If your dog has had digestive issues, your veterinarian may recommend you put them on a bland diet of chicken and rice. Often, this diet is gentle on the digestive system, and it is good for dogs who have food sensitivities.
The purpose is to give your dog adequate nutrition, settle their stomach, and get them back to normal.
However, you may have wondered how long ’till your dog poops after eating chicken and rice, and when you should contact your veterinarian to see if you have a problem.
You may be especially concerned if your dog also has concurrent digestive issues like diarrhea and constipation, hasn’t had a bowel movement for a long time, or their condition has worsened.
When your dog finally does poop, you may notice changes in the color and consistency of their feces after a few days on a chicken and rice diet. However, when your dog’s digestion problem or illness resolves itself, the system should go back to normal.
Keep reading to learn more about feeding your dog a chicken and rice diet and how long you should expect to wait for them to poop after you start it.
How Long Till A Dog Poops After Chicken And Rice?
To help determine how long ’till your dog poops after chicken and rice, you should know more about your dog’s digestive system and why they may need a bland diet. Like humans who don’t feel well and have stomach problems, dogs can also benefit from a gentle diet to help restore bowel regularity and function.
Boiled chicken breast is an easy protein source for dogs to digest, and rice tends to be very allergy-friendly and unlikely to cause intestinal inflammation.
When your dog’s digestive system is working well, the time to it takes for food to pass through the system is fairly quick overall. Smaller and active dogs take less time for their food to transit the digestive system compared to larger breeds.
Older dogs also take much more time to digest their food. While the time it takes for a dog’s stomach to empty is much slower than a human’s, the rest of the digestive process is faster due to their shortened intestinal tract.
Food in most dogs’ stomachs will enter the small intestines after about four to eight hours on average based on the breed and size. Then, the food may transit around the intestinal tract for up to another six to eight hours afterward.
The entire process could take up to 16 hours to fully resolve, which means the process is roughly less than half the average time it takes for the human digestive system. However, your dog may poop much sooner if their digestive system already has food in the system before you started them on the diet.
Does Chicken And Rice Make A Dog Constipated?
Some people have concerns about whether changing to a bland diet will make their dog’s problems worse.
Specifically, they wonder if the food will make their dog constipated or cause their stool to harden further.
A chicken and rice diet should not make your dog constipated. Instead, it actually can help with this problem as well as irregular bowel movements.
Part of the purpose of a chicken and rice diet is to help the digestive system reset itself while giving your dog essential nutrients. If you make your own dog food, ensure that the chicken is lean and free of fatty skin and bones.
Some people may observe less frequent or smaller bowel movements while their dog is on a chicken and rice diet. However, chicken and rice are easily digestible, so they may produce less overall waste.
If you still feel your dog might have constipation after changing to a bland diet of chicken and rice, talk to your veterinarian. You won’t have to travel to the office to get medical advice for your dog.
You can schedule an inexpensive video call with a veterinarian to discuss your dog’s digestive issues and any concerns about the diet. The doctor may recommend or prescribe veterinary laxatives or give you other solutions to help your dog’s digestive problems.
Is Chicken And Rice A Healthy Diet For Dogs?
While a chicken and rice diet will not harm your dog, you should not feed it long-term or permanently. These two foods provide excellent protein and carbohydrate amounts for an ill animal but do not provide all the nutrients your dog needs to stay healthy.
Therefore, many veterinarians only recommend feeding your dog a chicken and rice diet for only a few days until they resolve their digestive problems.
When your veterinarian suggests a chicken and rice diet, they should also give you instructions on how to and when to switch back.
Change back your dog’s regular food when your dog’s stools appear to have normal consistency and also when they show signs of feeling better.
However, don’t make a sudden switch back to your dog’s old food. Instead, gradually transition back over a week by substituting more of your dog’s normal food for the chicken and rice.
You can still feed your dog chicken and rice even when they have transitioned back to their old food. If your dog enjoys these foods, there is no reason to deny them from having some as an occasional treat. The best way to prepare them is by boiling and with little or no seasoning, as fried chicken can be too high in fat.
Only give small amounts of these foods sparingly if you plan to use them as treats, and don’t use them in place of your dog’s regular dog food if your dog is not sick.
Conclusion
If you put your dog on a bland diet for medical reasons, the answer to how long ’till your dog poops after eating a chicken and rice diet is relative to their size, age, and condition. In general, it takes roughly 16 hours on average for food to transit the dog’s digestive system. Your dog might poop sooner if they had recently eaten before you put them on the diet. Your dog should not become constipated on this diet, so if your dog goes longer than the normal transit time without a bowel movement, talk to your veterinarian.
