A small dog with IBD eats his food in front of a green couch

Best Dog Food for IBD & IBS: Don’t Trust the Biggest Brands

The best dog food for IBD and IBS will provide fiber and avoid irritating fillers and additives. Learn what to feed a dog with Inflammatory Bowel Disease in this guide.

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Gastric health issues, such as Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) and Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), are a growing problem among pets. According to many veterinarians, poor diets are a major part of the problem. Cheap dog food is most often full of low-quality ingredients and so overly processed that it lacks the bioavailable nutrients necessary for your dog.

Most of the commercial dog food brands manufacture a limited-ingredient line for dogs with food allergies or digestive issues. While they may be somewhat helpful in reducing symptoms, they are still not highly nutritive foods that truly address the underlying issues. Based on our research of IBD and IBS in dogs, we want to walk you through some dog foods that are healthier options and why we believe they are better alternatives.

In this review:

Best for severe cases
Sustainable novel protein
spot and tango logo
Halo Ocean of Vegan Dry Dog Food, 4-Pound Bag
Wet food (for seniors)
Raised Right Pet Food Logo
Just Food For Dogs: Balanced Remedy Recipe
Chippin Dog Food
Sundays for Dogs
Spot & Tango UnKibble: Duck & Salmon Recipe
Halo’s Holistic Ocean of Vegan Recipe
Raised Right Turkey & Pumpkin Paté
Recipe created by vets specifically for dogs with severe digestive issues
Dry food made with human-grade novel proteins
Best air-dried food without additives
Fresh ingredients are slow-dried to preserve nutrition, unlike kibble
Best vegan option
Best wet food for IBD
Subscribe & save 40% + 5% on future orders
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
Best for severe cases
Just Food For Dogs: Balanced Remedy Recipe
Recipe created by vets specifically for dogs with severe digestive issues
Subscribe & save 40% + 5% on future orders
Sustainable novel protein
Chippin Dog Food
Dry food made with human-grade novel proteins
n/a
Sundays for Dogs
Best air-dried food without additives
n/a
spot and tango logo
Spot & Tango UnKibble: Duck & Salmon Recipe
Fresh ingredients are slow-dried to preserve nutrition, unlike kibble
n/a
Halo Ocean of Vegan Dry Dog Food, 4-Pound Bag
Halo’s Holistic Ocean of Vegan Recipe
Best vegan option
Wet food (for seniors)
Raised Right Pet Food Logo
Raised Right Turkey & Pumpkin Paté
Best wet food for IBD
n/a

Best dog food for IBD & IBS

Best limited-ingredient diet for severe cases: Just Food For Dogs

Just Food for Dogs: Balanced Remedy Recipe

  • Vet-formulated recipe designed specifically to support canine digestive health
  • Features a limited ingredient list to help dogs avoid food triggers
  • Aids IBD issues: Food is highly digestible, contains moderate levels of high-quality protein, and is low in fat

What we like

Dogs with advanced or chronic IBD will require an extremely specific diet that eliminates all of the common allergens while still providing a balanced diet. This rules out most kibbles.

Just Food For Dogs continually works with veterinarians to offer its “Vet Support” line. These foods allow pet owners to offer their dogs wholesome, vet-approved foods to treat digestive issues like IBS and IBD.

The Balanced Remedy recipe is gently cooked at low temperatures to preserve nutrition, then delivered frozen to your door. It only features fresh, human-grade ingredients that shouldn’t trigger your dog’s digestive tract.

This therapeutic diet contains only one protein source, ground turkey, a single starch source, rice, and a few nutrient-dense oils and a supplement blend to balance out the nutritional levels. It is meant to help support the digestive tract of dogs that suffer from gastrointestinal issues, so it shouldn’t be fed to every dog. Just Food For Dogs offers other, less restrictive recipes for healthy dogs. You can learn more in our full Just Food For Dogs review and our The Farmer’s Dog vs Just Food For Dogs comparison.

What we’d change

As far as the recipe goes, we wouldn’t change a thing. It’s pretty solid as an IBD dog food. Our only wish is that JFFD would develop other, similar recipes for dogs that might not do well with turkey.

Our only other qualm is the price. You should know that if your dog has significant digestive issues and requires a specialized diet, you’re probably going to have to pay more. Sure, most of the big brands offer limited-ingredient kibbles that will supposedly help, but most of them are full of the same cheap ingredients that contribute to poor nutrition and digestive issues in the first place.

Just Food For Dogs’ Balanced Remedy recipe isn’t cheap, but it could have a profound impact on your dog’s digestive health. The good news is, the brand offers 40% off your first box if you subscribe, plus another 5% off future subscription deliveries. Autoship shipping is always free.

Best dehydrated novel protein dog food for IBD and IBS: Chippin

Chippin Dog Food
9 Reviews
Chippin Dog Food

  • Made with novel cricket protein for dogs sensitive to common meats
  • Add warm water to make a tasty wet dog food
  • You can also choose from tasty treats made with crickets or spirulina; vegan treats also available

What we like

Chippin offers a human-grade novel protein in a convenient, dehydrated dog food. There are even novel protein treats made with either spirulina or cricket protein, so dogs with meat allergies can enjoy treats too! Dogs with gut health issues can also benefit from other ingredients like pumpkin and rolled oats. Learn more in our Chippin Dog Food Review.

If you’re looking for a fresh cooked novel protein, you may should check out our guide to the best novel protein dog food.

>> Read more: Best Venison Dog Food

What we’d change

There may be gluten in the brewer’s yeast. Although it may not bother all dogs, it has the potential to cause an immune response in dogs with colitis. But, if gluten doesn’t cause issues, brewer’s yeast can be beneficial in aiding digestion and easing diarrhea. It contains chromium, which might help the body use insulin better and lower blood sugar levels.

Also, although the protein sources are human-grade, Chippin is not clear if the remaining ingredients are human-grade.

>> Read more: Nom Nom vs Farmer’s Dog: Which Fresh Dog Food Is Better?

Best air-dried dog food for IBD & IBS: Sundays

Sundays for Dogs

  • Complete and balanced nutrition using only whole foods; no synthetic vitamins and minerals. 
  • Premium human-grade ingredients are slowly air-dried preserving nutrition and flavor.
  • Beneficial ingredients for IBS & IBD: Turmeric aids in reducing inflammation, while beef heart and liver provide Vitamin B12, a common deficiency in IBD

What we like:

We love that Sundays creates meals as they should be—with real food and nothing else. The food contains all the necessary vitamins and minerals from nutrient-rich food sources like meat (muscle and organ), kale, pumpkin, strawberries, and sunflower oil. This means there’s no need to add synthetic vitamins or minerals. With no additives or anything unnatural, dogs with IBD or IBS may experience reduced inflammatory responses to sub-par ingredients.

The jerky-like pieces are gently air-dried to preserve the nutrients. It does not require refrigeration; just pour it into a bowl. Ingredients are sourced from local farms or human grocers in the Midwest United States. You can learn more in our Sundays Dog Food review.

What we’d change:

Sundays was created to be a healthy diet for healthy dogs. Like most dog foods, it was not formulated to treat any specific health condition and there are no novel protein recipes at this time. This means that if your dog’s IBS or IBD is caused by beef or chicken, Sundays isn’t right for you. Sundays may be more beneficial to dogs who have mild IBD or IBS and do not react to common meats or insoluble fiber.

Best high-quality dog kibble for IBS & IBD: Spot & Tango UnKibble

Spot & Tango UnKibble

  • 100% fresh, human-grade ingredients without any artificial additives, preservatives, fillers, or meat meals
  • Ingredients are gently dried to maintain nutritional value
  • Can be combined with Spot & Tango's fresh food for even better nutrition
  • The Dog Tale readers get 50% off

This is no traditional kibble. UnKibble is a veterinarian-created kibble alternative made with whole ingredients that are gently dried to preserve the most nutrition. It’s like a kibble version of the type of fresh food we reviewed above.

You’ll find ingredients full of soluble fiber (important for IBD and IBS) like apples, sweet potatoes, and carrots. The limited ingredient list also makes it easier to find a suitable recipe for dogs with allergies. None of the recipes contain eggs and two are gluten-free.

Spot and Tango also offers a fresh food option. You can learn more in our Spot and Tango dog food review.

What we like

  • All UnKibble recipes are made with 100% fresh, human-grade ingredients and contain no meat meals, artificial preservatives, fillers, or additives. 
  • All three recipes are GMO-free and hormone-free, and meet the AAFCO’s standards for a complete diet for both puppies and adults.
  • UnKibble recipes are gently dried using their unique Fresh Dry™ process, which maximizes nutritional integrity in a way other kibbles can’t.
  • We’ve secured an exclusive 50% discount for our readers. Just use code DOGTALE50.

What we’d change

Just as with fresh food, this gently processed dog food costs more than a typical grocery-store kibble. That’s because UnKibble only contains real, human-grade ingredients instead of the typical fillers and slaughterhouse remnants used in some mass-market kibbles. 

However, it’s still much cheaper than fresh food, and you can get a personalized quote for free.

>> Read more: Spot and Tango vs Farmer’s Dog

Best vegan dog kibble for IBD: Halo Ocean of Vegan

Halo’s Holistic Ocean of Vegan Recipe

  • No meat, eggs, or vegetable meals.
  • Plant-based and marine-sourced protein from chickpeas, sea kelp, and micro-algae.
  • Made in the USA with quality ingredients sourced from US farms and around the world.

What we like

  • Although canines customarily consume meat-based diets, some vets have seen the most improvement in gastrointestinal issues when dogs are completely taken off of animal products.1 
  • This vegan formula is highly digestible, 100% complete and balanced, and contains only non-GMO produce, like oat groats and lentils. 
  • The inclusion of inulin, turmeric, and B12 aid in combating IBD symptoms.

What we’d change

  • This formula is not gluten-free, since it contains barley. 
  • We also noticed that the recipe lacks traditional whole vegetables and fruits.

Best wet dog food for IBD (great for seniors): Raised Right Dog Food

Raised Right Turkey & Pumpkin Paté

  • 100% human-grade ingredients look, smell, and taste just like they're homemade.
  • The simple, limited ingredient list emphasizes whole meat and organ meat for a high protein count, plus pumpkin which is beneficial for digestion.
  • No artificial minerals or supplements are needed. The meal is balanced and complete using only natural ingredients

What we like

  • Pumpkin is a fibrous prebiotic that may be beneficial to dogs with IBD.
  • This is a limited-ingredient recipe with no grains to make eliminating aggravating ingredients easier.
  • Wet food is easier for senior dogs or dogs with dental issues to chew
  • The entire meal is made of human-grade ingredients, which are freshly prepared, then frozen and shipped to your door.

What we’d change

Raised Right is a premium product, so it isn’t cheap. That said, dog owners who try it are overwhelmingly satisfied with the results and usually continue to order it.

Additionally, this recipe won’t work for dogs that are sensitive to turkey. Raised Right offers a number of other recipes to choose from. Learn more in our full Raised Right Dog Food review.

>> Read more: Best Wet Dog Food for Senior Dogs

Best small dog kibble for IBD: Halo Salmon & Whitefish

Halo Small Breed Adult Dog Food: Holistic Wild Salmon & Whitefish Recipe

  • Halo uses whole meat—never meat meals—and high-quality fish from fisheries certified by the Marine Stewardship Council.
  • For increased digestibility, Halo uses non-GMO fruits and vegetables and no artificial ingredients or preservatives.
  • For a boost of nutrition, the recipe contains added minerals and vitamins like B12, which dogs with IBD often need.

What we like

  • Halo dog food is right up there with our Best IBD dog food on a budget. It makes it possible to eliminate GMOs, animal meals, and animal byproducts while sticking to a budget. 
  • With a small kibble size and balanced nutrition, this recipe is suitable for our smallest canine companions.
  • This fish-based recipe is perfect for dogs allergic to poultry or livestock. The protein is complemented with grains, pea fiber, dried fruits, and veggies, such as sweet potatoes and carrots.

What we’d change

While all Halo food is free of meat meals and animal byproducts, many recipes, including this one, contain common allergens like soy, egg, and gluten. This doesn’t mean they’re allergens your dog is sensitive to, however. You’ll need to work with a vet to determine your dog’s allergens in order to know which to avoid.

>> Read more: Best Soft Dog Food for Senior Dogs

Why not to trust the biggest brands when your dog has IBS

Synthesizing the information we have gathered from trusted sources and veterinarians like Dr. Pitcairn,1 it’s our opinion that traditional pet food is full of ingredients that not only lack quality nutrition, but also has the potential to be irritating to your pet’s body. And unfortunately, the most recognized brands tend to be the biggest culprits.

Take a look at the most popular dog foods and you’ll find cheap, low-quality proteins like meat meal and meat byproducts, as well as hard-to-digest GMOs like corn, cornmeal, and soybeans. And these aren’t just included—they’re the main ingredients. Diets low in quality ingredients are one piece of the complex puzzle when it comes to the cause of IBD and IBS in dogs.1

This ingredient list is taken from a well-known dog food brand, which you’ve possibly had in your dog’s bowl at one time or another. Real meat is the 9th ingredient, rather than the 1st, where it should be (ingredients are listed proportionally from most to least).

The ingredients used in meat meals and byproducts are often slaughterhouse leftovers, which are unfit for human consumption. They sometimes include diseased or euthanized animals, roadkill, or restaurant leftovers. How they are handled after slaughter, such as their refrigeration, is not well controlled. 

Kibble manufacturers cook these ingredients at high temperatures to kill bacteria and evaporate the natural liquids. The remnants are then baked and processed until they turn into a concentrated protein powder known as a byproduct meal.

While some dogs tolerate these poor-quality ingredients, others show signs of irritation in the form of allergies, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, or Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

That’s why we recommend working with your vet to gradually upgrade your dog to a special diet if they suffer from IBS or IBD.

>> Read more: Best Dog Food for Colitis

Ingredients to look for when choosing food for dogs with IBD or IBS

When your dog is faced with an IBD diagnosis, you may begin to think of all the ingredients you need to eliminate from or add to your dog’s diet. But it may be simpler than that. Dr. Pitcairn gives this piece of advice when dealing with canine gastrointestinal diseases. “My advice therefore is not so much that there has to be a specified diet as that the food be natural and of good quality.”

This advice isn’t to say that there aren’t specific foods that should be eliminated from your dog’s diet—especially if they have known allergies. Certain foods, usually proteins, can trigger an allergic reaction from the dog’s immune system. You should work closely with your pet’s vet to determine what foods you should eliminate.

>> Read more: Best Dog Food for Tear Stains

Ingredients that can cause IBD in dogs

Research doesn’t show what exactly causes IBD in pets or humans, but it isn’t a specific food that is the cause. 

As one pet health expert put it, IBD is caused by “a complex abnormal interaction between the immune system, diet, bacterial populations in the intestines, and other environmental factors.”2 And some pets are predisposed to IBD because of genetic abnormalities in their immune system.

Contributing factors

Although the following aren’t direct causes of IBD or IBS, they are contributors to GI problems, according to Dr. Pitcairn.

  • Poor diet: Low-quality or overprocessed ingredients like meat meals, low fiber diets, and high amounts of fat.
  • Genetically modified foods & herbicides: Recent studies have found that GM foods and herbicides can be irritating to the stomachs of animals. A few examples commonly found in pet foods are corn, canola oil, soy, and sugar beets.
  • Parasitic or bacterial infection: These include Salmonella, E. coli, and Giardia.
  • Imbalance of gut bacteria: Disruptions to the composition of microorganisms in the GI tract can lead to IBD.4 One vet concluded that high chlorine levels in drinking water can affect the good bacteria that is crucial for normal intestinal function.
  • Genetic predisposition: Genetic abnormalities of the immune system passed on from parents.
  • Antibiotics & other pharmaceuticals: Antibiotics damage the microorganisms that live in the digestive system. These medications are important when prescribed to combat certain illnesses, but over-vaccinating and over-medicating can bring about chronic inflammation.
  • Stress: Although a less supported theory, stress has been associated with other inflammatory diseases in cats, so it could be true of dogs as well.

Common food triggers

When the immune system goes haywire, it often targets proteins in food.1 A recent list of common food allergens include:

  • Beef
  • Chicken
  • Dairy
  • Eggs
  • Lamb
  • Pork
  • Rabbit
  • Fish
  • Soy
  • Wheat

Often, immune responses subside when switching from a diet of one protein to another—but sometimes these improvements are temporary. Although allergies to plant foods exist (especially ones that have been genetically altered), many dogs have found relief on plant-based diets.1 “If you’ve tried multiple meat-based proteins and still haven’t solved your dog’s gut problems, you can try a hypoallergenic diet from our guide to Homemade Dog Food Recipes for IBD.”

Ingredients that can help IBD in dogs

If the cause of IBD is a complex combination of factors, then the solution will likely be equally as complex. But, a good starting point is with Dr. Pitcairn’s advice—the food you feed your dog should be as natural as possible and of good quality.

This theory is supported by one study which states, “Nutrition has the potential to both affect the disease condition directly through provision of substances like macro- and micronutrients, as well as indirectly by changing the microbiome (gut microbes), while the microbiome in turn influences the response to nutrition.”4

Simplified, nutrients in food (or the lack of them) can affect the disease directly or indirectly.

Real, minimally processed food that is rich in vitamins and minerals will lay a solid foundation for digestive health and provide the best chance to overcome the ongoing dysfunction. Additionally, there are a few key foods and vitamins that may reduce troublesome IBD symptoms. Always talk to your vet before using supplements, homeopathic remedies, or changing to a canine IBD diet.

Helpful ingredients:

  • Soluble fiber: Soluble fiber, which is gentler than insoluble fiber, helps decrease both diarrhea and constipation by promoting digestive regularity. Add fiber to your dog’s diet gradually, though. Examples of soluble fibers are apples, sweet potatoes, and oat bran.
  • Slippery elm powder: Reduces inflammation, lubricates the membranes in the GI tract and allows waste to be eliminated more efficiently. It’s also rich in fiber. 
  • Roasted carob powder: Helps firm up stools when added to food.
  • Probiotics: This good bacteria helps restore and balance gut health while improving digestion and the immune system and reducing inflammation and discomfort. In fact, results from several studies suggest that “multi-strain probiotic treatments facilitated clinical remission in dogs diagnosed with IBD.”4
    • Ask your vet about Infinite Pet Probiotic, which offers a combination of probiotics, digestive enzymes, and glutamine in one supplement. Another great option would be Spark by Pet Wellbeing, which includes a combination of prebiotics, probiotics, and digestive enzymes.
  • Pumpkin: Rich in fiber, pumpkin is a prebiotic that supports good gut bacteria. It helps improve constipation and diarrhea.
  • L-glutamine: This amino acid helps maintain proper growth of intestinal cells and reduces inflammation and infection.
  • Digestive enzymes: These proteins break down complex nutrients into their smaller parts so they are easier for the intestine to absorb.
  • Inulin: Another soluble fiber that nourishes gut bacteria.
  • Homeopathic remedies: Arsenicum album 6c, Podophyllum 6c, Phosphorus 30c, or Mercurius vivus, or Mercurius solubilis 6c. You’ll need the guidance of a homeopath or holistic veterinarian when using these remedies, but it’s worth looking into them as they can help treat diarrhea.

>> Read more: What Vegetables Can Dogs Eat? Safe & Healthy Ingredient List

Is there a difference between IBD and IBS?

IBS and IBD are different health issues. IBS is an issue of gut motility and does not involve inflammation. IBD, on the other hand, is a broad term used to describe a group of diseases that involve an abnormal immune response causing irritation or inflammation of the digestive tract. But both issues can cause similar symptoms, such as chronic vomiting, chronic diarrhea, weight loss, and a sensitive stomach. See our guide to IBD and IBS in dogs for more information.

>> Read more: IBS & IBD in Cats: Causes, Symptoms & Treatments

Spot and Tango vs Nom Nom Now: Which Dog Food Service Is Better?

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Resources

  1. Dr. Pitcairn’s Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dogs and Cats
  2. https://www.vet.cornell.edu/departments-centers-and-institutes/cornell-feline-health-center/health-information/feline-health-topics/inflammatory-bowel-disease 
  3. Algae as nutritional and functional food sources: revisiting our understanding. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5387034/ 
  4. The Effects of Nutrition on the Gastrointestinal Microbiome of Cats and Dogs: Impact on Health and Disease. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7329990/#B136