Inflammatory Bowel Disease In Dogs – A Common Health Problem 

IBD in dogs has several causes, including processed foods and pesticides. See how an integrative approach to treatment helps resolve this condition.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in dogs is increasingly common. Chronic inflammation in the small intestine is the hallmark, but the stomach (gastritis) or colon (colitis) may also show inflammation and symptoms. Take an in-depth look at the causes and symptoms of IBD, and how it can be treated — even resolved — with an integrative medicine approach. 

Symptoms are many and varied

Many different symptoms can occur with IBD conditions, including:

• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Mucous or blood in the stool
• Dark or black-colored stools
• Poor appetite
• Weight loss
• Excess flatulence

Upper GI signs that demonstrate reflux and indigestion encompass:

• Excessive burping or belching
• Loud stomach noise
• Excessive grass eating
• Lip-smacking
• Hard swallowing
• Drooling
• Gagging or throat retching
• Excessive panting for no apparent reason

Flag it: Other common and frustrating conditions that occur in association with IBD include food intolerance or food allergy issues.

Acute vs. chronic GI issues 

It helps to make a distinction between short term or acute GI symptoms vs long term or chronic GI issues. Short-term episodes of symptoms, such as diarrhea, vomiting, grass eating, and loud stomach noise, can occur throughout a dog’s life. These symptoms can have many different causes.

Acute GI issues 

The dog commonly causes acute issues by eating something unsuitable or that’s not part of his typical diet (veterinarians call this dietary indiscretion). They may also occur with the consumption of contaminated food or could be caused by GI parasites such as Giardia. 

Acute issues of dietary indiscretion often resolve within 24 to 48 hours, but may require medical attention, depending on the severity of symptoms. 

In an acute situation, inflammation can affect the stomach or intestinal lining (mucosal layer). This happens as the body responds to something foreign, dangerous, or toxic. With the proper response from the body and removal of the offending agent, the body can heal and resolve the temporary inflammation.

Chronic GI issues 

Chronic gastrointestinal issues include consistent or intermittent symptoms that last for months or even years. Persistent inflammation in the GI tract leads to greater dysfunction in the digestive and immune systems. 

Flag it: Because 80% of the immune system is in the gut, IBD can eventually lead to other immune-mediated conditions. 

 

From a conventional or Western medicine perspective, IBD is seen as an autoimmune condition. This describes a state in which the body is stuck in a cycle of persistent inflammation, and the triggered immune responses that result from the inflammation. 

The body’s defense mechanisms create antibodies to handle the situation, which ultimately leads to the antibodies attacking the body’s own tissues.

What causes IBD in dogs?

IBD is a vague term because it only refers to chronic inflammation in the gut. It doesn’t reveal the cause of the inflammation. Even a biopsy of the intestines typically doesn’t identify the actual cause; it only confirms inflammation and shows the types of cells involved.

Multiple causes lead to chronic GI inflammation, aka IBD:

1. Parasites and infections can play a role. 
2. Many prescription medications, such as antibiotics, antacids, and pain medications, damage the gut lining.
3. Heavily processed diets prepared with high-heat methods inflame the body, specifically the gut. Most processed foods also contain toxic and inflammatory preservatives. 
4. Pesticides and herbicides such as glyphosate (the main chemical found in Round-Up) are heavily sprayed on crops included as ingredients in many dog foods. Experts recognize glyphosate as a cause of significant GI inflammation and “leaky gut.”

Flag it: This concern also applies to grain-free diets, since the highest glyphosate-containing foods include oats, lentils, peas, chickpeas, and potatoes, followed by wheat, corn and soy. 

An integrative approach can treat and resolve IBD 

As complex as this all sounds, IBD is treatable and even resolvable when approached from an integrative perspective. Results won’t occur overnight, but sensible steps, including dietary strategies and specific supplements or herbs, can lead to dramatic improvements and even full resolution.

Flag it: As always, it’s important to work under the guidance of an integrative veterinarian when treating IBD in your dog. 

Dietary considerations for IBD in dogs 

Prescription diets typically contain hydrolyzed protein (HP) ingredients. Hydrolyzed proteins are chemically processed into very small molecular sizes that are easily absorbed by the gut without causing an immune or inflammatory response or food reactivity. 

This can be a helpful strategy at first, to bring down inflammation and allow food to properly absorb. 

However, HP diets are made with ingredients that aren’t optimal or species-appropriate for dogs, and are also heavily processed. Therefore, I like to view these prescription diets as a temporary solution only. 

Addressing the root cause of the problem is important, and once the dog’s GI system is better supported, you can work toward dietary changes. 

I like to promote fresh food diets and/or low processed foods such as dehydrated, air-dried, or freeze-dried options. Gently cooked diets are a better choice than fresh raw foods during the active phases of IBD, but dehydrated and freeze-dried foods often work well too. 

Flag it: Diets with free-range and organic ingredients help avoid toxins that contribute to GI issues.  

Supplements that address IBD

Many types of supplements are helpful for addressing IBD and improving digestive health. 

• I suggest starting with products that help soothe and heal the GI tract and reduce inflammation. Herbals that contain ingredients like slippery elm, marshmallow root and licorice root are useful.  
• If diarrhea is a significant symptom, natural clay products can be very helpful, and often outperform prescription diarrhea medication. 
• Probiotics provide gut health benefits — S. Boulardii (or Saccharomyces Boulardii) is a good choice for supporting balanced microbiome health and improving stool quality. 

• Next, I like to add a digestive enzyme product that contains amylase, lipase and protease – these help break down the foods your dog eats into tiny particles that are absorbed better in the gut, reducing GI inflammation. 

I favor products that also include betaine HCL (for supporting stomach acidity), and pepsin enzyme (for supporting protein breakdown in the stomach), which means foods are better prepared for absorption when they enter the small intestine. 

• Sealing the gut barrier and preventing leaky gut is an important strategy. Natural products with soil-derived humic substances effectively address the root healing mechanisms needed to avoid chronic GI inflammation.

• They also provide a healthy terrain for the microbiome, and support the body to resolve chronic inflammatory bowel disorders such as IBD.

If your dog has IBD, it doesn’t mean he’s destined for a lifetime of digestive issues and discomfort. Nor does it mean he’ll need to rely on permanent prescription medications. Consult with an integrative vet to develop a treatment plan for inflammatory bowel disease in dogs, and support your best friend on the track back to good health. 

The post Inflammatory bowel disease in dogs – a common health problem  appeared first on Animal Wellness Magazine.