How to use the chicken and rice calculator
- Enter your dog’s weight.
- Choose the rice to chicken ratio. Vet clinic sheets use 75% rice to 25% chicken (3 : 1) or 2 cups rice to ½ cup chicken (4 : 1).
- Choose how many small meals you will give. The sheets advise small, frequent meals, such as every few hours.
- Read the total per day, the amounts of rice and chicken, and the amount per meal.
The formula
The daily amounts come from veterinary clinic bland-diet instructions (Hillside Animal Hospital in St Louis and All Creatures Veterinary Clinic give the same chart):
| Dog’s weight | Total per day |
|---|---|
| Under 5 lb (2.3 kg) | about ½ cup |
| 5–15 lb (2.3–7 kg) | ½–¾ cup |
| 16–30 lb (7–14 kg) | 1–1½ cups |
| 31–50 lb (14–23 kg) | 1½–2 cups |
| 51–75 lb (23–34 kg) | 2–3 cups |
| 76–99 lb (34–45 kg) | 3–4 cups |
| 100 lb (45 kg) and over | 4–5 cups |
The calculator takes the middle of the range and splits it by your ratio: rice = total × r ÷ (r + 1) and chicken = total ÷ (r + 1).
Grams and calories use USDA FoodData Central values: cooked white rice about 158 g and 205 kcal per cup, and chopped roasted chicken breast about 140 g and 231 kcal per cup.
How to make it
- Chicken: skinless, boneless breast, all visible fat removed, boiled until fully cooked, then finely chopped. No oil, butter, salt or seasoning.
- Rice: plain white rice boiled until soft.
- Keep it in the fridge for up to 48 hours, or freeze portions.
Tips
- Short term only. Two to three days, then switch back.
- Call the vet for blood in the stool, vomiting, a dog that seems unwell, or no improvement.
- Pumpkin is another common add-in for loose stools. See the pumpkin for dogs calculator, and keep an eye on water with the water intake calculator.
Sources
- Hillside Animal Hospital (St Louis, MO): Bland Diet Feeding Instructions.
- All Creatures Veterinary Clinic: Bland Diet Instructions.
- VCA Animal Hospitals: Bland Diet Instructions for Dogs and Cats.
- USDA FoodData Central: rice, white, cooked; chicken breast, meat only, roasted.
Frequently asked questions
How much chicken and rice should I feed my dog by weight?
Vet clinic bland-diet charts give these totals per day: under 5 lb about ½ cup; 5–15 lb ½–¾ cup; 16–30 lb 1–1½ cups; 31–50 lb 1½–2 cups; 51–75 lb 2–3 cups; 76–99 lb 3–4 cups; 100 lb and over 4–5 cups. Split it into several small meals.
How much chicken and rice for a 50 lb dog?
About 1½ to 2 cups of the mix a day in total, split into 4–6 small meals. At 3 parts rice to 1 part chicken, 1¾ cups is about 1⅓ cups of cooked rice and a little under ½ cup of boiled, chopped chicken.
How long should a dog eat chicken and rice?
Usually only 2 to 3 days, until the stools firm up. The vet sheets then switch back over 4–5 days: 25% normal food and 75% bland, then 50/50, then 75/25, then all normal food. A bland diet is not complete and balanced, so it is not for long-term feeding.
Is chicken and rice good for a dog with diarrhea?
It can help a mild upset tummy because it is easy to digest and low in fat and fibre. It is not a treatment. Call your vet if there is blood, vomiting, lethargy, a puppy or an older dog, or no improvement in 2–3 days.
How do I switch back to regular food after chicken and rice?
Over 4–5 days. Start with 25% of the normal diet mixed into 75% of the bland food. If the stools stay firm, swap in another 25% each day until it is all normal food. Keep treats to a minimum for another week.