- Intro
- Here We Go
- What Is Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)?
- What Causes IBD In Dogs?
- How Do I Know If My Dog Has IBD?
- How Does a Veterinarian Diagnose IBD?
- Best Diet For Dogs With Inflammatory Bowel Disease
- Dog Foods That Are Approved For Dogs With IBD
- Other Treatment Plans For Inflammatory Bowel Disease
- Summary
Intro
Dog owners know that keeping their pets happy and healthy is a big responsibility. But, when a dog develops a certain disease or syndrome, this can be a difficult task in knowing what is best for your furry friend.
If your dog has been diagnosed with something called inflammatory bowel disease, or IBD, you might be wondering what this means for the health and well-being of your pet.
Canine inflammatory bowel disease is a syndrome caused by chronic irritation of your dog’s gastrointestinal tract. Inflammatory cells fill the large intestine making it difficult for your dog to absorb nutrients and digest food.
This can result in serious illnesses such as vomiting and diarrhea. IBD can be caused by genetics, food intolerances, environmental factors, or microbial factors. This health condition is currently one of the hardest for veterinarians to treat.
Here We Go
In this article, we will discuss more canine inflammatory bowel disease, including the symptoms of inflammatory bowel disease, potential causes, and the best diet you should be feeding your pup should be eating to ensure your dog’s digestive system is as healthy as can be! Keep reading for more information.
What Is Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)?
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is an allergic-type immune system reaction that occurs within the intestinal tract. Similar to hives or inflammation, your dog’s GI tract becomes inflamed which results in several other serious health conditions, such as loss of appetite, abdominal pain, chronic diarrhea, or vomiting.
IBD is sometimes confused with irritable bowel syndrome or IBS. These are easily confused because both conditions have similar symptoms. But, it’s important to note that these health issues have very different causes. inflammatory bowel disease is due to a physical abnormality within your dog’s stomach, while irritable bowel syndrome most often stems from psychological stress.
What Causes IBD In Dogs?
It’s hard to know what exactly causes a case of inflammatory bowel disease, as many factors can play into this chronic condition. These factors could include genetics, parasitic infections, an abnormal immune response, bacteria, genetics, and food sensitivities. Additionally, this condition can affect the large or small intestines.
Any breed of dog can develop IBD, but there are certain breeds of dogs that are more prone to the condition. Pet parents should be aware of this to keep an eye out for certain signs and symptoms. These breeds include English Bulldogs, Basenjis, Shar Peis, Rottweilers, German Shepherds, Soft-Coated Wheaten Terriers, Irish Setters, Norwegian Lundehunds, and Boxers.
Because it is difficult to determine the exact cause of IBD, your veterinarian may have a difficult time giving an accurate diagnosis of your pet. This could result in several tests including blood samples, fecal exams, dietary modifications, etc. From there, your vet will monitor your pet’s response to give a definitive diagnosis.
How Do I Know If My Dog Has IBD?
As we mentioned earlier, pet owners need to be aware of the signs and symptoms of IBD to get the best treatment for this chronic disease. If left unnoticed, this could develop into a severe case. If your dog is showing the following symptoms, it may be suffering from inflammatory bowel disease.
IBD Symptoms:
- Chronic or recurring vomiting
- Blood Test: includes a white blood cell count and serum chemistry screening to monitor your dog’s protein levels
- Fecal Exam: shows the presence of parasites or bad bacteria that causes bacterial infections
- Ultrasound/X-Ray: can depict anything happening within the abdomen such as foreign bodies or inflammation
- Biopsy: performed on the digestive tract and/or stomach to determine the presence or extent of a disease
These are the clinical signs of IBD, if these or similar symptoms are chronic in your dog, it’s a good idea to take them to your trusted veterinarian to get medical advice. This is the best way to get an accurate diagnosis and develop a treatment plan.
How Does a Veterinarian Diagnose IBD?
We know now that inflammatory bowel disease has several causes and symptoms. Because the condition varies so much, you might be wondering how a vet can even diagnose this condition. During this process, your vet may need to conduct a few trial-and-error tests and monitor your pet’s reactions to these. These tests can include blood tests, fecal exams, ultrasounds, or dietary modifications. Below is a breakdown of how these tests on your dog’s body will help in the proper diagnosis of your pup.
- Blood Test: includes a white blood cell count and serum chemistry screening to monitor your dog’s protein levels
- Fecal Exam: shows the presence of parasites or bad bacteria that causes bacterial infections
- Ultrasound/X-Ray: can depict anything happening within the abdomen such as foreign bodies or inflammation
- Biopsy: performed on the digestive tract and/or stomach to determine the presence or extent of a disease
Best Diet For Dogs With Inflammatory Bowel Disease
In many cases, vets and dog owners have observed that dogs with inflammatory bowel disease respond well to diet changes. This is likely the first step of a treatment plan, and your vet may offer a prescription diet food. When switching your dog’s food, it is important to give them small amounts of the new food progressively each day to avoid further upsetting their stomach.
If your dog is diagnosed with IBD, it will be recommended to have a diet that is highly digestible, has minimal additives, and is high in protein. These factors in your dog’s diet are important because they promote a healthy digestive tract.
Easily Digested
Some factors of your dog’s food are harder to digest than others. This can cause a strain on their digestive tract and lead to inflammation. Fiber and fat can be difficult for dogs with IBD to digest, so it’s best to find food with low levels.
Better Ingredients
Many dog foods include harmful additives such as preservatives, nitrates, and MSG. These additives have been found to cause an immune reaction in some dogs. When selecting dog food, choose the one with simple ingredients.
Novel Protein Diet
This diet. is based on the theory that using ingredients that are commonly used in dog food will contain common food allergens. But, using uncommon ingredients will not cause a food allergy. Proteins such as rabbit, venison, fish, duck, or kangaroo are considered in this diet.
Dog Foods That Are Approved For Dogs With IBD
If your dog is diagnosed with inflammatory bowel disease, your vet will likely recommend a modified diet to help your dog’s digestive system. These are some of the best dog foods that are approved for dogs with IBD:
- Ollie Fresh Dog Food Lamb Recipe
- Blackwood Everyday Diet
- Royal Canin Hypoallergenic
- Purina Gastroenteric
- Canine Caviar Grain Free
- Holistic Select Natural Dry
- Wellness Core Natural Dry
- ACANA Protein-Rich Dry Dog Food
- Solid Gold Holistic Adult Dog Food
Other Treatment Plans For Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Aside from dietary changes, your veterinarian may recommend other medications, probiotics, and corticosteroids. Antibiotics may have an anti-inflammatory effect on the GI tract, while probiotics help to restore good bacteria in your dog’s system. In severe cases, corticosteroids may be used to suppress your dog’s immune reactions.
Summary
Healthy dogs equal happy dogs and happy pet parents. To keep your dog as healthy as possible, it is important to be informed about possible health conditions that could be detrimental to your dog’s well-being.
Inflammatory bowel disease, or IBD, is a chronic condition that occurs within the intestinal tract and causes an allergic reaction-type inflammation. This disease can be caused by several different factors, including genetics, parasitic infections, an abnormal immune response, bacteria, genetics, and food sensitivities. Common IBD symptoms are loss of appetite, abdominal pain, and chronic diarrhea. Additionally, it is important to know that certain breeds are more prone to developing IBD.
The most common step in a treatment plan for your dog with IBD will be dietary changes. This will include a highly digestible, high-protein diet. The most popular brands of dog foods that are approved for dogs with IBD are Royal Canin, Holistic Select, and Wellness Core.
We hope this article helped learn everything you need to know about canine inflammatory bowel disease. Stay tuned for more informational articles!
Sources
https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/inflammatory-bowel-disease-in-dogs