Inflammatory Bowel Disease in Dogs and Cats

Treating Inflammatory Bowel Disease in your Dog or Cat – Also Known as IBD or IBS
© by Bree Weasner, PreciousPets.org LLC

Your dog or cat has probably eaten something that they shouldn’t have on more than one occasion, which is why it is pretty commonplace for pets to vomit or have diarrhea. But pet owner beware, if your dog or cat is vomiting or has diarrhea for weeks or months at a time, they could have inflammatory bowel disease, a serious digestive problem that requires immediate attention.

The root cause of inflammatory bowel disease (sometimes referred to as IBD) in pets isn’t exactly known, but veterinarians believe it occurs when the immune system erroneously attacks tissues in the digestive tract. Problems with the pancreas, food allergies and even hairballs may contribute to IBD.

Traditional treatments for inflammatory bowel disease in pets includes medication like steroids and antibiotics, which can do more harm than good both in the short and long term. Holistic veterinarians choose to take a more natural approach; treating the disease by strengthening the immune system and the body’s digestive and regulatory organs such as the liver and pancreas.

What are the signs of Inflammatory Bowel Disease?

• Your cat is vomiting a great deal, more than “normal”
• Chronic diarrhea
• Blood in your pet’s stools
• Pet has weight loss and any of the other symptoms above

What can you do?

It is believed that IBD occurs because the pancreas is working harder than it should, so giving your dog or cat a supplement or probiotic such as MSE Natural Defense is a great way to help your pet’s pancreas work more smoothly and efficiently.

What is MSE Natural Defense?

MSE Natural Defense is a digestive enzyme aid (probiotic) that is given to pets that experience stress on a daily basis, as well as to control litter box odors like ammonia. MSE Natural defense is purified and formulated to be palatable to your pet, can be mixed into food and given to animals with allergies. It works to control diarrhea and loose stools, which can be a symptom of EPI (Exocrine Pandreatic Insufficiency) or IBS. In addition to helping digestive issues, MSE Natural Defense controls symptoms of upper respiratory diseases, controlling the illness and preventing it from traveling to healthy pets in the home.

Change of Diet

Many pets are sensitive to the low quality ingredients in commercial pet food, and so the best thing to do is to switch to a high-quality, natural food. Foods like Life’s Abundance work wonderfully to improve your pets IBD symptoms and overall wellness.

Yogurt- Yes, Yogurt!

Controlling bacteria with yogurt is an easy and inexpensive way to restore acidic balance in the digestive system. Give your dog or cat 1-3 teaspoons of live-culture yogurt once a day to replenish the body with good bacteria. In addition to giving yogurt, you can give your pet Lactobacillus Acidophilus, a supplement that contains the same organisms as yogurt. For pets less than 20 pounds, use ¼ of the human dosage, pets 21-50 pounds, use ½ the human dose, pets over 50 pounds, use the full, recommended human dose. Live-culture yogurt is beneficial to your pet, but should be used in addition to probiotics to receive the full benefits.

Water

Tap water contains chlorine, which kills beneficial bacteria in the intestines. Giving your pet filtered spring water will help to combat intestinal issues.

Milk Thistle

The liver is an important part of digestive regulation as it produces large amount of metabolic enzymes. Help your pet’s liver work better by giving him/her milk thistle once a day, as it may help the liver to generate new, healthy cells.

Glutamine Supplements

Supplements containing glutamine help to regenerate the intestinal wall, which can become damaged due to inflammatory bowel disease. 500 milligrams of L-Glutamine twice a day will help the symptoms of IBD.

Toxin Absorption

You may be able to help your pet stop vomiting and experiencing diarrhea by giving them absorption clay like betonite. Betonite can absorb up to 2000 times their weight in toxins! Scour-aid also works to control diarrhea in pets regardless if it is viral, bacterial or protozoan. It should be used with MSE Natural Defense for best results, as this will address the root of the problem, which often is stress-based.

Homeopathy

Homeopathy works, and remedies like Nux Vomica and Arsenicum work to stop diarrhea and vomiting. Using spring water, follow the instruction on the package to treat your pet. If you notice that your pet is still having issues, see your vet.

Herb-Boosting Remedies

Herbs like Echinacea strengthen the immune system, and Goldenseal (a natural antibiotic) controls harmful bacteria in the gut. We recommend TF Pets and Transfer Factor Plus Tri-Factor for best results.

Slippery Elm

Digestive Support Products like Slippery Elm work to help long-term intestinal problems. These benefits include healthy digestive functioning, soothing gastric membranes, improved energy levels, and overall wellness along with healthy routine absorption of nutrition. Look for our Buy 2, Get 1 Free Special on Digestive Support.