IBD

[Gina s]

winston was doing good up until today! Saturday we went out to dinner and took him with us. We ordered him some chicken with rice (from doggie menu). That night he started having bad gas. Sunday he ate just fine but the gas was bad!!! Today he vomited bile several times, he has not eaten anything this morning. I heard tons of gurgling/swishing abdominal sounds. He is just lying around. I’m now convinced he does have IBD. Is he in pain? I’m debating whether to call the vet yet or not. 

[Gina s]

He is only a year old...why?! This is very sad for me

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Hi Gina,
I would not jump to the conclusion that Winston has IBD. IBD (Inflammatory Bowel Disease) is a serious, incurable, immune-mediated disease which is very complicated to diagnosis and treat. It usually requires testing by a veterinary internal medicine specialist to definitvely diagnose and treat. Many people use the term "IBD" when what they actually mean is IBS, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, which is a much less serious and more easily controlled condition. 

There are all kinds of other, more common digestive maladies that could explain Winston's symptoms. But nobody online is going to be able to tell you what the problem might be. There are some suggestions I could make to deal with his current symptoms, but without knowing the history( diet, previous digestive issues, any past treatments or meds, any past testing) I would not be comfortable doing that. I will say that many dogs do not do well with rice, especially if they normally eat a grain free diet, so the gas after the chicken and rice diet is not in itself anything to worry about. But I would avoid this kind of "treat" in the future; dogs with any type of digestive issues should be kept strictly on foods and treats that you know don;t affect them, and you need to exercise caution when introducing anything new.

Vomiting bile in the early morning is pretty common, and is usually helped by feeding a small snack about 30-60 minutes before bed. 

The lack of appetite today coupled with the lethargy and the gurgling noises is more troublesome, and may indicate some type of digestive issue, but again, not necessarily IBD. I do think that a visist to the vet is warranted any time there is a sudden change in energy or appetite. 

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Looking back at your past posts, I see that you have been in touch with an IMS; did you ever actually arrange a consultation or exam? If not, it might be time to do so.

[Gina s]

No bc he was doing good and we didn’t want to do anything more invasive bc of everything he has been through:(.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Unfortunately, IBD gets worse and worse until you start effective treatment, and if you let the inflammation get severe, you will have a much harder time getting under control. As much as we would like to spare our dogs from testing, invasive and otherwise, sometimes their well-being (and even their lives) depends on getting a timely diagnosis. I would make an appointment with the IMS. 

[Gina s]

Are IBD symptoms consistent or can they come and go?

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

It depends on whether or not there is an active inflammation present; flares are common.  IBD is a very complex disease and there are many forms. It's similar to Crohn's disease in humans; sometimes there are symptoms and sometimes there aren't. 

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

I would say that if he's not eating, vomiting bile several times and just laying around he is definitely not feeling well and I would certainly want to talk to the Vet.  I have an IBD dog and he currently is not flaring, but if he demonstrated the symptoms you described it would likely be the beginning of a flare.  I would certainly want to pursue a final diagnosis for Winston so you know exactly how to treat him.  My other Doodle has IBS and the treatments are very different between IBD and IBS.  Murphy (IBD) is on a very strict diet because his GI system reacts to most proteins.  He is also on several meds, Tylan, a probiotic, an antacid, B12.  At the first sign of a flare I add low dose prednisone, and an anti-nausea med.  Guinness (IBS) has a more flexible diet all foods must be low-fat (I home cook and add Honest Kitchen for supplements), but he doesn't require meds.  Winston's current symptoms are also very similar to pancreatitis.  I agree with Karen that you can't assume he has IBD.  These symptoms could be from several different GI illnesses and it's important to get a diagnosis, because the treatments can be quite different.  Good luck.  I sure hope it is one of the easier to manage diagnoses.  I really think you'll feel so much better knowing exactly what you're dealing and have him on a treatment plan. 

[Gina s]

Thank you for your comments. Pancreatitis was ruled out on the last visit. I know the next step is a biopsy as this was discussed with the vet 3 weeks ago. Can you describe the symptoms that your pet had for IBS?

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

It was very similar to the IBD symptoms which is what makes it so difficult.  He had diarrhea and occasional vomiting.  In addition to the IBS, he has also had two episodes of pancreatitis so that makes it even more complicated.  With Guinness the key was controlling his diet...finding a food that he would not react to.  I have to be very careful with what he eats.  He's on a very regimented diet and that seems to work for him.  I only wish it was that easy with Murphy.

[Gina s]

Ok I left a message for the doctor to call me so we can discuss. Thank you.

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

I think that's great.  You'll feel better once you know.  Please keep us posted.