There are a wide range of signs that can indicate your dog may have a sensitive tummy. They may have a changeable appetite, weight loss, loose stools, wind, or they may regurgitate their food after they have eaten.

Always take your dog to the vets for a check up if you notice any of these symptoms as there may be a medical problem causing them that needs treatment.

If your vet rules out any medical cause for the symptoms, they may tell you that your dog has a sensitive digestion and advise on a particular type of diet.

Diet - Poor digestion can come down to a sensitivity to certain things in your dog’s diet (such as certain meats or gluten, for example) – which can cause mild inflammation in the digestive system.

Dietary allergy - Poor digestion can be caused by a true dietary allergy – where the body mounts an immune response to certain parts of the diet (and if this is the case, a vet may diagnose a dietary allergy following certain screening tests).

Anxiety - Poor digestion can be linked to behavioural issues such as fear or anxiety in some dogs.

Medical complaints - Poor digestion may also be caused by certain medical complaints that need to be diagnosed and treated by your vet.

Worms - Poor digestion may indicate your dog has worms - don’t forget to worm your dog regularly.

Sensitive digestion - Just like some people, some dogs seem to be predisposed to having a ‘sensitive’ digestion. This may be linked to their medical history, their genetic make up, the foods that they have eaten, or, in many cases, no one knows the exact cause and it could be a combination of all these factors.

This first thing to do if you notice any symptoms, or are concerned about your dog’s health is to take them to the vets for a check, as it’s important to rule out anything serious.

Look at your dog’s diet. It’s important for dogs with sensitive digestions to be on a food that is highly digestible, full of high quality ingredients and as natural as possible.

Get a diagnosis if your dog suffers from a dietary allergy – then you know exactly which components of the diet you need to avoid. This goes for treats too.

If your vet suspects your dog has a sensitivity to a certain meat protein then you may need to choose a diet that doesn’t contain this meat. Give it a few week to see how this goes. Try a recipe with a different single protein source instead - rather than one with a mixture of meats - to give you a clearer result.

Similarly, some dogs are believed to be sensitive to wheat so should avoid foods that are high in cereals. You may want to see how your dog adjusts to a wheat gluten free diet - such as a grain free recipe.

It’s important when introducing a new diet that you do it gradually over a period of around a week. This is so your pet’s digestive system can become accustomed to the new food - especially if they already have a sensitive tummy.

The way you feed your dog can also affect how they digest their food. Make sure you always serve their food at room temperature (not straight from the fridge) and it may help the digestion to offer two smaller meals rather than one large meal a day. Don’t feed before exercise or before bed. And finally, make sure that your dog can eat in a calm environment – this is especially important if you have several dogs and there is competition around feeding time.