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Inflammatory
Bowel Disease
Dogs
and cats are always eating things they shouldn't, which is why vomiting
and diarrhea are so common in pets. But when they are getting sick
for weeks or months instead of days, they could have a more serious
digestive problem called inflammatory bowel disease. Veterinarians
aren't sure what causes inflammatory bowel disease, although they suspect
it occurs when the immune system mistakenly attacks tissues in the
digestive tract. Food allergies or problems with the pancreas may
play a role in causing it. Even hair balls, which irritate the
intestines, may be involved. The
convention therapy for inflammatory bowel disease is to give medications
to stop the symptoms: steroids to suppress the immune system and sometimes
antibiotics to control bacteria in the gut. Holistic veterinarians,
on the other hand, believe it is possible to cure inflammatory bowel
disease by strengthening the body's organs, especially the digestive and
regulatory organs like the pancreas and live, and by helping the immune
system work the way it is supposed to. The
Signs of Inflammatory Bowel Disease
-
Your cat is vomiting
alot
-
Your dog or cat has
chronic diarrhea
-
There is blood in his
stools
-
Your pet is losing
weight, has diarrhea, and is vomiting
Give Digestive Enzymes Some
veterinarians believe that inflammatory bowel disease occurs when the
pancreas is working harder than it should to produce enzymes. Giving
your dog or cat digestive enzymes made for pets allows the pancreas to
work more efficiently. An excellent product is
MSE
Natural
Defense, which is a
powerful probiotic (digestive
enzymes).
MSE
Natural
Defense is a purified and palatable probiotic for pets with food
allergies and other special needs, for those that experience stress on a
daily basis, or for maximum control of litter box odor (mainly ammonia). It
can help control loose stools and diarrhea, which are often a symptom of
Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency (EPI) and Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
MSE
Natural
Defense can also control symptoms of upper respiratory illnesses, which
are usually caused by chronic viral infections, in both cats and dogs, and
prevent the transmission of these illnesses to new canine or feline
additions to the family. If these diseases are already present, be aware
that stressful situations such as vet visits or competitions are enough to
make an asymptomatic pet sick. Learn more
here! Ask your
Vet about a Change of Diet Some
pets with inflammatory bowel disease are sensitive to ingredients in
commercial foods. Switching to a high-quality food such as
Life's
Abundance, or better yet, to
a homemade diet will often help prevent the diarrhea and vomiting that
accompanies inflammatory bowel disease. Control
Bacteria with Yogurt The
normal acid balance in the intestines can change when the pancreas is
overactive, allowing harmful bacteria to flourish. This, in turn,
can cause painful inflammation. Giving your pet between one and
three teaspoons of live-culture yogurt will help replenish the supply of
beneficial bacteria and get the intestines back into balance. Instead,
you can give supplements containing
Lactobacillus
Acidophilus, the same
organism that is in yogurt. Make the following adjustments to the
human dosage listed on the label: for pets weighing under 20 pounds, use
one-fourth of the human dose; for pets 21 to 50 pounds, use one-half of
the human dose; and for pets over 50 pounds, use the full human dose.
Keep in mind though that live-culture
yogurt, which contains a small amount of acidophilus, while not harmful, is
not an adequate source of probiotics for the average animal. Switch
to Spring Water Municipal
water supplies often contain chlorine, which can kill helpful bacteria in
the intestines. Giving your pet bottled water, which doesn't contain
chlorine, will help these bacteria thrive. Strengthen
the Liver with Milk Thistle The
live produces large amounts of metabolic enzymes. You can help it
work more efficiently by giving your pet milk thistle once a day.
Milk thistle may help the liver generate new cells. Give
Glutamine Supplements Inflammatory
bowel disease can damage cells in the intestine, causing scarring.
Supplements containing glutamine can help rebuild the intestinal lining so
that it functions better. It is recommended giving pets with
inflammatory bowel disease 500 milligrams of
L-Glutamine twice a day. Absorb
Toxins with Clay Harmful
bacteria in the intestines, including bacteria that come from eating
rotten food, give off toxins that irritate the gut. You may be able
to stop the vomiting and diarrhea by giving pets
bentonite. The clay can absorb up to 2,000 times their
weight in toxins. We
recommend
Scour-aid. Scour-aid works in both dogs and cats and controls
diarrhea no matter whether it is viral, bacterial, or protozoan in origin.
It should be used in conjunction with
MSE Natural Defense. Like pectin, bentonite is a quick fix. It does
not necessarily address the original problem, which is often stress.
Together with
MSE Natural Defense, it can stop the loss of valuable electrolytes
and allow reestablishment of the indigenous microflora. Improve
Digestion with Homeopathy The homeopathic remedies Nux Vomica and Arsenicum are very effective at
stopping both diarrhea and vomiting. Mix 20 drops of the 6X potency
of Nux Vomica in an ounce of spring water and give your pet half a
dropperful. When using Arsenicum, give pets weighing less than 15
pounds one to two of the 6X-potency pellets. Larger pets can take
three to give 6X pellets. If your pet seems better in a few hours,
give him another dose. If he isn't getting better, you will want to
call your vet. We
recommend the
Animal Rescue Homeopathy Kit, which contains above remedies, and
other remedies specific to animal healing. Boost
Immunity with Herbs Echinacea
has been shown to strengthen the immune system by increasing the number of
specialized cells called T-lymphocytes. Another herb,
goldenseal, is
a natural antibiotic that helps control harmful bacteria in the gut,
giving mucous membranes a chance to heal. The top-of-the line immune
system booster, highly endorsed by PreciousPets.org., is TF
Pets and Transfer
Factor Plus TriFactor. Sooth
your Pet with Slippery Elm Long-term
intestinal problems are often helped by giving pets
Slippery Elm Tincture. Dilute 20 drops of the tincture in a one-ounce bottled
filled with spring water. Give cats and dogs under 15 pounds a
dropperful three times a day. Pets 15 to 50 pounds can have two
dropperfuls and larger pets can take three dropperfuls. It is best
to give slippery elm about 20 minutes before meals and again at
bedtime. It is best to use tinctures that are alcohol-free because
alcohol may be harmful for cats.
Additional Recommended
Product:
Digestive
Support
- Maintains healthy digestive
functioning
- Soothes gastric mucus membranes
- Maintains health energy levels and
general well-being
- Supports routine absorption of
nutrition
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