Keep bland on hand for veterinary GI issues

All images courtesy of Under the Weather.The origin story of Under the Weather goes a little like this:

Owner meets dog. Dog meets stomach issues. Stomach issues meet prescription for antibiotics and diet of rice and chicken. Owner meets bounty of barriers to providing recommended diet and has eureka moment: Veterinarians should sell a ready-made bland diet product.

Enter Under the Weather's first product and the hero of this tale-a freeze-dried bag of 100% human-grade white chicken meat and white rice (the only two ingredients)-that is ideal for busy pet owners.

The aptly named Under the Weather Chicken and Rice is meant for dogs that have been recommended to eat a bland diet due to tummy troubles, like vomiting and diarrhea, and should only be used “until healthy digestion is restored and the stool is normal for 2-3 days,” the website says. Once these two things are achieved, owners can wean their pets back to their regular diet.

Under the Weather breaks down its serving instructions by dog size, though it notes that pet owners should always follow their veterinarian's instructions (Can we get an amen?).

For small dogs (less than 25 lb), mix ½ cup of product with ½ cup of boiling water two times a day. This will come out to four servings per bag.

For medium dogs (25 to 50 lb), mix ¾ cup of product with ¾ cup of boiling water two times a day. This will come out to three servings per bag.

For large dogs (greater than 50 lb), mix one cup of product with one cup of water two times a day. This will come out to two servings per bag.

The company advises owners to let the mixture cool for 10 to 15 minutes after adding the boiling water and to keep the resealable bag in the refrigerator after opening. The dried mixture will double in volume when hydrated.

Under the Weather has expanded its product line to include Under the Weather Chicken and Rice with Pumpkin, which has the same ingredients as its Chicken and Rice product with the addition of pumpkin powder, and Under the Weather Bison and Oatmeal, which consists of whole grain oatmeal and lean bison meat and has slightly different preparation instructions than the other two products, as it calls for twice as much water as product. All three products cost $11.99 per bag (or $59.99 for a six-pack).