[Jack B]

OK, so our terrier mix (Mojo) was diagnosed with IBD (the most common type) a couple of weeks ago, after getting the endoscope. Dr. put him on Prednisone 2X a say first week and almost immediately his poop got better…firm stools, no more blood or loose stools and now he just poops a normal amount of times per day. On week 2, he told us to move down to just one Prednisone per day. And we are nearing the end of week 2.

He is still VERY thin….how long does it take to put weight back on and should i increase his food intake or supplement it with something to help him gain weight?

What will happen next? Will he have to stay on Prednisone for a while? Thanks in advance.

[Jack B]

forgot to add he is currently getting “Honest Kitchen – Freeze Dried beef food called “Love”.
Dehydrated Grain Free Beef

[Anonymous]

I would ask your vet for a referral to a specialist or call the veterinary school in your area. What is causing the IBS, allergies?
Prednisone is a steroid, good for short term to get things under control, then taper off. Not good for long term, bad side effects and other health issues could occur.
Best to get to the root of the problem, now.

I would keep his diet simple, feed him as usual (twice a day) or whatever your vet is recommending. You don’t want rapid weight gain.

[Jack B]

How do you find out what is causing the IBD?

How long is it safe to remain on Prednisone?

[Anonymous]

PS: Look at Nutrisca (no grains or potato) or what Wysong has to offer, they have a prescription food your vet might approve of.

[Dixie W]

I would be very careful with long term Prednisone. My Boston terrier has developed Cushing’s Syndrome. He was on and off Prednisone for a jaw problem . Whether the steroids aided in him getting Cushing’s we don’t know but with long time use this can develop. I agree with the simple diet and maybe add some probiotics to help with digestion. My dog loves Kefier’s and it is loaded with them. He licks it up. No more bowel problems.
Hope your Mojo does better.

[Jack B]

His current diet has no grains or potatoe, but his system was already inflamed before we switched to it. I guess we won’t know if his current food works for him until we weed him off the Prednisone and see if the issues return?

[Anonymous]

Regarding the Prednisone, it is perfectly safe for a young dog that is healthy otherwise.
Go by the way your vet prescribed it, 10 days? 2 weeks? I am just saying it is a necessary but temporary solution. Sometimes the dog will stabilize after a trial, then if the symptoms return…. That’s why I think it’s worth going to a specialist, they can advise about diet too.
What state are you located in?

[Jack B]

We are in Georgia, near Atlanta.

We went to a VET Clinic that specialized in this stuff (Blue Pearl).
He said for now to keep him on his same diet.

[Anonymous]

Sounds good, I just wanted to make sure that you are seeing an internal medicine specialist.
Hope the IBS is acute vs chronic. Wait and see if he stabilizes.

The University of Georgia Veterinary School is out your way, if you ever need a second opinion.

[Susan]

Hi, when you see the vet again ask for a copy of the Endoscope & Biopsies report to keep at home, it will tell you everything that they found & what type of IBD your dog has, it was probably Lymphocytic-Plasmacytic or Eosinophilic IBD…….sometimes there’s no real answers to why people & dogs get IBD, it can be caused from sensitivities to foods, proteins, gluten etc, irritating the bowel/stomach…was he eating the Honest Kitchen Love before he had the Endoscope?
Honest Kitchen is excellent for dogs with Stomach & Bowel problems being grain & gluten free, the Zeal is also good cause its lower in fat…
My boy has Moderate to Chronic Lymphocytic Gastritis which is a very rare form of IBD in dogs & humans… sounds like your vet knows what he is doing but normally they are kept on the Prednisone for 1-2 months so the inflammation has time to heal, reducing the prednisone down slowly then you give 1 prednisone tablet every other day so all up around 2 months on the prednisone……
With the weight it takes time, in about 1 month you’ll see him start to fill out, also I’ve posted a calorie calculator too work out how many calories he should be having a day, maybe feed just that bit extra then when you have him on his proper weight, go back to his daily calorie intake… keep a diary on what foods are in the “Honest Kitchen Love” so you will know what foods he’s OK with, then when he is stable & only when he is stable drug free & has been doing really well for 3 months, then you can introduce a new food or maybe a cooked meal or a wet tin food, say for breakfast but still give him his HK love for dinner…Now I have found what my boy can eat, I just rotate the foods I know he’s OK with, so he has something else for breakfast & something different for dinner…..
If you can stay away from kibbles…Kibbles are no good for dogs with bowel & stomach problems, the bowel & stomach have too work harder to digest the hard processed kibble…I weight my boy weekly at the pet store to make sure he’s staying between 17-18kilos as his weight can drop very quickly..
http://www.german-shepherd-lore.com/dog-food-calculator.html

[Jack B]

Yes, Mojo has Lymphocytic-Plasmacytic type of IBD.

The Dr. just said today for the 3rd week, he wants us to give him one prednisone every other day.

Hopefully he’ll start putting weight back on soon. His normal weight was 16 pounds and he’s currently at 12. He seems to be pooping less and it’s definitely more solid, so his body must be absorbing the food better.

Question….is it safe to resume normal activities with him yet? Like long walks and running and playing with other dogs?

[Anonymous]

I would think long walks would be fine. I might avoid anything too strenuous like running for now. He may be feeling a little run down due to the weight loss and all.
I avoid dog parks, havens for germs and diseases like parvo, imo. When your immune system isn’t up to par, you are more vulnerable to pick up things.

Found a nice article about IBD at Doctors Foster and Smith Pet Education, when I try to post the link my comment gets deleted.

[Anonymous]

Hi Jack- I’m sorry about your Mojo. IBD is no fun. What’s next? That depends on a lot of things, but with the right care there is hope for a good quality of life.

My boy was diagnosed with lymphoplasmacytic IBD of his small intestine and colon via endoscopy with biopsy almost a year and a half ago. He was only a year and a half old and his symptoms started when he was 4-5 months old.

One thing our internal medicine specialist stressed to us from the beginning is that IBD is a lifelong autoimmune disease and while it can be managed, it cannot (yet) be cured. Even if you get Mojo into remission, he may continue to be very sensitive and flares may happen. So be prepared for a few ups and downs.

At this point, I would do as your specialist recommends with regard to diet and supplements. The use of probiotics in this disease is common and can be beneficial, but again, ask your specialist for a recommendation. The best diet is the diet on which your dog has the fewest symptoms, maintains good body condition and energy, and needs the least amount of medication. Sometimes it takes a few tries to find the right combination of everything. It takes patience and time and everyone in your dog’s life needs to strictly follow the plan.

With regard to Mojo’s weight, some dogs can take a month or more to regain after starting prednisone.

There is a yahoo group called ibdogs which is especially for people with dogs with confirmed IBD. There are a lot of caring people with lots of experience in the group and its worth a look if only to get a real sense of what this disease entails. You have to apply for membership by completing a short questionnaire.

Take care and good luck.

[Author]

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