Pet Lovers

[feline groovy]

@tends2dogs

IBD in humans is autoimmune, probably in animals as well.

I would certain Google it for safe holistic/natural/alternative treatments for dogs.

They could at least help his daily quality of life.

Hugs to you - and kisses plus healing vibes to sweet Willie.

ETA:    http://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/

[tends2dogs]

@feline groovy  I get this daily in an email.  It has been helpful as far as rating food ingredients. One interesting ingredient that keeps popping up in dog food and a lot of human food is CARRAGEENAN.  It is a major contributor to gastric distress and worse.  I have always given Willie cottage cheese and that has it in it. 

@Sammycat1  I appreciate all your advice on this matter.  You may want to look up carrageenan.  It is in the dog food you recommended (I think - I have read so much lately I am getting crossed eye LOL ) I am not discounting anything you have told me so far.  If Willie has to be on a med for life, so be it.  I certainly wouldn't deny him insulin if he was diabetic. BUT I am one that would look for everyway possible to make the situation better.  It sounds like that is what you have done with you furbabies.  We do the best we can for them.

Right now, we are looking at all our options.  He is only 9 months old and I want to begin this journey on the right foot.  The drugs the vet recommended will suppress his bone marrow.  Not thrilled about that. 

I read a great article from Dr. Becker yesterday about this.  She said that taking steroids for this is like turning a car off that is making a weird noise.  The noise stops, the problem doesn't.  She said the problem has to be addressed.  She feels that through the right food and working with a holistic vet, health can be restored.  She also says to not over vaccinate. 

We have an appointment today with a holistic/conventional vet.  This will be a first visit for us and I am hoping for some guidance.

I want to thank you for your input.  I have thought of nothing else for the past month. 

[Sammycat1]

@tends2dogs

There are numerous opinions on how to treat this and I mention only my experiences.  Dr. Becker is correct but shortsighted in her car analogy.  No matter what you give your pet--from steroids of all shapes and sizes and forms, to supplements--this condition is chronic and simply does not go away.  Period.   And chronic use of anything can lead to a serious problem.

Example:  we switched the one cat to the diet with the element you mention.  Guess what?  After a year, she grew intolerant to it!  She also grew utterly intolerant to duck as her protein source...and this is the gold standard for her problem.  A rotational diet with certain very specific proteins is best with her. This took 4 months to figure out. Ah the life with a pet with inflammatory/autoimmune disease.

The best advice I got and learned along the way:  Traditional veterinary medicine doesn't have all the answers all the time.  Neither does holistic veterinary medicine.  Extremism in either direction with a chronic condition serves no one, whether your pet is 1 or 15.  The trick is balance!

Good luck with your appointment and getting your pup squared away.  I'm sure you will find a solution that's right for you.

[feline groovy]

@tends2dogs

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@tends2dogs wrote:

@feline groovy  I get this daily in an email.  It has been helpful as far as rating food ingredients. One interesting ingredient that keeps popping up in dog food and a lot of human food is CARRAGEENAN.  It is a major contributor to gastric distress and worse.  I have always given Willie cottage cheese and that has it in it. 

@Sammycat1  I appreciate all your advice on this matter.  You may want to look up carrageenan.  It is in the dog food you recommended (I think - I have read so much lately I am getting crossed eye LOL ) I am not discounting anything you have told me so far.  If Willie has to be on a med for life, so be it.  I certainly wouldn't deny him insulin if he was diabetic. BUT I am one that would look for everyway possible to make the situation better.  It sounds like that is what you have done with you furbabies.  We do the best we can for them.

Right now, we are looking at all our options.  He is only 9 months old and I want to begin this journey on the right foot.  The drugs the vet recommended will suppress his bone marrow.  Not thrilled about that. 

I read a great article from Dr. Becker yesterday about this.  She said that taking steroids for this is like turning a car off that is making a weird noise.  The noise stops, the problem doesn't.  She said the problem has to be addressed.  She feels that through the right food and working with a holistic vet, health can be restored.  She also says to not over vaccinate. 

We have an appointment today with a holistic/conventional vet.  This will be a first visit for us and I am hoping for some guidance.

I want to thank you for your input.  I have thought of nothing else for the past month. 

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Yep; an integrative vet is the way to go for balance.

The same with integrative medicine for humans.

[m0rgan]

@tends2dogs Sorry to hear everything you are going through. " Daisy" brand cottage cheese has 3 ingredients, skim milk, salt and cream.  Not the low fat but the full fat kind.  This is the only one we eat because of simple ingredients with no carageenan.  I don't know why more brands don't keep it simple but this is the only one we found.  Hope this helps.

[tends2dogs]

@Sammycat1 During my reading I, indeed, am finding that there are numerous ways of dealing with this.  The common thread seems to be a low ingredient diet with a novel protein and also, there is no cure.  It is something to be controlled.  Wow, it does seem a bit overwhelming.  I was going to ask you if you had to change up your pet's diets throughout this process and you answered that.  Did your pets have severe symptoms - constant vomiting, diarrhea?? 

I appreciate your advice about leaning extensively on traditional or holistic.  I am learning here and as I mentioned before, since he is not in a "crisis" now, I feel I still have wiggle room to see my way through to a plan (for now).  I realize it isn't going to be a once and for all fix.    It is going to be a tweaking.......I get it.  I understand autoimmune - I have Hashimotos and it ebbs and wanes. 

I appreciate ALL your input and sharing your experiences.  It means more than you can know......it is often better than a text book.....really.   

[Silver Lining]

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@tends2dogs wrote:

@pupwhipped  I am sorry to keep you in suspense ha!  We learned yesterday afternoon.  I have been reading, reading, reading.  I really thought I was done with medical "stuff" for awhile!  BUT oh, that Willie boy.  Anyway, since he is not in crisis (no loose stool, only having vomited 4 times, eating well and acting alright) I feel we have some wiggle room to look into this a bit more.  If he was losing weight and actually having sick symptoms I would tend to be more aggressive right away.  I am calling a vet tomorrow to try to get in.  Can you believe the only vets we have ever seen down here are ER vets.  We have never established with a "family" vet.  I guess it is time. 

I will report as things progress (or not, hopefully).  Thanks so much for your prayers and concerns. 

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@tends2dogs, I'm just now seeing this. I'm so sorry your baby has been sick! I'll be thinking about you guys.

[pupwhipped]

@tends2dogs, how's Willoughby doing? We need a bit of an update. I hope ALL of you are well.

pup

[tends2dogs]

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@pupwhipped wrote:

@tends2dogs, how's Willoughby doing? We need a bit of an update. I hope ALL of you are well.

pup

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Hey, @pupwhipped!  We are ALL doing well.  Willie is holding his own since putting him on the bland diet.  We found a holistic vet that turned me onto a veterinarian animal nutritionist........can you believe it......HA!  Anyway, the reason being that if I am going to cook for him and he has these issues, we have to make sure that he is getting proper nutrition...........I am writing this while jamming chips in my mouth LOL!!  I swear my pets have eaten better than me!!   Anyway, no bloody vomit for over a month.  He still isn't fixed and we will most likely wait until we head back north in June to have that done.  The vet here said that she wouldn't operate or vacinate him until he is stable.  I think he is pretty stable......and alot frisky!! 

He popped this ball in less than a minute!  Notice his front leg where they shaved him when he had his scope........DH calls him peg leg.  They shaved his back leg, too. His belly was shaved for the ultrasound.  Pretty expensive haircut LOL!!! It looks a bit weird, but oh well......

I hope things are well with you, too.  How is your leg pain?  Are you getting relief??  And your hair........is it thickening in? I bet it is just a stress thing.  I lost a ton of hair when my parents died within a year of each other.  It will come back in. 

Thanks for calling me out!  I am happy to report that our boy is doing well.  Ten months old...........time marches on........WAY TOO FAST!!!

Take care, Pup.

Tends~

[pupwhipped]

Look at him...he is soooo cute! I didn't even notice the shaved legs. His overall haircut is just so darn cute. Good to hear he is doing well now. You are a good egg with the home cooking.....most I've ever done is boil a little chicken and rice when their tummies were upset. Glad you have a nutritionist to help you out. I do know it can be a bit complicated to make sure they're getting the right balance and such. Willoughby is such a lucky boy to have you all as his parents.

My knee is some better. Never going to be normal again, but I'll take what I can get. About a month ago I was having a little shoulder problem and my GP sent me to a physical therapist guy I'd never been to before. I liked him and I quickly told him scr*w the shoulder, my knee is the BIG problem! His form of therapy has finally helped me after two other PT groups did not. I am happy that I've had at least some improvement...but, no doubt, knee replacement is in my future. My hair coming out in gobs has leveled off, too. I did see a dermatologist about it but she was really of no help. I think it was likely a reaction to anesthesia and stress from my surgery...just like with you losing your parents. I'm very sorry to hear you lost them so close together. I lost my mom when I was 24, she was 58. But I was soooo blessed to have my sweet daddy for many more years. He died at the age of 92.

Geez, I can ramble on with the best of them. And I didn't even change paragraphs with new subjects. Ha! Anyway, I hope Wills continues to do well. And all the best to you and your hubby, too, @tends2dogs.

pup