IBD in dogs

[carolyorkie2010]

Hi - after a very worrying 10 days and waiting for blood test results, one of my little dogs has been diagnosed with what the Vet thinks is IBD. She will be starting a prescription diet tomorrow. Now, I am no stranger to IBD, having Crohns disease myself, but has anyone else got a dog with IBD? If so, any tips or advise please? I know I will have to be strict with her food and not give her titbits or treats whilst we see if the food is going to settle her symptoms.

[saasher2012]

I'm sorry to hear about your little dog, it is quite common in German Shepherds & other breeds, the cause as far as I know is not known however it can be controlled with careful attention to diet, never feed any grain based dog food as this can make it flair up rice, fish, chicken is fine but like any other feed must be introduced gradually as change of diet can also cause upset, it's really just trying to figure out the foods that trigger the symptoms, also if a dog has IBS, food is not being absorbed properly so care should also be taken to ensure the little one is getting vitamins in the diet, I know the vet diet is expensive , so it just might pay you to ask around dog food suppliers & compare prices for a sensitive tummy diet if you don't want to go down the route of buying in chuck etc, whatever you decide keep at the back of your mind that little treat you've given into & given the little one will cause lots of misery. Be strong!

[5129frederick]

Please, I am NOT being clever or insulting, but there is no possibility/danger of a human/animal transfer of ailment, or vice versalike with swine flu, is there?  As I said, this is not a joke question, so please don't take offence if I have caused any.

[saasher2012]

No Frederick! IBS cannot be caught it is specific to the sufferer the same as in humans!.
Swine flue is a viral infection.

[carolyorkie2010]

Hi Fred - I appreciate your question, not offended at all; incidentally,  illnesses that dogs can pass to humans are called "Zoonoses."

Thanks, Sam for the info; Tilly was sick a week last Sunday and there was blood; been a very worrying time, only got the rest of the results back yesterday. I've had her on Fish/chicken and rice since then and NO treats at all, which has been very hard! Also not given the other dog any treats, to be fair to Tilly! Her normal diet is Chappie dry food, which is supposed to be bland and recommended by vet's. Will go to collect her prescription food this afternoon. (Hills I/D)

[saasher2012]

You are most welcome , I'm sure once it's under control you will both feel better, pardon my spelling I should have put down flare not flair! lol.

[auntieannie44]

Hi Carol, it is very difficult when you have a long term sick dog.  You spend most of your time worrying about odd moments of strange behaviour, is this another problem arising!  We have a CKCS who is a total sweetie but has had major surgery for luxating patella, has Syringohydromyelia, at the moment we have just finished 12 weeks of antibiotics for a constant bladder infection, which thank heaven has cleared.  We have just finished a day or tests, scans etc. for Cushings, which came back negative, and thyroid which has given a weird result.  She is supposed to be overactive but you will never get a more laid back double chinned dog, so we are now waiting for another set of thyroid tests.  In the mean time this little madam is happily dancing and bullying her way through our lives with great glee while we worry ourselvea to a frazzle!! The vet says she is a case in progress!!!!  Oddly enough the only thing that seems to upset her tum is chicken, which gives her the runs, no one quite understands that!

[saasher2012]

I'm also sorry to hear about your pet, I don't know the facts but I presume it's another case of bad breeding , please correct me if I'm wrong, it's about time this was tightened up although this doesn't help you I'm afraid ,but it's the owners of a well loved pet who have to bear the sorrow & expense of someone else's greed much to the detriment of a lovely breed of dog. I hope you progress with a happy outcome for your pet!.

[auntieannie44]

I totally agree with you.  Breeders have a lot to answer for.  This one was bought in Yorkshire by a lady who had MS and was totally confined to a wheelchair and wanted a little furry companion.  I have to say that her choice was a little odd but there you go!  Two and a half years ago she became too ill to look aftter the dog and we took her over and began to unravel the dreadfull health problems she has, we are still at it!  She also has a heart problem, which seems to be endemic amongst Cavvies.  Up to now she was level 2 but just recently her left side has gone to a 3.  Still we love her dearly and will continue to do whatever is necessary to keep her healthy and happy, exactly the same as Carol will with her little blot.  I suppose it is what you do when you have a needy animal or child for that matter.

[saasher2012]

Yes we do! But if these so called breeders are not kept in check it will continue to happen I'm afraid, we are lucky we can continue to care for our pets some are not & they have to face an agonising decision!. So much distress & harm caused by greedy money grabbing people who have no respect or compassion for the animals & the humans who they are selling too.

[ilove2patch]

Dog breeders should be licenced & strictly monitored imo.

[saasher2012]

I agree ! But unfortunately a lot of this occurs by people who buy a dog & think they ought to have a litter from them not only do they have no idea of research but very often don't even know what line breeding means or care for that matter, the dog rescue centres are full of unwanted pets acquired on the spur of the moment because of fashion trends etc, & a lot of these are expensive pedigree dogs, so the price doesn't seem to put them off either, I really don't know the answer unless a law is made to ensure all dogs have to be desexed by a certain age on purchase, but who would police that I've no idea!.

[rose2008-2008]

Its sad to hear the dogs have health problems. We love our pets and want to give them a good life and i know that they will be loved and given lots of care!!. Its a worrying time but if they can be as comfortable and happy as possible know that you are doing your utmost as any pet lover would!!!

[ed_blackadder_1]

Carol so sorry to hear about your dogs troubles,  we have a GSD cross and he is very suseptable to getting collitus, we have had him for 9 years nearly when he was 2, and when we first had him we tried umpteen different dog foods until we got the right one, if for any reason we have to give him different food within 24 hours he is bad, if you find something that suits stick to it he has titbits but only natural foods,  I will PM you with the make we give him.

[ilove2patch]

I would be interested too Ed as Damson has a very temperamental tummy!

[carolyorkie2010]

Thanks, Ed R&R.

As for irresponsible breeders - The people I got Poppy from, (who died last year) were only interested in the money; I wont go into all the details, but lets just say that I had to get Poppy when she was just over 5 weeks old as the woman wanted rid of the dogs as she wanted to buy a new carpet with the money. I couldnt have wished for a more loving little dog than Poppy. For a long time she was terrified if she saw someone with a walking stick, because this couple used to hit each other and I think a walking stick must have been used as well. Poppy started with fits at 4 years old and it was heartbreaking watching her having them; one of her Brothers died when he was 18 months old I later found out. Poppy was 14 when she died and the epilepsy medication had ruined her Liver. These people definitely shouldnt have been breeding dogs. The irony of it is, they won £250,000 on the lottery a few years later and people were saying what a deserving couple they were! If only they knew!

[carolyorkie2010]

As I love dogs so much, I am finding this a very interesting thread; its surprising what stories people have to tell about their beloved dogs. It's time something was done about all these irresponsible breeders as was said before.

[rainydaywoman11]

That is something else I can't watch on tv - programmes about puppy farms.  

When we applied to buy our dog (Lowchen) we were vetted by the breeder.  She came to the house ,to see what we were like, including the 9 yr old the dog was for, and how big our garden was.

Zoe lived to be 15 and other than her annual visit to the vet, she never cost us a penny in vets fees, healthiest wee dog ever, until towards the end.  She did have upset tummies and the like, which I dealt with myself, but nothing major,  I still miss her.

I'm sorry to hear your wee dog is poorly Carol and hope you can get her sorted out soon 

[myraandjim]

when buying a puppy you really need to only look at litters that have had appropriate health testing on their ancestors, and insist on seeing the paperwork because people do lie about it. Health testing is not just for show or breeding homes, it is an indication that heart, hips etc. in the parents/grandparents are sound, it is never a guarantee but is helpful. Back yard breeders will not usually bother with testing - it takes away some of their profit - and will often rear their litters as cheaply as possible and sell them as young as possible in order to cut overheads and get their hands on the money. Genuine caring breeders will rarely advertise on social media sites or free ad newspapers, and will "interrogate" you before allowing you to have one of their puppies.

because I only take rescues these days I have had the heartbreak of so many badly bred dogs, I do my best but often these in-bred problems cannot be helped and the poor animal has to be PTS to save pain and suffering.

I don't think it is helping having this fashion for "designer" dogs - expensive cross-breeds, which so many people are producing with no knowledge or care for their problems or ancestry. Occasionally there are still accidental matings, but really they shouldn't happen, it is the owners responsibility to make sure they don't. Sorry if this is a rant - it is a subject I feel strongly about.

[carolyorkie2010]

Thanks, Rainy. I've mixed a bit of the new food with her existing food tonight and pleased to say the little darling has eaten it; she's usually pretty good with her food. Got to watch her like a hawk when I'm out walking her as she pounces on things she shouldn't have, she's so quick and so low to the ground. It was a piece of Rabbit muck that set her stomach off last week.