Feeding IBD dog

Dustydo--What kind of dog is he??  I'm still thinking the "hunger" is somehow behavioral.  How can he be that hungry when you are feeding him properly and he's put on weight?   

My humble and personal opinion would be to stop all the pre mixes and stuff like that and just go with a nice simple kibble or canned--no organs, no veggies, no multiple proteins.  And, I'd try him without all the supplements first and see how he does.  If the poop isn't good, try adding them back in and see if it helps. 

I also found spacing out Willow's meals more, smaller meals and three instead of two helped her out a lot too.  That might help him with some of the "hunger" he's showing too.  If you feed him once, go to two.  If you feed him twice a day, break it up into three.  Don't add food, just distribute his ration over three meals. 

I'd keep an eye on the snacks if he gets any too.  At first, just go with just the food.  The more he's eating the more difficult it's going to be to try to figure out what's causing the issue. 

I use doggiefoods.com too.  It's local here and I've met the guy and he's very nice.  I met his dog too and he met Willow--very nice person to do business with.

Also, any commercial food you feed as long as it meets the AAFCO requirements and/or says it's complete and balanced he's going to be getting what he needs.  Then if you still feel he's lacking something some blood work can just verify where he's at health wise and you can go from there. 

I had to give Willow canned i/d for over a year, she also got something called Fresh Digest and a multi-vitamin during that time. 

 He's a wheaton poodle mix.  I thought the hunger was behavioral at first too, but we've been ignoring a lot of it, besides, the older dog, Peanut is the ultimate beggar of the family, so I think he teaches Dusty some habits.  But, he's hungry.  I do have to say this meal plan he's on the past 2 days he's backed off a bit, but at dinner time forget it, those paws are up on the counter! I do think part of it is behavioral, but most of it is hunger.  What goes in comes right out, so he's not digesting properly. that's why I'm afraid to try anything new.  I paid the nutritionist a lot to formulate the diet for him and am seeing soft stools but not huge like they were.  don't know.  I'll finish the batch I made and continue to watch him, but  I've really tried everything out there and am scared to start all that again.  Unless some company makes a new food special for our IBD doggies, we're stuck.

I know it all sounds mixed up, because it is, yesterday and today were good days for him, so I'm second guessing myself now.  

His immune system is just gone due to the infestation of parasites when we first got him, he was loaded with them, puppy mill dog. 

Tony at doggiefood.com is a nice guy, he really has helped a lot too.  

I do feed him 3 small meals a day.  He's supposed to get an egg 5 times a week, so for treat/snack, I feed him that.He likes and tolerates 2 tiny pieces of banana and cheerios.  Very minimal. 

 Maybe you could ask the nutritionist to tweak the recipe a little more to make it a little more binding for him--like maybe take out some of the veggies and cut back on the organ meat. 

The other thing I was thinking was if altering the recipe a little doesn't help maybe mixing in a little bit of a plain kibble with his homecooked would help to firm up the stool. 

Whatever you decide good luck!

 I'm going to ask.  On the To Do List!  I'll keep you posted.  No tummy gurgles yet, so I'll see how he does tomorrow.  I'll keep you posted. Thanks so much!

I have an IBD dog.  He has done great on Natural Balance Duck and Potato. But I want to add something I just learned.

 Purina came out with Forti Flora and you add it to your dogs food. It comes in packages. Here all this time Iv been doing Slippery Elm... Digestive enzymes....also using L-Glutamine..... Iv tried everythng to keep his poop from being soft serve or running.

 Well the Forti Flora has been a miracle for him. He now has nice firm tubular poops....I could just scream with joy. I stopped all the other stuff and just went with this. My Westie girls were having some dietary issues and that is how I ran onto it from my vet. Everyone gets this now once a day. Everyone now has perfect poop. Plus I got my girls off the raw food... NO MORE of that for us....

 I know every dog is different but after 3 years of buying and trying everything for my IBD dog and BELIEVE me I have a cabinet full this Forti Flora has worked for us... I will add that the human probotics I was using didn't do anything like this stuff does.... Im truly amazed and wanted to share.

monkeybear

The ONLY thing that gives him (1) firm stools, (2) stools without blood/mucus, (3) good coat condition, (4) stable weight and (5) no gas is a prescription formula from Purina (EN).  Most people on here would say to run screaming from Purina - and to be honest, there's a lot of stuff that makes me cringe in the ingredients list - but it works for Riley, and so far is keeping him healthy.  I have thought about exploring raw, but it seems almost probitively expensive (though the last bag of kibble I bought was over $60, so....).  A big part of me is tempted to just stick with what works, at least for the next 6-12 months. 

 After reading your post I would say this..................STAY WITH WHAT YOUR DOING IF IT WORKS.... I thought Max could handle raw so I found Duck by Primal.... ENOUGH SAID bad bad idea.....

 Listen my Westie girls have been eating raw and you wouldn't believe the stool problems I was having.... I could cringe when saying they are eating Science Diet I/d and are doing FABULOUS..... I posted if  you want to go read the problems I was having....

 IF Riley is doing good on that food don't stray..... I tried with adding the Duck to Max's Natural Balance duck and potato and it was a bad bad idea....

Forti Flora has been a blessing for him...and keeping his diet simple :) He does love canned pumpkin too :)

 Thanks for the idea, I will check it out.  I have to say that since I've been more watchful of him, the cooked diet I've been doing for the past week seems to be ok, he's not going potty nearly as much and it's smaller, so he must be absorbing the nutrients.  I'm still logging and watching, but I will check out Forti Flora in case I need to give it a try.  I'll keep you all posted.  thanks, hope all your doggies are well.

Just joining in on this post - late....I tried FortiFlora on Molly and although her stools firmed up it took quite a few days. I'm also being told there are quite a few preservatives in this product and Benebac is better (?)

My vet suggested plain yogurt over the FortiFlora - said it'll do the same thing w/out the preservatives. Only problem with Molly is she won't eat the yogurt.

Moll was just diagnosed with IBS (not IBD as I typed earlier). This post has been very helpful. Been looking for foods to switch her over to while she's in the squirt stage still. Writing down all suggestions

Mary, how about if you freeze the yogurt in ice cube trays and give it to her like that as a treat.  Willow really likes it--I use the Stoneybrook Farm French Vanilla--I don't do the low fat or fat free but some people do--and spoon it into the ice cube trays and give her a couple or three at a time.  It's nice especially at this time of year. 

I'm sorry she's got this, this problem is a PITA!!

You can also get probiotic capsules or powder at the health food store. Since Emma doesn't tolerate cow's milk, and goat yogurt is hard to find, she gets powder on her food.
 

terrierlover

 Purina came out with Forti Flora and you add it to your dogs food. It comes in packages. Here all this time Iv been doing Slippery Elm... Digestive enzymes....also using L-Glutamine..... Iv tried everythng to keep his poop from being soft serve or running.

 Well the Forti Flora has been a miracle for him. He now has nice firm tubular poops....I could just scream with joy. I stopped all the other stuff and just went with this. My Westie girls were having some dietary issues and that is how I ran onto it from my vet. Everyone gets this now once a day. Everyone now has perfect poop. Plus I got my girls off the raw food... NO MORE of that for us....

 I know every dog is different but after 3 years of buying and trying everything for my IBD dog and BELIEVE me I have a cabinet full this Forti Flora has worked for us... I will add that the human probotics I was using didn't do anything like this stuff does.... Im truly amazed and wanted to share.

I've had very good results with FortiFlora also.  I have it on auto-delivery from PetFoodDirect.com, worth every penny to not be squeeging cowpatties out of the grass!   

also suggested to me were keeping her on her current food (canned NutroMax rice/chicken/oatmeal for sensitve tummies) and putting Fiber All cereal in it along with physlluim husk -

 It's extremely important to remember, for those who are recounting experieces with various digestive ills with their dogs, that IBD is something different than IBS, not just a worse version of it, of it as is often thought.

IBD is an inflammation of the digestive system, caused by invasive cells in the intestines.  The nausea associated with IBD can create extreme levels of pickiness and new heights of anxiety for the owner managing it.  Foods that don't aggravate symptoms may also be rejected because of taste associations. The immune system of an IBD dog is severely compromised and I would use great caution offering raw foods to such a dog.  I'd even be careful offering raw fruits and veggies in today's climate!

It can only be definitively diagnosed via biopsy.  Treatment focuses on improving the body's ability to battle the inflammatory invaders, whether through low residue foods, or diets high in soluble fiber, or diets that present a low allergenic profile.  Gut-active antibiotics may be used to condition the gi and make way for friendly bacterial growth.  Liver function may need to be supported with B vitamins and something lke lactulose, in severer cases where inflammation has involved the liver.  Likewise enzyme support may be needed if pancreatic sufficency is compromised. 

Most importantly, with the help of a holistic vet, a program to strengthen and suuport immune health, is advisable.  IBD is a chronic and usually lifetime condition, and should be managed with a close partnership with a canine gi specialist, and/or holistic care DVM.

IBS is more of a symptom.   In some ways it can be tremendously more frustrating to deal with than IBD, where it's usually possible to stabilize the dog eventually.  IBS dogs tend to have systems that are sensitive to external changes like stress and even inhaled irritants.  Vets like conditions that correspond to treatments they can plug in according to symptom and pet weight, so the biggest vexation with IBS is finding a vet who will listen to what you see in your own dog, and also give some thought to scruples like not wanting to feed brand X prescription diet.

Your best line of defense with an IBS dog is a diary!  Your mission is to gather data which will lead to your getting an understanding of your dog's unique "stressor bucket."  First you have to get your dog asymptomatic, by any means necessary.  It doesn't matter what you find will stop the madness, just find it.  Allow about three weeks for the gut to regenerate completely.   Then gradually add back in the components of the diet you hope to feed long term - preferably something worked out in partnership with a whole care expert or a nutritionist.

As you go, carefully record any possible stressor - from weather data, to pollen counts, to a quick summary of the day's activites.  As you add food back in, record precise measurements - weights not volume, how the dog liked it, and of course the all important stool reports.

This information will be gold when you go back to a vet.  Pretty much I've found that life with an IBS dog means managing the stressors to the best of one's ability, and the vet is there to treat specific symptoms that arise.  Meds like carafate and acid reducers, and occasionally antibiotics, can help but shouldn't be used as long term solutions.  The long term goal is cultivating a resilient gi and minimizing stress.