Pet Lovers

[KATIE ANN]

@tends2dogs

I am happy that Will is doing better. I think of all of you including Quinn a lot. I guess we never know for sure what the right thing to do is.

Thoughts and Prayers.

[tends2dogs]

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@KATIE ANN wrote:

@tends2dogs

I am happy that Will is doing better. I think of all of you including Quinn a lot. I guess we never know for sure what the right thing to do is.

Thoughts and Prayers.

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  Hi @KATIE ANN.  I guess the way I look at taking care of these guys is to take it a day at a time.  Think about it, do a little research, and make a decision.  I don't tend to have regrets because I feel I am doing the best I can at the time.  No, it doesn't always work out the way we want it to, but that is the way life is.  I take this all seriously and will stand by Willie and try to make the right choices for him.  At the end of the day, it is all any of us can do. 

I hope you are doing well.  Have you found a dog to love again?  I hope so, because it is a wonderful thing to feel that happiness in your heart.

Thank you for your thoughts and prayers. 

[eddyandme]

@tends2dogs

Been reading all you've been going through and been thinking what a wonderful, strong, loving Mom Will has been blessed with! Hang-in there, and when in doubt, remember the Quin, is guiding you. Happy Woof-Woof Mother's Day!

[tends2dogs]

@eddyandmeThank you for your kind words.  Quin is always on my mind.  It is funny, but there are many similarities with Quincy and Willie and yet, MANY differences.  The love for them both is unequaled and they both brought/bring such joy and laughter to our lives. 

Happy Woof-Woof Mother's Day to you, too!

[Wannabeincali]

Hi @tends2dogs

I am sorry aboutt uour dog's IBD issues. It is the no 1 problem I see in dog rescue. I have dealt with IBD for close to 20 years. This is what I suggest:

1. PROBIOTICS 

Get him on these asap! Give it 2 x day. Give a high dose one for at least 30 days, then scale back to a mid potency one.  I highly rec using several brands,. These are good ones to use: 

High potency  ones:

THORNE Bacillus Coagulans (no refrigeration necc)

Nature's Way PRIMADOPHILUS OPTIMA 

Med potency

Nature's Way Primadophilus Original

Natren Dairy Free HEALTHY TRINITY *3 bottles in a box*

All, but coagulans, need refrigeration.

2. Feed a NO grain, NO starch, homecooked diet. Use a NOVEL prein (something he has never eaten before). Go to B-naturals.com and look up tje WELLNESS NEWSLETTER,S. Do a Ctrl+F to find the article from 2004, called CANCER DIET This is a Low Glycemic diet helpful to IBD dogs. Also find her articles on IBD. The cancer diet recipes will list the amount of CALCIUM to add tk the food tobalance it. This is CRITICAL, and you must follow the amounts exactly!

3. These additional supplements help heal he gut:

L glutamine 500 mg. Give 2 x day, even for a small dog of 15 lbs.Smaller dogs, give 1 x day. Large dogs, still give one cap, 2 x day.

Slippery elm....give 1 per day. Give 2 pepr day if he has diarrhea or constipation. Add to food or in water bowl. This is good to give every day, as it helps to soothe, detoxes,  and heals  the gut, and normalizes stools.We use the one by Natures Way.

Omega 3 fish oils...give 1cap per day. (NOT cod liver oil! You need salmon oil)

Borage oil is an anti inflammatory omega 6. Give 1 cap per day.

COLOSTRUM  by Symbiotic  ...give 1 to 2 caps cap per day. Mix 1 cap into 2 oz water and give via oral syringe. 

****AFTER a month, begin giving a multi vitamin mineral.****

(I can explain how we handle vitamin minerals when you get to that point. If you want my help, post to me usig the @  *****

4

Do NOT feed dog food, unless you feed a hypoallergenic one, such as Science Diet ZD. This is pretty horrible foogd, BUT in IBD dogs, it can jelp stabelize them short term! The best however, is to homecook for him.NO grains, NO starch, NO sugats, NO fruit, etc. Buy organic, hormone free, antibiotic free. 

5. Give the best bottled spring water you can, or use a brita type filter for tap.

6. AZMIRA ANIMAL HOLISTIC ...look them up. CALL THEM. Ask to be put on an IBD protocol.It works, but takes time. Count on a min of 7 mos IF the root cause is yeast related or food allergy related. Be patient.....it is a long road, but we have had great success with our rescue fosters!!

7. HOMEOPATHIC DETOXIFIER by Newton Labs. Google their site. This detoxifier works!

Gove 4 drops into mouth, nightly before bed....for 2 weeks. Then give 4 drops 1 night per week thereafter. THIS HELPS!! ALSO, Azmira Detoxifier is wonderful! ALT both!  Dose at least one hour away from meals.

Milk Thistle caps by Natures Way are also helpful to detox the liver, and helpful to those with IBD. Give 1 cap for 6 days, off for one day. Repeat for 6 weeks, off for 1 week. Repeat for 6 months, off for 1 month. This is how you PULSE herbals. Give Milk Thistle with morning meal. Give homeopathic detoxifier at night.

8.

DEWORMING

I do not like dewormers usually, but oftentimes worms are part of the IBD equation. The most common we ise are Drontal Plus or Panacur. I PREFER Drontal Plus, as one dog we fostered had a bad reaction to Panacur. Never again! In 15 urs, I have never had any issues with Drontal Plus. Even if the fecal exam is negative, I would ask to deworm anyway IF THE VET feels ot is safe to do at this stage.

Giardia

Google it. If you suspect your dog may have it, speak with your vet. You need a specific dewormer for this. 

9.

Google. IBD DOGS+MERCOLA , and read the articles. Lots of helpful info.

10

Feed several SMALL MEALS throughout the day. It is easier on the digestive process.

11 Steroids

These can lead to liver damage and Cushings. I persoally avoid them unless there is no alternative. You need to do what you need to do....I do not judge, because I do not know your dog's situation completely. However, ifmyoumust ise pred, the homeopathic detoxifierI mentioned abe, is a must have! Itwill help to detox the liver and kidneys. The .Azmira Detoxifier is also AMAZING. I always habe both on hand? My own Shih Tzu gets tjem 1 x week, as maintenance. I give a 2 week daily dose after any antibiotic or heartworm or flea med. 

Good luck! IBD is horribly painful. The sooner you can get him on a novel protein home cooked diet, probiotics, etc...the better!!

(((Hugs))))  I hope this helps yoir dog!

[tends2dogs]

@Wannabeincali  I just opened this post and don't have time to fully respond, but I want to thank you for such a wealth of help.  Willie has not had an episode since April 2, however, I know this will most likely be a life long process.  Having been sent home with Royal Canin canned dog food that had at least 100 ingredients (including carrageenan - a known digestive distresser), steroids, and immunesuppressant drugs, I knew this wasn't the route I was taking, at least not right off the bat.  I am working with a holistic vet and a nutritionist.  Willie has always eaten homemade food only.  We switched proteins.  He is also on most of the supplements that you mentioned.  He was tested for Giardia and worms (more than once) and he is negative for both.  He drinks filtered water and always has.

There are a couple of things you suggested that I am interested in looking into.  I will write when I have more time!  My DH is taking me out to dinner. 

Thank you again for taking your time to write out this post.  You don't know how much I appreciate it and believe me, you and I are on the same page. 

Your AVATAR is precious!!!

[Wannabeincali]

@tends2dogs

Hi!

You are so welcome, hun! I am glad I could help!

Enjoy your night out! And thanks for the compliment on my little furbaby Shih Tzu! She is 15 yo. I am so happy you are working with a holistic vet and nutritionist. Tip: I always rotate brandsof probiotics, digestive enzymes, etc...in case one is better than another. 

A product I forgot to mention is HomeoPet Digestive Upsets, homeopathic drops. They are great when treating dogs during an IBD attack (along with probiotics, digestive enzymes, colostrum, etc). They help a lot, but alone they are not a cure. They simply help the dog's digestive system while the other supplements can take effect. 

Hugs to your furbaby! Feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

[eddyandme]

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@tends2dogs wrote:

@eddyandmeThank you for your kind words.  Quin is always on my mind.  It is funny, but there are many similarities with Quincy and Willie and yet, MANY differences.  The love for them both is unequaled and they both brought/bring such joy and laughter to our lives. 

Happy Woof-Woof Mother's Day to you, too!

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@tends2dogs

Thanks, and ditto! Eddy is very much like Jade, yet most different! I think our babies in heaven who brought our new boys to us are also coaching them! Like how to train our Moms! Every night when I kiss Eddy, send a kiss to Jade, too, as I'm sure you do!

[tends2dogs]

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@Wannabeincali wrote:

@tends2dogs

Hi!

You are so welcome, hun! I am glad I could help!

Enjoy your night out! And thanks for the compliment on my little furbaby Shih Tzu! She is 15 yo. I am so happy you are working with a holistic vet and nutritionist. Tip: I always rotate brandsof probiotics, digestive enzymes, etc...in case one is better than another. 

A product I forgot to mention is HomeoPet Digestive Upsets, homeopathic drops. They are great when treating dogs during an IBD attack (along with probiotics, digestive enzymes, colostrum, etc). They help a lot, but alone they are not a cure. They simply help the dog's digestive system while the other supplements can take effect. 

Hugs to your furbaby! Feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

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@Wannabeincali  Sorry I haven't gotten back with you!  I am putting together an order for supplements and I am wondering what multivitamin you use.  The nutritionist is recommending Centrum Women's one a day or something similar. 

We saw the vet yesterday for a recheck and she said that she doesn't need to see him again (unless there are problems) until we return here in the fall.  We are heading back north in about a month.  We have a holistic vet up there, but is quite a drive - 1 1/2 hours.  We have a conventional vet we have used in the past that is a couple blocks away.  While he isn't holistic, he has never tried to push anything on me or talk me into or out of anything.  Let's say he is respectful.  We are planning to have Willie neutered in June if his bloodwork is good and if he is still stable.  He will be a year old.  We will most likely use our conventional vet for that. 

I like your suggestion of rotating probiotics and enzymes.  It certainly makes sense.  Willie is on a product called Gastriplex by Thorne that is combo of many of the things you suggested.  The vet told me yesterday that she can almost always turn the IBD with diet and homeopathic.  Isn't it a shame that they don't teach this in vet school?  She said that had he been put on the steroids and immunosuppressants that that the gastro doc wanted to do (conventional), it would have shortened his life and he would have been miserable. 

I hope you don't mind if I pick your brain through this.  I know you have a lot to offer, experience and sources. 

Fifteen years old - your furbaby.....a testimony to "good" momma care.

Please let me know about the multivitamin.....

Tends

[eddyandme]

@tends2dogs

We don't have any holistic vets around here. But, for what it's worth, I give Eddy Fromm's Gold kibble along with a variety of diary, vegetables, meat/fish and fruits. A friend who's dog had a bad heart was recommended Fromm's Gold and it kept him going for quite a while, along with an array of meds.

I also give Eddy Din-O-Vite or Extend, sporadically to supplment his food, and SynoviG4(Bayer) and MilkBone 'wellness' and 'healthy joints' treats (figure at least they won't hurt).

Everyone who sees Eddy says he's doing well. And, the vet asked me what I was doing at his last check-up. Also, as you know, Tufts tested Jade twice with the same result both times - she had the blood, etc., of a much younger dog. That's why I'm feeding Eddy the same way. So, perhaps, it helps.

But, when push comes to shove, it's the love you're giving Willy that's helping him heal.  So, I know, your precious boy will continue to get better and better!