As pet parents, we hate it when our pets are in pain or sick. If your dog is suffering from an upset stomach and digestive issues, it could be suffering from IBD or inflammatory bowel disease. If your pup has been diagnosed with IBD, then your vet has told you that there are special dog foods you can give your dog to help it with the symptoms.

However, there are so many choices for dog food brands for IBD on the market today that it’s hard to know which one is the best choice for your furry friend.

Luckily, we’ll help you determine what the best dog foods for IBD are in this guide. We have reviews and our top picks in the guide below, followed by a buyer’s guide.

A Glance at Our Winners in 2024

The 11 Best Dog Foods for IBD

1. Ollie Fresh Lamb Dog Food Subscription – Best Overall

Dairy, chicken, wheat, and beef are generally best avoided if your dog has IBD, as these common ingredients can make the condition worse. But that’s where Ollie Fresh Lamb Dog Food comes in! This yummy recipe is made with 100% human-grade ingredients, such as lamb, butternut squash, lamb liver, chickpeas, kale, and cranberries. With a guaranteed analysis of 10% protein, 7% fat, and 2% fiber, this option meets the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO Nutrient Profiles for all stages of a dog’s life.

The ingredients are cooked slowly in small batches to prevent the loss of essential nutrients. It does not contain preservatives, fillers, corn, wheat, or soy, things that can sometimes trigger inflammation and allergies in dogs. For these reasons, we believe that Ollie’s lamb recipe is the best overall dog food for IBD.

That said, it is more expensive than regular dog food. Also, the pouches must thaw before you can serve them to your pet, which can be time-consuming for some dog owners.

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2. Blackwood Everyday Diet Adult Dry Dog Food – Budget Buy

Our favorite budget option is Blackwood Everyday Diet Adult Dry Dog Food. It’s an affordable blend, and it works for almost any budget. It contains no artificial ingredients such as fillers, coloring, or preservatives. It also has prebiotics and probiotics, which promotes healthy digestion.

This is a high-quality dog food with a chicken meal and brown rice as the first ingredients. It also has 24.5% protein, which is good for your dog’s IBD symptoms and overall health. Some pet parents reported that their dogs wouldn’t eat Blackwood, and minor IBD symptoms have also been reported.

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3. Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Canned Dog Food

Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Adult Canned Dog Food is a high-quality dog food that is an excellent source of balanced nutrition and is easy for dogs with IBD to digest.

Royal Canin is designed to address the IBD digestive issues of your canine friend. Most dogs love the flavor, as we found few reports of pups not eating the food. However, you can expect to pay quite a bit more for this wet dog food when compared to others on our list. In our opinion, it’s worth the price to give your pet the relief from IBD it deserves.

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4. Canine Caviar Limited Ingredient Diet Dog Food

At number four on our list is Canine Caviar Limited Ingredient Diet Dry Dog Food. This is another of the hypoallergenic dry foods, and it’s listed as holistic as well. There are no additives, preservatives, or allergens in to irritate your dog’s IBD, and it has a high rate of success when it comes to reducing the symptoms associated with IBS.

With dehydrated lamb as its first ingredient and 25% protein, this is a balanced source of nutrition that many dogs enjoy. However, the food is expensive, and many pet parents reported that their dogs refused to eat the dry food blend.

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5. Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diets Gastroenteric Dry Dog Food

Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diets EN Gastroenteric Natural’s Dry Dog Food is another good option. The dry kibble is specially formulated for your pet’s digestive problems, and with 24% protein and the main ingredient of Brewer’s rice, it’s nutritionally balanced also.

The kibble supports intestinal health and is a taste that pet parents report their dogs gobbling up with very few problems. Likewise, the formula promotes intestinal health and is perfect for IBD sufferers.

The only drawback we found is that the food could contain preservatives, allergens, and additives, which could irritate your furry friend’s digestive system and cause IBD symptoms in some canines. It is also moderately expensive, but not as expensive as some on our list.

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6. Whole Earth Farms Grain-Free Dry Dog Food

 

Whole Earth Farms Grain-Free Dry Dog Food is available in several flavors that even the pickiest dog will enjoy. It has a high protein content, at 27%. In addition, the food contains ingredients that work to soothe your dog’s IBD systems.

Chicken meal and turkey meal are two of the main ingredients, and it contains plenty of amino acids for a strong body. Including omega acids promotes healthy fur and skin, reducing itchy skin in your pet. The kibble also helps with stool formation, which will work to soothe your dog’s IBD symptoms even more.

The only drawbacks we found to this blend are that it has no supplements to promote joint support, and some pet parents stated they wished it was a grain-inclusive formula.

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7. Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diets Hydrolyzed Dog Food

Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diets HA Hydrolyzed Dry Dog Food is said to have had a high rate of success when it comes to helping with IBD issues in your pet. It’s a nutritionally balanced food, and we found no reports of dogs refusing to eat the blend. Most dogs seemed to love the flavor.

The food is expensive when compared to other foods on our list, and with only 18% protein, we feel it could do with a bit of a higher percentage. However, if you’re searching for food your picky pet will eat while still helping with his IBD issues, this is a good choice.

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8. Wellness Core Grain-Free Lamb Dry Dog Food

Wellness Core Grain-Free Lamb Dry Dog Food is an all-natural option for dogs with IBD issues. The kibble has a protein content of 33%, which is a rich amount, and one of the highest protein contents on our list. Also, the kibble has no artificial flavors or additives to irritate your pet’s digestive system. Lamb and lamb meal are listed as the first ingredients in the nutritionally well-balanced kibble.

The food is grain-free, but that goes in neither the pros nor cons, as the FDA is researching grains since the absence of grains in dog food could lead to health issues.

This blend is a bit on the pricey side and has been known not to work for dogs with severe IBD. It’s best to talk to your vet about this dry dog food option to determine if it’s indeed the right choice for your pet.

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9. Holistic Select Adult Health Grain-Free Dry Dog Food

Holistic Select Adult Health Grain-Free Dry Dog food is another kibble with high protein levels at 32%. The food has a high rate of success in treating the symptoms of IBD, and dogs seem to love the taste. It also has no fillers, artificial colors, or artificial flavors, meaning it’s nutritionally balanced and has a turkey flavor your dog should enjoy.

The first ingredient in this kibble is deboned turkey, which is an excellent source of protein. The food is more expensive than similar products on the market today but well worth the price if it makes your dog feel better.

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10. Halo Holistic Chicken & Chicken Liver Adult Dog Food

At number nine on our list is Halo Holistic Chicken & Chicken Liver Adult Dry Dog Food. Dogs enjoy the flavor of this chicken blend, and the recipe’s label lists chicken and chicken livers as its primary ingredients and boasts a 25% protein percentage.

It is designed to boost digestion and promote healthy skin and fur. However, Halo contains soy protein isolate, and some owners have reported a formula change. The food doesn’t look the way it did, and their dogs stopped eating it. It is also one of the pricier on our list.

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11. Pure Vita Grain-Free Dog Food

Pure vita Grain-Free Duck Dog Food is full of the balanced nutrition your pet needs to be healthy and happy. It contains plenty of fatty acids and is an excellent source of protein, containing 26%, with duck as the first ingredient listed.

It is a bit on the expensive side and has been reported as causing stomach upset in some dogs. Also, it contains artificial flavors and preservatives. Still, it’s made it to number 10 on our list because it’s a good source of protein and nutritionally balanced.

Buyer’s Guide: How to Pick the Best Dog Food for IBD

Diet plays a strong role in how your dog feels and responds to having IBD. Below, we’ll give you a few tips on what to look for in your dog’s diet.

Hypoallergenic Food

In many cases, the underlying cause of a dog’s IBD is a sensitivity to certain proteins. We have a few hypoallergenic dog foods on our list for this very reason. There are also hydrolyzed dog foods on the list that will break up the protein into smaller pieces, so it’s easier to digest for your furry friend.

Low Residue Diet

A low-residue diet is a diet that is very easy to digest. Fiber is usually restricted in these types of diets, focusing on nutrition instead. Not only this, but the low residue diet also focuses on reducing the volume of the dog’s feces. This is helpful if your poor pup is having more than one bowel movement a day.

Taste

Since your dog is going to be on this diet for a long time to come, it’s essential to make sure it’s a food it likes the taste of and will be willing to eat daily. IBD is not a curable condition, and your pet will need a special formula for the rest of its life.

Following these tips should help you find the right dog food for your dog’s IBD issues. Choose one from the list above, and soon your pup will be feeling fine.

Conclusion

Our best overall pick goes to Ollie Fresh Dog Food Lamb Recipe for its balanced nutrition, and as our best budget pick, we chose Blackwood Everyday Diet Adult Dry Dog Food for its affordability and high protein percentages.

We hope this guide helps you find the right IBD dog food for your furry friend to keep them healthy and happy for many years.

• Related Read: Authority Puppy Food Review: Recalls, Pros & Cons

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Featured Image Credit: Leka Sergeeva, Shutterstock