Anyone have a Sheltie with an IBD?

S

SheltieAgility

Forums Regular
Hi, all…

I had posted earlier this month about my Sheltie's digestive issues, how he had been having soft stool, some vomiting episodes, low protein levels and losing protein in stool. All along, I suspected IBD. We had put him on flagyl and Pepcid AC earlier this week when canned i/d brought on watery diarrhea. He was still eating, drinking and acting normally, until yesterday AM.

I woke up to him vomiting white foam and breathing heavily. He had some diarrhea with normal stool, and while he took his AM meds, didn't seem to have much appetite. I took him to my vet 1st thing and after an x-ray showed fluid in abdomen, she drained 200mLs and recommended taking to a specialty hospital given today is Thanksgiving and he needed an immediate diagnosis. There, an u/s showed thickening/inflammation of intestines, all else normal (he had an u/s early Sept which was inconclusive, just a few possibilities). He had an endoscopy to get some biopsies to see if we are dealing with IBD or cancer.

He came home last night and is resting. Wants food and acting his normal self. He is on prednisone, flagyl, pepcid AC and a diuretic. He was sent home with a few food samples to try-Science Diets w/d and r/d, and Purina's OM.

I'd like to research diet further, and once we have a definite diagnosis, I will make an appointment with a Nutritionist to develop the best diet plan I can. He has been on Proenzymes and Vetri-Science vitamins/minerals, and I am now giving Prostora.

Just wondering if any one else is dealing or has dealt with Shelties and IBD. My mom had a Boxer with it years back, so I know how involved it can be to manage this disease.

Thanks to anyone who responds!
 
I always recommend Lew Olson's book "Raw and Natural Nutrition for Dogs". She talks a lot about digestion, and what inflames the intestines, and what is considered digestible versus indigestible (and you'll find that a lot of the ingredients in the vet foods are not really digestible; i.e. corn, sawdust, etc.)

The book also has lots of ingredients for all kinds of health issues.

I think that knowledge will give you a good foundation to start from.
 
Of the three options you listed, the Purina will be the better quality. Science Diet is a disgusting mix of inedible things sold to you at $3 a pound.

Royal Canin also has "decent" vet foods, at least it looks like wet dog food, and not like congealed vomit.
 
I know…I didn't want to write that here so was being…passive aggressive by saying I ail seek a nutritionist! And corn, I believe, is the 1st ingredient in SD. The nutritionist at the hospital said she had the most success with w/d. My dog did eat it readily, and he will not touch Purina's Low Residue or i/d kibble. I'll try the OM 1st.

Thank you, I will check that book out.
 
Please check for a food allergy, particularly grain intolerance. Some of what you describe is similar to what we went through with one of our Shelties. Getting him on grain free high quality food and the "Vibrant Pets" supplement did the trick for him, and he has been free of problems for several years. Of course I cannot diagnose and will not try, but please check out this possibility. Blessings, Will
 
One of my dogs, yorkie not sheltie, was dx'd with IBD 2 years ago. As I am sure you already know, IBD is a disease that is not curable but with very careful management it can be kept in remission with only limited flare-ups.

The most important factor is to keep the diet extremely low fat...our vet has my Pixie on a 6% fat diet. Multiple small meals per day rather than 1 or two larger meals and plenty of fiber...and wet food rather than kibbles. The fiber is critical because one of the complications with IBD can be lack of mobility in the intestines resulting in waste backup. Pixie gets 1/4 teaspoon of psyllium seed husk fiber 4x daily (1/4 teas with each meal).

Flare-ups typically need preds to knock the disease back into remission and for some dogs a low maintenance dosage of preds is unfortunately necessary permanently.

Trini and my gang.
 
Thank you Will-I was wondering about a food allergy since he tends to not be very tolerant of beef, and there have been a few other things I stay away from-carrots, pumpkin, rice. I have always fed a high quality, grain free and low fat food since he has always been an easy keeper, so that makes me wonder about allergies.

Thank you for sharing your story trini gilmore-I plan to enlist the help of a nutritionist as soon as we have a diagnosis and I will cook or buy whatever is going to keep him healthy! He currently was getting 2-3 meals a day, and I am adding a 4th upon recommendation of vet. I really don't want to feed Science Diet, so am sticking with some variation of boiled chicken, eggs, white fish, potatoes and oatmeal each day, and the multi-vitamin and proenzymes on top of his meds. I'll look into the psyllium seed husk fiber as well, thank you for the recommendation.

Thank you mellie!!!
 
I think the diet of whole foods you are feeding now may be the way to go. You have 100% control of the ingredients and the processing, and you can gather data based on that diet, where you can't on a processed kibble or wet food, no matter what it is.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top