armpits or groin.
- We also completed multiple vet check up with blood tests for kidney, liver function and it’s a green flag from the Doctor too.
- We do continue our grooming routine with natural products. However, the number of times, has certainly reduced.
- We also add food grade neem powder, to ensure some itches don’t turn to hot spots.
Our boy has transitioned further into “pup mode” at the wise old age of 8!
Transition to Gut Health Dog Meals
Our Gut Health Meals for dogs, are especially crafted for dogs on a low carb diet since there is very little natural prebiotics included in our low carb meal.
Any dog can be fed our natural gut health dog meals. As always, start small. Review if the vegetable suits your dog’s tummy.
Feed our Gut Health meals, 2-3 meals a week, during the trial period.
After inspecting their poop during trial. You are confident your dog has taken to plantains well. We recommend feeding your pup with sensitive tummy, one gut health meal and one low carb meal every day.
Recommendations on feeding dogs with sensitive stomach
Two day’s meals a week, of our gut health meals, are recommended for dog’s with no skin issues. And we couldn’t recommend raw banana for dogs more!