colitis

Amanda33 · Puppy Joined: 08 Jun 2008 Posts: 32 Fur Kids: Mia

Has anyone heard of Colitis, my vet has advised me that my weim has this and it could come and go often, has anyone else had this problem and if so what have you done to reduce the risks of it happening again.

PamK · Posted: Sun Sep 07, 2008 12:03 pm Post subject:

I have it

Its also called Irritable Bowel Disease. The intestine randomly get inflamed. Pain as food gets stuck, it eventually works its way out as diarrhea.

greydogs · Posted: Tue Sep 09, 2008 5:35 pm Post subject:

vishnu was diagnosed with this. diet made all the difference.
we experimented with many many many kinds of kibble, homecooked, canned and raw.

he did really well on canned wellness lamb (but 4 cans a day!!)
is eating nature's variety lamb with probiotics and enzymes and some yogurt now and he has been completely healthy for a long time. (knock on wood!)

Amanda33 · Puppy Joined: 08 Jun 2008 Posts: 32 Fur Kids: Mia

Thanks for your reply, what symptoms did your dog get?

Django · Posted: Wed Sep 10, 2008 10:41 am Post subject:

Cathy · Posted: Wed Sep 10, 2008 11:28 am Post subject:

greydogs · Posted: Wed Sep 10, 2008 4:34 pm Post subject:

vishnu had intermittent diarrhea from the day we got him. often it would get bloody, have mucous in it etc.
he also had bouts of vomiting. gurgling stomach.
quite scary.

then he'd be good for a while, but his poops were soft more often than regular. now they are always hard. he is really healthy, has more energy. all is good.

anne · Posted: Thu Sep 11, 2008 6:10 pm Post subject:

Chronic IBD is part of what has been called a "Hyperinflammatory Disease" an immune system problem. See http://www.weimclubamerica.org/health/2005update.html

denali126 · Posted: Wed Sep 17, 2008 10:28 pm Post subject:

Our weim Snickers has been to the vet with colitis (now on his 4th trip back since Nov 07). It seems to clear up with his antibiotics, bland food diet and then the vet prescribed w/d or i/d food. But within a few months, it flares up again. It is very fustrating to seem him in discomfort and I do not wish it on any one going through this. We have had a few suggestions on diet foods (the vet food is SO expensive - $55 a 30lb bag). I believe his next course at the vet would be an endoscopy and biopsy. We've had the xrays and blood work pointing to nothing really wrong. Maybe it is just an allergy of some sorts. And there is so much food information online like stay away from fillers, too much grain, not enough grain, by-products, etc...

I have though of trying either the Chicken Soup for Dog Lovers line or Orijen (which we can only purchase online but is suppose to be good). We did try in June a brand of food called Nature's Recipe Farm Stand Selects. Both our weims seem to enjoy this food, but Snickers flared up in July before we could get them settled on this food.

If anyone has any other suggestions for quality food that doesn't bankrupt us, please let me know!!

scrbear11 · Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2008 5:47 am Post subject:

Maybe just put the money into the blood allergy test to find out what he's really allergic to, so then you can find a food that works and doesn't make him have flare ups. The blood allergy test seems to be about $300.

There are many hypoallergic foods out there... hills d/d for example, Royal Canin potato and venison, duck and potato, etc. They are all prescription foods. But you may be able to try something like wellness allergy formula and smartpak now makes an allergy formula. go to www.smartpakcanine.com Whatever ends up making him feel better probably isn't going to be very cheap.