If your dog eats uncooked rice do not freak out! There are some simple, natural steps that you can take to help prevent an upset stomach or worse even an organ failure.
The first and most important thing you should do is call your veterinarian and seek professional advice. Veterinarians will want to know how much raw rice your dog ate, when he ate it, and what type of raw rice it was. Knowing this information may help them determine if there are any serious risks for your dog.
While some things like raw meat, bones, baked potatoes, and grapes are considered toxic for dogs, uncooked rice is not actually considered to be the same. So, what could happen if your dog ate uncooked rice?
Depending on how much rice your dog ate and the type of rice it was, he might end up with a belly ache. You may notice him drooling a lot or trying to vomit. In the most severe case, your pup may actually be able to vomit up pieces of raw rice that perforate his intestines.
What Happens When a Dog Ate Uncooked Rice or Raw Rice?
Dogs process rice much like humans do, but because dogs have different digestive systems, they may experience digestion issues from eating uncooked rice.
Since dogs are not able to process the carbohydrates in uncooked rice, undigested starch, and sugar may cause gas, diarrhea, and other digestion issues. If the dog has diarrhea at night, you should suspect it ate some raw rice in the evening. Most dogs will vomit or if they eat uncooked white rice. But the biggest danger of giving your dog rice is that it can expand in the stomach and cause an obstruction that requires a surgery.
There are two main types of rice that dogs will be sensitive to: Weedy rice, which is produced by the plant Oryza Sativa, and brown rice, which is cultivated from brown rice.
Rice contains amylase, an enzyme that breaks down and digests starch. In dogs, amylase is primarily produced in saliva and the small intestines, rather than in the stomach or pancreas (like it is in humans). This means that when dogs eat rice, most of the rice is digested by salivary amylase before it reaches the stomach. This can interfere with the digestion of proteins, which are normally broken down by stomach acid.
How to Prevent an upset Stomach If Your Dog Ate Uncooked Rice
1. Clean Up. First, don’t panic. There are natural ways to clean up a uncooked rice mess and prevent odors from spreading around the house if you can’t reach your dog immediately after he ate it. Wash your pup’s bed and any toys involved with the rice in water that is safe for dogs [with mild soap and warm to hot water until the spots come off]. Wash your hands thoroughly as well.
2. Call Your Vet. Tell your vet what happened and what you’ve already done to clean it up [if possible]. Let them know they’ll need to do blood work to check for any side effects that may be present due to the rice, and that you’re making an appointment for close monitoring if necessary.
3. Offer Oatmeal as a Treat. Oatmeal is a good way to keep your pup from getting constipated [and some dogs find it harder to vomit if they’re not in a panic and don’t have an urge to go]. If you’re worried about the rice remaining in his digestive tract, give him one cup of oatmeal mixed with 1/4 cup of yogurt. Do this twice a day for the next 4-5 days and let your vet know how he’s doing.
4. Clean Up Again. If your pup still vomits after you give him oatmeal twice a day for the next couple days, you can try again to clean and remove the rice. Go back to the steps in #1, but add a few drops of dish soap and about 1/4 teaspoon of liquid bleach to your hands while washing your dog.
5. Give Fresh Water. Make sure your dog has fresh water to drink after eating rice.
You’ll also want to give your pup fresh water for at least 48 hours to replace the fluids that he lost in the vomiting and diarrhea.
6. Watch for Further Symptoms. If your dog has diarrhea, call your vet and keep an eye on him for anything serious that may require immediate intervention. Don’t panic if your pup vomits or licks his chops a lot after eating the rice. These are common bodily reactions to eating something you shouldn’t have eaten in the first place, and they’re nothing to be alarmed about if no other symptoms are present. Only take your dog to the vet if he exhibits any serious symptoms or doesn’t seem like himself [weak, lethargic, etc].
7. Feed Plain Dog Food for 2-3 Days During Recovery. In the days following your pup’s experience, slowly start to give him normal dog food again. During this time, you can also try one teaspoon of plain yogurt a day [along with the oatmeal] to prevent constipation.
What NOT to do: Don’t force-feed food or force feed your dog something yucky just because he ate uncooked rice. He’ll vomit that out quickly without any effort on his part.
6. Monitor Your Pup. Make sure you call your vet if your dog is lethargic, has a fever or if his stool becomes brick-like [these can be signs of pancreatitis] or have severe diarrhea.
How To Prevent Your Dog From Eating Uncooked Rice Again
You may want to make any place that your dog eats [outside or inside] off limits to uncooked rice. You can also keep some oatmeal stashed in your pocket for when you know your pup is going outside. Give the oatmeal before he goes out and then praise him for not eating the uncooked rice while you’re out there with him.
If you’re going to keep uncooked rice around the house, make sure it’s in a container that can’t be easily opened or knocked over. Also, be aware of your pup’s surroundings. It only takes a moment for a pup to sneak in a treat when you’re not looking.
After you clean up any rice grains on the floor, get rid of the temptation to give your dog uncooked white rice by storing it in a cabinet that’s out of reach. You can try keeping a bell or some other noise maker in the cabinet to warn when he’s trying to get into it.
Never give your dog cooked rice, no matter what kind it is. Dogs process carbs differently than humans and can get quite sick from them.
If your dog has an upset stomach or throws up after eating uncooked rice, call your vet right away to help prevent any further complications.
Can uncooked rice kill dogs?
When dogs eat uncooked rice, it can expand in their stomach and cause a blockage. If their stomach can’t expand, it can turn into something called an “impaction.”
The blockage may be more severe in some dogs than others. This impaction can also happen if a dog eats a string from a rope toy for example.
Some dogs will vomit the food up and start eating again before they suffer too much damage or are weakened by it. Other pups will get seriously ill and could die if they eat too much uncooked rice. These cases are usually fatal.
When Should You Call A Vet If Your Dog Ate Uncooked Rice?
If your pup eats uncooked rice and doesn’t seem to be sick, you must still call your vet for advice on what to do. They may ask about when and how much of the rice was eaten, as well as what kind it was.
The vet may advise you on natural ways to clean the rice properly and help prevent an upset stomach. They will also let you know if they have concerns about your pup’s health and whether or not they think you should give your dog oatmeal or some other bland food.
Even if you catch your pup eating uncooked rice early on before it has ingested too much or gotten too sick from it, it’s still a good idea to call the vet just in case. If anything serious happens and you’re not prepared for it, it could be much worse than if you’d taken action immediately.
If your dog has already vomited or is showing any signs of illness, contact your vet immediately. They may want to have a close look to see how severe the blockage is and whether or not it can be dealt with at home. In these cases, prompt treatment is essential for survival. If the rice isn’t removed from their stomach, it can kill them.
How Should You Give Rice To Your Dog?
Be careful. Submerge the rice in boiling water for 1 minute [while cooking it]. Then drain and rinse it under cold running tap water to wash off any of the cooking chemicals. It’s best to spread the rice on a paper towel and then place it on top of several others, too, so that you don’t accidentally bump into anything with your hands while you pick up the paper.
Rice is a great treat for your dog if he likes it, but keep in mind that he could suffer from loose stools or gas later if he eats too much uncooked rice early on.
Conclusion
We know that dogs like to eat anything we humans have and will devour just about anything—especially if it’s not under lock and key. It’s important to watch your pup when he’s around food, especially if it’s something new.
So many times, owners think their dog ate something and they aren’t sure what it was. If you know you have a large bag of uncooked rice in the kitchen, make sure to keep an eye on your pup when he’s around it. Keep the bag out of his reach or locked up in a cabinet that he can’t open.