Cooling Foods for IBS: Summer Meal Plans for Sensitive Tummies with 3-Day Naturopathic Meal Guide to Calm Canine Digestion

Summer brings sunshine, outdoor adventures—and for dogs with IBS or sensitive stomachs, an opportunity to soothe the gut with cooling, seasonal foods. At DogIBS, we believe that food is medicine—and choosing the right ingredients can help your dog thrive, especially during the hot months.

This 3-day naturopathic meal plan focuses on hydrating, inflammation-reducing ingredients while avoiding common triggers like processed kibble or grains. You’ll also get tips for transitioning diets smoothly, so your dog doesn’t experience unnecessary flares.

🌿 Why Cooling Foods Matter for IBS

Dogs with chronic gut issues often carry excess “heat” in their system—manifesting as:

• Loose or mucousy stools

• Bloating, gas, or discomfort

• Constant licking or chewing

• Excessive panting or restlessness after meals

In both naturopathic and Eastern medicine, we use cooling foods to help regulate internal heat and support digestion.

❌ Ingredients to Avoid (Especially in Summer)

For dogs with IBS, skip:

• Processed kibble (dry, heat-processed, hard to digest)

• Dairy or cheese

• Chicken byproducts

• Grains like wheat, corn, soy—or even rice

• Synthetic vitamins or overly processed treats

✅ Cooling, Gut-Friendly Ingredients to Include

• Celery – cooling, hydrating, high in fiber, and antioxidants

• Cucumber – helps reduce inflammation and cool the system

• Cod or white fish – lean, easily digestible protein

• Zucchini – soothing and gut-friendly when lightly cooked

• Homemade Bone broth (cooled) – supports hydration and gut lining repair

• Parsley or cilantro – detoxifying, mildly antimicrobial

• Chia seeds – help lubricate the gut with gentle fiber

📆 3-Day Cooling Meal Plan for Sensitive Tummies

These meals are grain-free, dairy-free, and formulated to reduce inflammation while supporting digestion. Feed according to your dog’s weight and adjust portions as needed.

Day 1: Cool & Clean Start

Morning:

• ¼ cup lightly steamed zucchini

• ¼ cup cooked white fish (cod or haddock)

• 2 Tbsp finely chopped celery and puree (organic preferably)

• ½ tsp of raw coconut oil or cold pressed hemp oil or cold pressed olive oil, you can rotate each one monthly.

Evening:

• ¼ cup cooked ground turkey (lightly steamed/organic and free of hormones and antibiotics)

• ¼ cup chopped cucumber

• 1 Tbsp finely chopped parsley

• Splash of cooled homemade bone broth

Snack: Hydrated sprouted walnuts pureed and mixed with apple without the skin 

Day 2: Hydration Hero

Morning:

• ¼ cup mashed sweet potato (cooled)

• 2 Tbsp finely pureed celery and zucchini

• ½ tsp of cold-pressed hemp seed oil

Evening:

• ¼ cup steamed bison or duck

• ¼ cup raw zucchini and cucumber blend

• 1 Tbsp fresh basil

• Bone broth drizzle for hydration

Snack: Raw cucumber slices

Day 3: Gentle Green Reset

Morning:

• ¼ cup steamed rabbit or venison

• ¼ cup steamed peas and chopped zucchini

• 2 Tbsp finely chopped celery

• Microorganic algae for minerals, vitamins, and amino acids

Evening:

• ¼ cup fully cooked white fish

• ¼ cup celery-cucumber “salad” blend

• ½ tsp cold-pressed olive oil

• Bone broth “soup” with parsley garnish

Snack: Hydrated pureed pine nuts blended with hydrated figs (remove top and bottom as well as the skin)

🔄 Transition Tips to Prevent Flares

Switching too quickly can trigger GI upset. Here’s how to do it right:

• Start slow: Mix 25% new food with 75% current food, increasing over 5–7 days.  Always mix the pureed zucchini and celery into each meal.

• Watch stools: If stools become loose, slow the transition or go back to simpler meals for 1–2 days.

• Use broths and hydration: Bone broth, cucumber, zucchini, and celery are rich in fluids and help ease the digestive process.

• Avoid adding treats during the transition—keep it simple and consistent.

💡 If your dog has a flare, return to a simple base of cooked fish, raw zucchini, and celery for 24–48 hours.

🌱 Optional Add-Ins for Deeper Healing

• Microorganic algae – a complete source of trace minerals, amino acids, and natural detox support

• Sprouted greens blended with minerals – deliver bioavailable nutrients for gut lining support and recovery.  Not right away, this is adding in later on in the healing process.

• Digestive enzymes – ideal for dogs with poor absorption or chronic gas (use after stability is established)

🛒 These will be available soon in our Gut-Healing Starter Kit on our website!

🌞 Final Thoughts

In the heat of summer, food becomes a powerful tool to cool inflammation and calm your dog’s sensitive tummy. With the right blend of hydration, soothing herbs, and easy-to-digest proteins, you can help your dog feel lighter, happier, and healthier—naturally.

BOOK NOW

At DogIBS, we believe every dog deserves to thrive—not just survive—with food that heals.