| Subject: Re: Update-Help, blood in vomit and BM |
Author:
Lee York
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Date Posted: 06:36:21 02/18/06 Sat
In reply to:
Katie
's message, "Update-Help, blood in vomit and BM" on 18:34:32 02/17/06 Fri
No I'm not a vet or breeder, I'm a CC owner and Crest-Care rep., but I do have a dog with IBS and another with idiopathic epilepsy. I've done my research on both these health problems in an effort to do what's best for my dogs and to give them the quality of life they deserve.
I don't know who your dog's breeder is, but there's absolutely no reason why you can't give a CC a beef based diet. That's just total BS. Cresties are just like people, what works for one may not work for another whether that be food related, skin care related, or whatever....they are individuals.
Your dog (or you) can develop allergies at any point in their lives. You may have been feeding the same food for 10 yrs and then suddenly the dog is allergic...there's nothing you can do about it except eliminate the offending allergen. You must also keep in mind that many dog food companies change their food ingredients without ever warning the public. Many times they come out with their "new & improved" product and it reeks havoc with the dogs. Wellness' "new & improved" product line is a prime example of this.
As for what to do if he does have IBS, the only thing you can do short of spending a couple of thousand for an endoscopy to get a confirmed diagnosis of IBS, if confirmed the vet will most likely want to put your dog on steroids for the remainder of it's life and the steroids may significantly reduce your dog's life span as they are very hard on the kidneys/liver (not to mention the blood work you will have to have done every 6 months or so to check kidney/liver functions), so what you do is try to find the offending product and the only way to do that is by process of elimination.
Does the food you feed contain real chicken or is it chicken by-products? Is the food you're feeding full of grains and other crap fillers? Does the food contain BHA or BHT, Menadione (known cancer-causing agents and can be toxic to the internal organs)? What food are you feeding, is it one you can get a grocery store or is it a premium food (and by premium I do not mean Iams, Science Diet, Eukanuba, Pedigree, or any Purina product)? What treats are you giving and what are their ingredients? Many times baby food meat products contain onion or onion powder, if what your feeding has this, eliminate it now as onions are toxic to dogs. Instead of baby food, boil up some chicken breast & feed it, along with the broth (strain the fat off first) & rice. I, personally, would eliminate the chicken all together and go with boiled hamburger/rice. My IBS dog has been on this diet for close to two years now and he's doing fabulous on it. He has not had a full blown IBS episode since I started this diet. I buy a farm grade ground beef and get 50 lbs for $21. It comes in 10 lb logs, I cook up the entire thing and freeze it until I need it.
Has your vet done a full blood panel work up? If so, what were the results? Did it show any type of infectious or inflammation process going on? Have you taken your dog to see a vet specialist, specifically one who concentrates on internal medicine?
The best way to attempt to find an offending allergen is to eliminate everything. You pick one food (and you'll need to look for an allergy or sensitive stomach product) and feed it solely. No additional treats of any kind. Do this for 2 weeks and if he's doing okay, add one product such as his favorite treat. If after 2 weeks he's still okay, eliminate the first treat & start with the next favorite treat. Do this for 2 weeks and if no problems, eliminate and go to the next. The only way to find the problem is to know EXACTLY what your dog is ingesting. Keep a journal of the food intake and note any oddities or reactions. It's a long, drawn out process, but if it enables you determine the problem, it'll all be worth it.
Lee York
Co-Coordinator, District 9
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