STOP Feeding This If Your Dog Has Diarrhea - Holistic Vet Advice

If your dog has chronic diarrhea, the traditional white rice and chicken diet might be making it worse. This blog explores the real root causes of chronic diarrhea in dogs and offers a natural, science-based plan to heal your pet’s gut—for good.

If your dog has chronic diarrhea and you've been told to feed white rice and boiled chicken...

Please stop.

That bland diet may be doing more harm than good. While it might calm things down temporarily, it doesn’t actually heal your dog’s gut or stop the diarrhea from coming back.

I’m Dr. Katie Woodley, holistic veterinarian and founder of The Natural Pet Doctor. I help pet parents uncover the real root cause of chronic gut and skin issues—so their pets can feel better for good.

If you're exhausted, frustrated, and losing sleep over your dog’s gut health struggles, you're not alone. And you're not doing anything wrong—you're just missing the right roadmap.

Let’s dive into what’s really happening and what you can do to stop chronic diarrhea naturally—and restore your dog’s gut from the inside out.

Why White Rice and Boiled Chicken May Worsen Chronic Diarrhea in Dogs

While white rice and chicken are often recommended as a "bland diet," they can actually be fueling your dog’s gut issues.

• Chicken is a common food sensitivity in dogs with chronic GI or skin problems. Energetically, it's also warming, which can worsen inflammation.
• White rice is high in starch and breaks down into sugar quickly—feeding gut pathogens like Clostridium perfringens.

A Better Option:

Try lightly cooked white fish (like cod) and butternut squash. It’s easier on the gut, cooling, and less likely to trigger sensitivities.

You can learn more about pet foods that can help with our FREE Gut Health Guide here: FREE GUT HEALTH GUIDE

Top 5 Causes of Chronic Diarrhea in Dogs (+ How to Identify Them)

1. Leaky Gut & Microbiome Imbalance – caused by antibiotics, stress, or processed food
2. Food Sensitivities – chicken, beef, dairy, grains are common triggers
3. Parasites or Gut Infections – like Giardia, yeast, or bacterial overgrowth
4. Detox Overload – when the liver and lymphatic systems are struggling
5. Medication Overuse – long-term use of drugs like metronidazole can damage the gut

Chronic diarrhea is a symptom of deeper gut dysfunction. Healing requires addressing the root cause.

How to Naturally Heal Chronic Dog Diarrhea Using the 5R Gut Health Method

This is the proven framework we use inside the Better Gut Health Blueprint Program:

1. REMOVE

• Eliminate processed foods, hidden allergens, and inflammatory medications
• Use stool and microbiome testing to identify infections like Giardia, yeast, or Clostridium
• 👉 Grab our FREE Gut Health Guide to learn what tests we use and recommend

2. REPLACE

• Support digestion with key supplements
• Standard Process Zypan
• Standard Process Enzycore
• These support stomach acid, enzymes, and help your dog properly digest their food

3. REPAIR

• Focus on nutrients that strengthen the intestinal wall:
• L-glutamine, zinc, omega-3s
• Standard Process Enteric Support
• Standard Process Immune Support

4. REINOCULATE

• Restore beneficial bacteria and immune balance with:
• Standard Process ProSynbiotic
• Standard Process Mushroom Complex
• Use targeted strains + mushroom-based immune support to balance the microbiome while supporting a healthy immune system

5. RESET

• Make long-term shifts: reduce stress, support detox, and re-evaluate regularly
• Healing the gut improves energy, skin, mood, and stool quality 

FAQ – Chronic Dog Diarrhea

Q: What should I feed my dog with chronic diarrhea?
A: Avoid white rice and chicken. Try white fish and butternut squash and begin a gut healing protocol to restore microbiome balance and digestive function.

Q: How do I stop my dog’s chronic diarrhea naturally?
A: Use the 5R Gut Health Method: Remove irritants, Replace digestion support, Repair the gut lining, Reinoculate beneficial bacteria, Reset lifestyle and detox pathways.

Q: Why is chicken bad for dogs with diarrhea?
A: It’s a common food sensitivity and warming from a Chinese medicine perspective, which may worsen gut inflammation, especially if mucus or blood is present.

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You Deserve Real Solutions

You don’t have to figure this out alone. If you’re stuck in the diarrhea spiral and nothing is working, let’s find the real answer together.

📅 Book a FREE discovery call with me to see if our Blueprint Program is the right next step for healing your pet's gut health issues.

Let’s get your dog back to vibrant health—and bring peace of mind back to your life.

Dr. Katie Woodley, The Natural Pet Doctor
Holistic Veterinarian | Gut Health Expert | Pet Parent Advocate

*Disclaimer: This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace the advice of your own veterinarian or doctor. The information contained in thenaturalpetdoctor.com is strictly for educational purposes. Therefore, if you wish to apply ideas contained in thenaturalpetdoctor.com, you are taking full responsibility for your actions. Please consult your veterinarian for medical advice for your own pets. Dr. Katie Woodley cannot answer specific questions about your pet’s medical issues or make medical recommendations for your pet without first establishing a veterinarian-client-patient relationship.  Links in the blog are typically affiliate links that let you help support us.