Bland diet

[pugparty]

Just got back from the vets after my dog has been poorly today, and she's advised a bland diet of boiled chicken and rice. I am a veggie who has never cooked chicken - what do I do! How long do I cook it for? Do I shred it afterwards or just cut up into little pieces?

Worried of making him more poorly by feeding him badly cooked chicken, please help!

[pugparty]

And how much of each?! I asked the vet and she just said "about this much" and showed a cupped handful. Said to feed tiny bit at a time from that to see how his stomach goes.

[Kyvia]

You could buy pre-cooked chicken pieces in the chiller section, might be easier for you. If the vets are still open you can probably buy some gastro tins that would be easier still!

Failing that scrambled egg is also a bland thing good for upset tummies, no milk/butter just plain egg scrambled.

[Modwolvesrock]

Chappie.I know it sounds weird, but honestly it's the best thing for dogs with poorly stomachs.
Hopefully your doggo will be feeling better soon.

[pugparty]

That's a genius idea, however I'm stuck at home alone, fortunately with both chicken and rice in the fridge to make him, but I will definitely look at pre-cooked tomorrow! Worried abut leaving him alone atm.

I will keep scrambled eggs in mind as well, thank you so much. He's gonna think it's bloody Christmas!

[pugparty]

Chappie like the wet dog food?

[Modwolvesrock]

Sorry, just realised there's a question.

Yes, if you can get a few tins of chappie for times when it's needed it'll really help. Vets often recommend it for poorly dogs.

[pigsDOfly]

My dog is on a special low fat wet diet for sensitive stomachs. It keeps her from having flare up of pancreatitis.

I pay just over £30 for 12 tins.

I keep her on it because it works well for her, but apart from a slightly higher protein content it's identical to Chappie, which was also recommended to me for my dog by the vet nurse as an alternative to my more expensive food.

Vets always say feed chicken but my dog can't stay on chicken, or chicken and rice for longer than about three days without it upsetting her stomach.

If you do cook chicken for your dog, the easiest way is to buy breast meat, cut it into small cubes and boil it in plain water for about 5 minutes.

[pigsDOfly]

Yes, that is the Chappie wet food.

My dog can't take kibble because of her sensitivity.

[BiteyShark]

Chicken and rice does seem to be the standard advice by vets for upset stomachs. Having gone through this a lot we moved to wet foods as they are much easier to digest for dogs (not sure what you are feeding now).

One vet did give us different advice which we found was much better than the standard chicken and rice which was to feed our normal wet food (you could get chappie as others have mentioned or a tin of 'easily digestible' canned food from the vets), but split it up into something like 10. We then feed those small amounts every hour for a day, then the next day we split it into 2 hour slots, then 4 etc until we are back feeding normally.

[adaline]

I'm another recommending Chappie.

We always keep a couple of tins in the house in case ours gets an upset stomach and it works wonders.

[tabulahrasa]

Seeing as you already have the chicken... I don’t eat meat either, when I have to do it for a dog, I just cut it and cook it in with the rice... it’s cooked through by the time it’s done.

[TheSandgroper]

Put your chicken into the pot, cover with water, bring gently to the boil. It will get scummy but I don’t worry about that with ddawgies food. Turn the heat down and simmer for 45 minutes, turn over and simmer for another 30. You want the leg to really waggle loosely what you shake it with tongs.

Lift it out and add rice. Bring it gently back to the boil and simmer until well cooked. Longer than you would for serving at table.

Strip the chicken off the bones while the rice is cooking. It’s so much easier when warm. I use two forks and shred into another bowl bones into the bin. Once the rice is cooked, chicken in and stir well. Allow to cool before serving although a small amount spread over a saucer cools quite quickly.

As/if your dog improves, some steamed vegetables may be added. I use potato, broccoli, carrots, spinach, sweet potato.

[lazymum99]

When you say you have chicken in the fridge do you mean a whole chicken?
Mine is on chicken and rice at the moment after getting diarrhoea after tooth extraction. I boil chicken breasts in a pan of water and then cut up and leave in fridge for a few meals.
I think I’m going to buy a few cans of chappie after reading this.
If you’ve got a whole chicken then follow sandgroper instructions. But a bit of a faff. Dog is going to think all his Christmases have come at once.

[tabulahrasa]

Oh, it never occurred to me it might be a whole chicken, lol, I only ever butcher breasts...

Re chappie, that’s what I use in between chicken and rice and their dry food tbh, I wouldn’t give it to a dog that’s still unwell

[pugparty]

It was chicken breasts we had in the fridge. I read on something online that it takes 12 minutes and wondered if I was doing something wrong when it was pink for bloody ever! 45+ minutes sounds more like what I had.

Some brilliant suggestions and explanations, thank you. I will follow some of this advice tonight for his tea, and get some chappie in to keep on hand for future. Symptom free for 24 hours now and the dog walker said he leapt across the room to get his lunch so he's on the mend!

[MarleyMooChick]

The chicken breast takes 12 minutes if you poach it in water. I bring water to the boil with the chicken in, then turn down the heat & simmer for 12 minutes.

[MarleyMooChick]

Also keep a tray of Hills i/d tins as well in my cupboard. They can be bought online.