Skip to main content
FOR U.S. VETERINARY PROFESSIONALS ONLY
BLUE Natural Veterinary Diet™ Gastrointestinal Support Wet and Dry Dog Food
BLUE Natural Veterinary Diet™

Canine GI Gastrointestinal Support

Contact Us
Features
  • Prebiotic fibers like FOS (fructooligosaccharides) and chicory root support a healthy microbiome for gastrointestinal health
  • Rich in EPA and DHA reduce intestinal inflammatory response
  • Clinically proven to improve stool quality and result in quicker resolution of acute diarrhea4
  • Highly digestible5
  • Complete and balanced for growth and maintenance*
    *excludes large breed puppies

ST-O-ne GUARD formulated to manage urolithiasis1

Recommended For
  • Acute or Chronic Gastroenteritis
  • Gastritis/Ulcers
  • Small & Large Bowel Diarrhea
  • Motility/Emptying Disorders
  • Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency
  • Pancreatitis (nonhyperlipidemic in dogs)
  • Chronic Enteropathies
  • Antibiotic-Responsive Diarrhea
  • Colitis
  • Constipation
  • Intestinal Dysbiosis
  • PROBLEM

Disease State Education

Gastrointestinal disease is a common reason for consultation in veterinary practice and can manifest in a variety of clinical symptoms.

A number of acute and chronic enteropathies are recognized including gastritis, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), protein-losing enteropathy, exocrine pancreatic insufficiency, colitis, pancreatitis and constipation. Currently, inflammatory bowel disease is considered the most common cause of chronic diarrhea and vomiting in dogs and cats.1, 2 While the etiology of the disease may not be definitively identified in a particular case, the treatment and management of the condition typically revolves around eliminating the cause, controlling the symptoms and aiding the recovery of the gastrointestinal system.

In addition to pharmacological and antimicrobial interventions, nutritional management has been clinically proven to help resolve and even control future relapses of gastrointestinal conditions.3 Controlling inflammation associated with a disease is essential for successful outcomes and is a key aspect of nutritional management. Additionally, enhancing the functional ability of the organ systems to repair and restore to a healthy state is often where nutritional intervention can provide the most significant impact.

Clinical signs of gastrointestinal disease are myriad and frequently nonspecific. These signs include anorexia or hyporexia, excessive salivation, regurgitation, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, tenesmus, hematochezia/melena, abdominal pain, weight loss, or simply reduced performance. Constellation of signs/symptoms may aid in localizing GI disease to a particular portion of the gastrointestinal tract.

  • SOLUTION
  • SOLUTION

Nutritional Aims for Disease Management

Short-Chain Fatty Acids

Short-chain fatty acids are the principal end-products of bacterial fermentation of dietary fibers and have profound effects on normal intestinal cell metabolism and proliferation. Short-chain fatty acids have the potential to improve overall intestinal health, stimulate intestinal healing, and decrease intestinal inflammation.4

Mixed Fiber Sources

Mixed fiber sources help nourish intestinal cells and promote a balanced and healthy intestinal bacterial population, modify intestinal pH, enhance the immune system, and inhibit the growth of intestinal pathogens to promote optimal stools and reduce diarrhea.5, 6, 7, 8 Fiber may be classified in numerous ways, including solubility, fermentability, and viscosity. An optimized balance of these varieties is arguably more important than the overall fiber content of the diet.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Omega-3 fatty acids may also be useful to reduce intestinal immune cell damage and inflammation as well as protect against the damage of colitis.9, 10 There is evidence that the gastrointestinal mucosa is highly responsive to long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids such as omega-3s.11 The intake of omega-3s can be helpful in the treatment of gastrointestinal conditions as it can alleviate the symptoms and help the recovery of the mucosa due to its anti-inflammatory properties.12, 13

Enhanced Digestive Efficiency

Feeding highly digestible foods provides several advantages in the management of dogs and cats with gastroenteropathies.1, 2 Highly digestible foods are associated with reduced osmotic diarrhea, reduced production of intestinal gas and decreased antigen loads.18, 19

Palatability21

While always an essential part of diet design, animals experiencing gastrointestinal disease require highly palatable diets to ensure compliance and optimize energy and nutrient delivery. Feeding studies in dogs and cats demonstrate that BLUE Natural Veterinary Diet™ GI Gastrointestinal Support is highly palatable.

  • EVIDENCE

BLUE Clinical Data

  • EVIDENCE

BLUE Clinical Data

Resolving Acute Diarrhea

Purpose

To show that feeding BLUE Natural Veterinary Diet™ GI Gastrointestinal Support dry diets can improve stool quality and speed the resolution of acute diarrhea in dogs and cats.

Study Design

Dogs older than 8 weeks that developed diarrhea on arrival at an animal shelter were fed either a species-appropriate control diet (leading dry pet food) or BLUE Natural Veterinary Diet™ GI dry food for 7 days in a randomized blind study. The Canine Acute Diarrhea Study included 23 dogs in the control group and 23 dogs in the BLUE Natural Veterinary Diet™ GI group. Animals selected were otherwise clinically healthy and both groups were managed in the same manner. Twice daily stool quality assessments including average daily scores and clean up characteristics were recorded. Stool samples were scored based on a numerical scale (1-7 scale, where 1 is firm and 7 is diarrhea). Stools were further characterized as “pick up” with a score 4 or less, and “wipe up” when the score was 5 or more. Time to resolution of diarrhea was determined for each animal as the number of days from day 0 (initiation of feeding) to achieving a stool score of 4 (ideal). Food intake and general health was assessed twice daily.

Results14, 15

Dogs fed BLUE Natural Veterinary Diet™ GI dry food had mean time to diarrhea resolution of 3.43 days vs. 4.43 days for the control fed dogs, a 23% quicker resolution of diarrhea (P<0.02). Results of monitoring general health, food intake, body weight, and blood variables were within normal ranges.

Nutrient Analysis And Digestibility

Purpose

To prove that BLUE Natural Veterinary Diet™ GI Gastrointestinal Support is a highly digestible food for dogs.

Study Design

Two groups of adult dogs (n=6 each for Canine Digestibility Studies 1 and 2) from a commercial research facility were enrolled in the studies. All animals selected were clinically healthy. Animals were individually fed the species- appropriate BLUE Natural Veterinary Diet™ GI dry food once daily as their sole source of nutrition for 10 days. Animals were maintained individually in standard, species-appropriate housing and managed consistently during the study, including providing access to activity/exercise. Food consumption was monitored daily and body weights were recorded on days 1 through 6 and on day 10. On the last day of the study, a fecal sample from each animal as well as a sample of the BLUE Natural Veterinary Diet™ GI food was sent to a commercial laboratory for nutrient analysis. The results of these analyses were used to calculate digestibility values, including dry matter digestibility. Digestibility analysis was performed according to the recommended protocol for use in the determination of metabolizable energy of pet food as defined by AAFCO.20

Results21

Mean results from two studies in each species showed that BLUE Natural Veterinary Diet™ GI dry food is highly digestible.

Determining Stool Quality

Purpose

These 4 studies were conducted to show that feeding BLUE Natural Veterinary Diet™ GI Gastrointestinal Support dry formula can result in ideal stool quality (fecal consistency) in healthy dogs.

Study Design

Two groups of adult dogs (n=10 each for Canine Stool Quality Studies) from a commercial research facility were enrolled in the studies. All animals selected were clinically healthy. Animals were individually fed the species-appropriate BLUE Natural Veterinary Diet™ GI dry food once daily as their sole source of nutrition for 7 days. Animals were maintained individually in standard, species-appropriate housing and managed consistently during the study, including providing access to activity/exercise. Food consumption was monitored daily and body weights were recorded prior to study initiation and on study days 1, 3 and 5. Stool quality observations were made at least twice daily and scores were recorded. The scoring scale ranged from 1 for diarrhea to 5 for hard, dry crumbly feces and was aided by photographs of examples. In this study, a stool score between 3 and 4 is considered to represent ideal fecal consistency for dogs.

Results21

Overall, feeding BLUE Natural Veterinary Diet™ GI dry food in dog studies resulted primarily in moist, formed (score of 3) or well-formed, sticky (score of 3.5) stools.

Urine Relative Supersaturation (RSS) Evaluation

Purpose

To show that feeding BLUE Natural Veterinary Diet™ GI Support food can result in clinically significant urine RSS values for management of struvite and calcium oxalate urolithiasis.

Study Design

Two groups of adult dogs (n=10 each for Canine RSS Studies 1 and 2) were enrolled in the studies. All animals selected were clinically healthy. Animals were maintained in standard, species-appropriate housing and managed consistently during the study, including providing access to activity/exercise. The study protocols were reviewed and approved by the research facility’s institutional animal care and use committee. Animals were fed the species-appropriate Blue Natural Veterinary Diet™ GI Support food for 23 days. An amount of food calculated to maintain body weight was offered once daily and available for 1 hour for dogs. On day 22, a 24-hour urine sample was collected from each animal, using a metabolism cage with a urine collection system for dogs. From that sample, urine pH was measured via pH meter and 2 aliquots were frozen and shipped to The University of Tennessee for RSS analysis.22 Those aliquots included a 1-ml sample that was diluted with 1.5 ml 1N HCl, and a 10- to 15-ml sample placed in a sterile container. For the RSS analysis, urine sodium, potassium, chloride, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, citrate, oxalate, ammonia, pH, creatinine, and uric acid were measured.

Results21

The BLUE Natural Veterinary Diet™ GI Gastrointestinal Support canine dry formula has an RSS less than 1 for struvite uroliths (dissolution and prevention) and less than 10 for calcium oxalate uroliths (prevention). The BLUE Natural Veterinary Diet™ GI Gastrointestinal Support canine canned food has an RSS value less than 2.5 for struvite uroliths (prevention), and less than 10 for calcium oxalate uroliths (prevention).

AAFCO Feeding Trials

Animal feeding tests using AAFCO procedures substantiate that Blue Natural Veterinary Diet™ GI Gastrointestinal Support for Dogs dry formulation provides complete and balanced nutrition for growth and maintenance, including growth of large size dogs (70 lbs. or more as an adult). BLUE Natural Veterinary Diet™ GI Gastrointestinal Support for Dogs wet formulation is formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles for all life stages, except for growth of large size dogs (70 lbs. or more as an adult).

Nutritional Information

Animal feeding tests using AAFCO procedures substantiate that BLUE Natural Veterinary Diet™ GI Gastrointestinal Support for Dogs provides complete and balanced nutrition for growth and maintenance, including growth of large size dogs (70 lbs. or more as an adult).

Nutritional Analysis

Nutrient As-Fed
(Average)
Dry Matter Basis
(Average)
Per 100 kcals
Protein 25.99% 28.25% 7.45 g
Crude Fat 13.50% 14.67% 3.87 g
Carbohydrate (NFE) 47.90% 52.08% 13.73 g
Crude Fiber 3.82% 4.15% 1.09 g
Total Dietary Fiber 10.25% 11.14% 2.94 g
Insoluble Fiber 7.86% 8.54% 2.25 g
Soluble Fiber 2.39% 2.60% 0.68 g
Ash 7.87% 8.55% 2.26 g
Calcium 1.36% 1.48% 0.39 g
Phosphorus 1.03% 1.12% 0.30 g
Sodium 0.52% 0.57% 0.15 g
Chloride 0.81% 0.88% 0.23 g
Potassium 0.79% 0.86% 0.23 g
Magnesium 0.14% 0.15% 0.04 g
Iron 315.00 mg/kg 342.39 mg/kg 9.03 mg
Copper 14.16 mg/kg 15.39 mg/kg 0.41 mg
Manganese 31.94 mg/kg 34.72 mg/kg 0.92 mg
Zinc 179.98 mg/kg 195.63 mg/kg 5.16 mg
Iodine 4.85 mg/kg 5.27 mg/kg 0.14 mg
Selenium 0.74 mg/kg 0.80 mg/kg 0.02 mg
Omega-3 Fatty Acids 1.03% 1.12% 0.30 g
DHA 0.06% 0.07% 0.02 g
EPA 0.05% 0.05% 0.01 g
Omega-6 Fatty Acids 2.77% 3.01% 0.79 g
Linoleic Acid 2.70% 2.93% 0.77 g
Arachidonic Acid 0.11% 0.12% 0.03 g
Taurine 0.07% 0.08% 0.02 g
L-Carnitine 14.58 mg/kg 15.85 mg/kg 0.42 mg
Vitamin C 165.00 mg/kg 179.35 mg/kg 4.73 mg
Vitamin E 598.00 IU/kg 650 IU/kg 17.30 IU
Vitamin A 26035.05 IU/kg 28298.97 IU/kg 745.99 IU
Vitamin D3 1586.37 IU/kg 1724.32 IU/kg 45.45 IU
Glucosamine 422.03 mg/kg 458.73 mg/kg 12.09 mg
Chondroitin 759.13 mg/kg 825.14 mg/kg 21.75 mg

Metabolizable Energy

kcal/cup 344
Grams/cup 99
kcal/kg (ME Calculated) 3,490
% ME from Protein 24
% ME from Fat 31/td>
% ME from Carbohydrates 45

Recommended Daily Feeding Chart for Puppies

CUPS PER DAY*
WEIGHT IN LBS. 1 to 4 mos. 5 to 9 mos. 10 to 12 mos.
Up to 5 lbs. ½ - 1 ¼ ⅜ - ¾ ⅓ - ½
6 to 10 lbs. 1 ¼ - 2 ¾ - 1 ¼ ½ - 1
11 to 20 lbs. 2 - 3 ¼ 1 ¼ - 2 ¼ 1 - 1 ¾
21 to 40 lbs. 3 ¼ - 5 ¼ 2 ¼ - 3 ½ 1 ¾ - 2 ¾
41 to 60 lbs. 5 ¼ - 7 ¼ 3 ½ - 4 ¾ 2 ¾ - 4
61 to 80 lbs. 7 ¼ - 9 4 ¾ - 6 4 - 4 ¾

*Use standard 8-oz. measuring cup.

Recommended Daily Feeding Chart for Adults

Up to 15 lbs. ½ - 1 ¼ cups*
16 to 25 lbs. 1 ¼ - 2 cups*
26 to 40 lbs. 2 - 2 ¾ cups*
41 to 60 lbs. 2 ¾ - 3 ¾ cups*
61 to 80 lbs. 3 ¾ - 4 ¾ cups*
81 to 100 lbs. 4 ¾ - 5 ½ cups*
Over 100 lbs. Feed 5 ½ cups* plus ½ cup for each additional 20 lbs.

*Use standard 8-oz. measuring cup.

Ingredients

Deboned Chicken, Chicken Meal, Oatmeal, Brown Rice, Peas, Potatoes, Dried Egg Product, Natural Flavor, Flaxseed (source of Omega-3 Fatty Acids), Pea Fiber, Canola Oil (source of Omega-6 Fatty Acids), Dicalcium Phosphate, Pea Protein, Apple Pomace, Salt, Cranberries, Pumpkin, Dried Kelp, Dried Chicory Root, Potassium Chloride, Fish Oil, Dehydrated Alfalfa Meal, Hydrolyzed Yeast, Alfalfa Nutrient Concentrate, DL-Methionine, Calcium Carbonate, Vitamin E Supplement, Choline Chloride, Zinc Amino Acid Chelate, preserved with Mixed Tocopherols, Iron Amino Acid Chelate, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (source of Vitamin C), Vegetable Juice for color, Blueberries, Barley Grass, Parsley, Turmeric, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Copper Amino Acid Chelate, Manganese Amino Acid Chelate, Niacin (Vitamin B3), Calcium Pantothenate (Vitamin B5), Biotin (Vitamin B7), L-Lysine, Vitamin A Supplement, Taurine, Dried Yeast, Zinc Sulfate, Dried Enterococcus faecium fermentation product, Dried Lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, Dried Aspergillus niger fermentation extract, Dried Trichoderma longibrachiatum fermentation extract, Ferrous Sulfate, Dried Bacillus subtilis fermentation extract, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Riboflavin (Vitamin B2), Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Calcium Iodate, Copper Sulfate, Folic Acid (Vitamin B9), Manganese Sulfate, Sodium Selenite, Oil of Rosemary.

BLUE Natural Veterinary Diet™ GI Gastrointestinal Support is formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles for all life stages, except for growth of large size dogs (70 lbs. or more as an adult).

Nutritional Analysis

Nutrient As-Fed
(Average)
Dry Matter Basis
(Average)
Per 100 kcals
Protein 9.60% 39.83% 8.81 g
Crude Fat 6.00% 24.90% 5.50 g
Carbohydrate (NFE) 5.09% 21.12% 4.67 g
Crude Fiber 1.00% 4.15% 0.92 g
Total Dietary Fiber 0.79% 3.28% 0.72 g
Insoluble Fiber 1.05% 4.36% 0.96 g
Soluble Fiber 0.33% 1.37% 0.30 g
Ash 2.37% 9.83% 2.17 g
Calcium 0.51% 2.12% 0.47 g
Phosphorus 0.34% 1.41% 0.31 g
Sodium 0.14% 0.58% 0.13 g
Chloride 0.30% 1.24% 0.28 g
Potassium 0.34% 1.41% 0.31 g
Magnesium 0.03% 0.12% 0.03 g
Iron 54.79 mg/kg 227.34 mg/kg 5.03 mg
Copper 8.34 mg/kg 34.61 mg/kg 0.77 mg
Manganese 5.25 mg/kg 21.78 mg/kg 0.48 mg
Zinc 50.90 mg/kg 211.20 mg/kg 4.67 mg
Iodine 0.48 mg/kg 1.99 mg/kg 0.04 mg
Selenium 0.18 mg/kg 0.75 mg/kg 0.02 mg
Omega-3 Fatty Acids 0.26% 1.08% 0.24 g
DHA 0.03% 0.13% 0.03 g
EPA 0.02% 0.08% 0.02 g
EPA + DHA 0.05% 0.21% 0.05 g
Omega-6 Fatty Acids 1.09% 4.52% 1.00 g
Linoleic Acid 1.04% 4.32% 0.95 g
Arachidonic Acid 0.08% 0.31% 0.07 g
Taurine 0.06% 0.23% 0.05 g
Vitamin C 52.00 mg/kg 215.77 mg/kg 4.77 mg
Vitamin E 140.00 IU/kg 580.91 IU/kg 12.48 IU
Vitamin A 49811.00 IU/kg 206684.65 IU/kg 4569.82 IU
Vitamin D3 405.00 IU/kg 1680.50 IU/kg 37.16 IU
Glucosamine 180.00 mg/kg 746.89 mg/kg 16.51 mg
Chondroitin 740.00 mg/kg 3070.54 mg/kg 67.89 mg

Metabolizable Energy

kcal/12.5 oz. can 385
Grams/12.5 oz. can 354
kcal/kg (ME Calculated) 1,090
% ME from Protein 33
% ME from Fat 50
% ME from Carbohydrates 17

Feeding Guidelines

Adult up to 30 lbs. Feed ⅔ - 1 can per 10 lbs. of body weight per day
Adult over 30 lbs. Feed ½ - ⅔ can per 10 lbs. of body weight per day
Puppy Feed up to twice the adult amount
Gestation and Lactation Feed up to three times the normal adult amount

Refrigerate unused portion.

Ingredients

Chicken, Chicken Broth, Chicken Liver, Potatoes, Whitefish, Pea Fiber, Pea Protein, Natural Flavor, Carrageenan, Pumpkin, Flaxseed, Blueberries, Cranberries, Guar Gum, Potassium Chloride, Salt, Choline Chloride, Vitamin E Supplement, Zinc Amino Acid Chelate, Iron Amino Acid Chelate, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (source of Vitamin C), Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Copper Amino Acid Chelate, Manganese Amino Acid Chelate, Sodium Selenite, Cobalt Amino Acid Chelate, Niacin Supplement (Vitamin B3), Calcium Pantothenate (Vitamin B5), Vitamin A Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement (Vitamin B2), Biotin (Vitamin B7), Vitamin B12 Supplement, Potassium Iodide, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid (Vitamin B9).

References

  1. Guilford WG. Nutritional management of gastrointestinal diseases. In: Guilford WG, Center SA, Strombeck DR, et al, eds. Strombeck’s Small Animal Gastroenterology, 3rd ed. Philadelphia, PA: WB Saunders Co, 1996a; 889-910.
  2. Jergens AE. Inflammatory bowel disease: Current perspectives. Veterinary Clinics of North America: Small Animal Practice 1999; 29: 501-521.
  3. Remillard, RL, Thatcher, CD. Dietary and nutritional management of gastrointestinal diseases. Vet Clin North Am Small Anim Pract. 1989;19:797–816.
  4. Koruda, M, Rolandelli, R, Settle, R, et al, The effect of short chain fatty acids on the small bowel mucosa. Am J Clin Nutr. 1990;51:685–690.
  5. Sparkes AH, Papasouliotis K, Sunvold G, Werrett G, et al. Effect of dietary supplementation with fructo-oligosaccharides on fecal flora of healthy cats. Am J Vet Res.1998 Apr;59(4):436-40.
  6. Willard MD, Simpson RB, Cohen ND, Clancy JS. Effects of dietary fructooligosaccharide on selected bacterial populations in feces of dogs. Am J Vet Res 2000;61: 820–825.
  7. Terada A, Hara H, Oishi T, Matsui S, et al. Effect of Dietary Lactosucrose on Faecal Flora and Faecal Metabolites of Dogs. Microbial Ecology in Health and Disease, 2011, Vol. 5: 87-92.
  8. Field CJ, McBurney MI, Massimino S, Hayek MG, Sunvold GD. The fermentable fiber content of the diet alters the function and composition of canine gut associated lymphoid tissue. Vet Immunol Immunopathol. 1999 Dec 30;72(3-4):325-41.
  9. Barbalho SM, Goulart R de A, Quesada K, et al. Inflammatory bowel disease: can omega-3 fatty acids really help? Annals of Gastroenterology : Quarterly Publication of the Hellenic Society of Gastroenterology. 2016;29(1):37-43.
  10. Hickman MA. Interventional nutrition for gastrointestinal disease.Clin Tech Small Anim Pract. 1998 Nov;13(4):211-6.
  11. Stenson, WF, Cort, D, Rodgers, J, et al, Dietary supplementation with fish oil in ulcerative colitis.Ann Intern Med. 1992;116:609–614.
  12. Trepanier L. Idiopathic inflammatory bowel disease in cats. Rational treatment selection. J Feline Med Surg 2009;11: 32–38.
  13. Liu Y, Chen F, Odle J, Lin X, et al. Fish oil enhances intestinal integrity and inhibits TLR4 and NOD2 signaling pathways in weaned pigs after LPS challenge. J Nutr. 2012; 142:2017–2024.
  14. Frantz, et al. Novel food with mixed soluble fiber promotes quicker resolution of acute diarrhea in shelter kittens.
  15. Frantz NZ et al. Novel food with mixed soluble fiber promotes quicker resolution of acute diarrhea in shelter puppies. J Anim Physiol Anim Nutr. 2020; 104; 406.
  16. Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine clinical laboratory, 2015.
  17. Frantz, et al. Novel food with mixed soluble fiber promotes improved stool scores in cats with chronic diarrhea.
  18. Davenport DJ, Jergens AE, Remillard RL. Inflammatory Bowel Disease In: Small Animal Clinical Nutrition 5th Edition. Topeka, KS: Mark Morris Associates, 2010; 1065-1076.
  19. Dimski, DS. Therapy of inflammatory bowel disease. in: Bonagura JD, Kirk RW (Eds.) Kirks Current Veterinary Therapy XII, Small Animal Practice. Saunders, Philadelphia, PA; 1995:723–728.
  20. AAFCO (2015) Official Publication of the Association of American Feed Control Officials Inc., Champaign, IL.
  21. Blue Buffalo Company, Ltd., data on file, 2015-2020.
  22. University of Tennessee Pharmacology Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine