12 Best Wet and Canned Dog Foods for Sensitive Stomachs – 2024 Reviews & Buyers Guide

If your dog is suffering from digestive issues, the only thing that you want is for them to feel better. While there isn’t one food that works for every dog, some work better than others. These reviews are designed to help in your search for the best wet and canned dog food for sensitive stomachs.

Here, we outline the best options for getting your dog back to normal.

Disclaimer: The foods reviewed here were chosen because they have certain characteristics that might help with some of the causes or consequences of this medical condition. However, they are not a medical treatment or a substitute for medical treatment. Keep in mind that each medical case is different and what works for some pets may not work for others. Your veterinarian is the right person to advise you on the best diet for your pet’s individual case.

A Quick Comparison of Our Favorites of 2024

The 12 Best Wet and Canned Dog Foods for Sensitive Stomachs

1. The Farmer’s Dog Fresh Food Subscription — Best Overall

The Farmer’s Dog fresh food is easy on your dog’s digestive system and reduces skin reactions and irritations. This subscription-service food can be customized to your dog’s unique needs. These features make it our best overall dog food recommendation for dogs with sensitive stomachs. There are four different recipes to choose from, each with a different protein: chicken, beef, turkey, and pork. All the foods are made from human-grade ingredients, so you can be sure your dog is getting the very best.

Dogs that are picky with their food are sure to love The Farmer’s Dog. The texture is soft enough for senior dogs with missing teeth. As with any sensitive stomach food, though, it won’t fix digestive issues for all dogs.

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2. Nature’s Recipe Easy-to-Digest Recipe Cuts in Gravy — Budget Buy

Nature’s Recipe is a great option for dogs that are sensitive to fish, chicken, or beef. It contains barley and rice, which are easily digested, and peas and carrots for added nutrition and antioxidants. It’s also relatively inexpensive compared to many other brands, making it the best wet and canned dog food for sensitive stomachs for the money.

Even picky dogs love this stew mixed with gravy, and it doesn’t seem to cause digestive upset or loose stools. Some dogs find the gravy too thick, but adding a little water fixes the issue. While other foods tend to stick in the can, Nature’s Recipe slides out easily. The meat is a bit chunky for dogs with teeth issues, but it can be mashed up easily. With the amazing price tag of this food, it’s well worth the extra effort.

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3. Instinct Limited Ingredient Diet Grain-Free

Wet dog food can’t get simpler than Instinct Limited Ingredient. It has one novel protein (rabbit) and one vegetable (peas), making it unlikely that your dog will have a reaction to this food. It’s also high in fiber and helps maintain a healthy weight.

If your dog has food allergies, this food will reduce itching and hair loss. The downside of this food lies in the cost. An adult dog’s serving size recommendation is one can per 15 pounds of body weight, so large dogs will require a large amount each day.

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4. CANIDAE PURE Puppy Grain-Free Limited Ingredient Dog Food

Having a puppy with tummy troubles can be particularly hard to deal with. Few sensitive-digestion dog foods are also designed to meet the needs of young, growing dogs. Canidae Pure Puppy Limited Ingredient food does just this. It contains only a few ingredients to avoid triggering stomach upsets and allergies.

The one drawback of Canidae Pure Puppy is that it includes chicken as the primary protein. Unfortunately, chicken is the most common allergen in dog food.

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5. Hill’s Prescription Diet i/d Digestive Care

If you’ve tried several foods without success, Hill’s Prescription Diet i/d Digestive Care could be a good canned food for dogs with sensitive stomachs. It is a prescription food, so you’ll need to get veterinary authorization to purchase it, and it’s also an expensive option. However, it’s packed with nutrition and added prebiotics to regulate healthy bacteria and is the only option for some dogs.

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6. Purina Pro Plan Focus Adult Classic Sensitive Skin & Stomach

Purina Pro Plan Focus Sensitive Skin & Stomach is a canned food option for dogs that can’t tolerate poultry. This salmon-based food is free of common fillers like soy and corn. It is also high in omega fatty acids, which help prevent digestive and skin issues.

This recipe does contain rice, which triggers some dogs. Since it is primarily composed of fish, some owners have difficulty getting past the smell, which is quite strong.

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7. Royal Canin Canine Care Nutrition Digestive Care

Royal Canin Digestive Care is specially formulated to balance intestinal flora and improve stool quality. Royal Canin food is made with the highest quality ingredients, and the brand is recommended by veterinarians to support gut health. It also tastes good, so it’s an ideal option for picky dogs.

Dogs with dental issues may have difficulty chewing the pâté formula. Unfortunately, this wet food doesn’t provide complete nutrition itself, as it is designed to be mixed with Royal Canin Dry Food.

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8. Blue Buffalo Basics Skin & Stomach Care Grain-Free Canned Dog Food

Blue Buffalo Basics offers sensitive-digestion food that contains no grain, chicken, or beef. This makes it less likely to trigger an allergic reaction than most other foods. Unfortunately, many dogs don’t like the taste of it. There are complaints that the food is watered down in texture, but this may work to your advantage if you have a dog with difficulty chewing.

Blue Buffalo also makes Skin & Stomach Care food with duck as the primary protein instead of turkey. The texture of the duck recipe is much firmer.

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9. Rachael Ray Nutrish Gentle Digestion Canned Dog Food

Chicken and salmon make up the first two ingredients in Rachael Ray Nutrish Gentle Digestion Canned Dog Food. This food is balanced to provide complete nutrition. It’s grain-free and contains no fillers or artificial ingredients. Pumpkin and rice are included in this recipe to help avoid stomach upset.

The only downside of Rachael Ray Nutrish’s food is that chicken is the primary ingredient. Since this is the most common protein for triggering digestive issues, it’s not appropriate for many dogs.

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10. Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diets EN Gastroenteric Wet Dog Food

Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diets EN is a prescription food option for soothing sensitive digestive tracts. It is packed with probiotics, prebiotics, and antioxidants, with medium-chain triglycerides to promote nutrient absorption.

This is a minced texture option, which is ideal for puppies and senior dogs that have difficulty chewing. This food is safe for all life stages. However, it’s a prescription product, so you’ll need a vet’s authorization to order this food, which also makes it more expensive.

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11. Purina Beyond Alaskan Cod Grain-Free Canned Dog Food

Purina Beyond offers a grain-free alternative with a novel protein if your dog can’t tolerate grain. The carbohydrate content in this food comes from sweet potatoes instead. This food is also sold at a lower price point than many other brands, which provides good value. The inclusion of salmon and cod means your dog will be getting loads of omega-fatty acids to aid with healthy digestion.

The packaging on Purina Beyond is a bit deceptive because it promotes itself as a novel protein food, with fish as the primary ingredient. But a closer look at the ingredients list shows that it also contains chicken. This isn’t ideal for dogs that suffer from allergies or for owners who may unknowingly feed their dogs multiple proteins due to poor labeling.

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12. Wellness CORE Digestive Health Grain-Free Wet Dog Food

Wellness CORE Digestive Health is an easily digested, grain-free canned dog food that contains superfoods like papaya and pumpkin to support your dog’s gut health. It is made with high-quality ingredients that are sustainably sourced and all-natural.

The downsides of this food are the inclusion of chicken as the main protein and the portion recommendation. Wellness CORE wet food is a fantastic option for small dogs, but large dogs will need four to six cans a day, according to the feeding recommendations. If wet food is your only option, this will get expensive over time.

Buyer’s Guide: Choosing the Right Dog Food for Sensitive Stomachs

How Do I Know If My Dog Has Digestive Sensitivities?

Symptoms of stomach sensitivities vary between dogs, but there are a few commonalities. Most often, dogs will develop diarrhea and vomiting. Some experience appetite loss, bloating, and gas or show signs that they are in pain.

The reasons that dogs get upset stomachs can vary greatly, so it’s best to consult with your veterinarian before assuming that your dog has an allergy to a certain food. Figuring out the cause of your dog’s gut issue will help you determine the best way to treat it.

Types of Stomach Sensitivities in Dogs

There are two main reasons that dogs have stomach problems:

Conclusion

Hopefully, these reviews have helped you find the best options for wet and canned dog food for sensitive stomachs.

We recommend The Farmer’s Dog fresh food as the best overall choice. It addresses both allergies and gastrointestinal issues with easy-to-digest proteins. It also provides complete nutrition for all life stages, so you don’t have to worry about supplementing your dog’s food or changing it as they grow. A good budget option is Nature’s Recipe Easy-to-Digest Recipe Cuts in Gravy. This food contains a novel protein source and barley to promote healthy bowel functioning. For puppies with sensitive tummies, we recommend CANIDAE wet foods, which are made for all life stages.

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