Inflammatory Bowel Disease....help
Submitted by shirleysmama on October 25, 2010 - 10:53amGood morning,
My bully is 3 years old. She was perfectly healthy until a few months ago. She had pancreatitis in June. My vet was not sure how she got pancreatitis because I keep her on a strict diet, no people food. Since she had pancreatitis she has vomitted (more like spit up) brown liquid just about DAILY. I have been back to the vet several times. They tried Reglan, pepcid, and diet changes. It cut down on the vomitting somewhat but not totally. I took her back Saturday and they want to do an endoscopy to see if its IBD. Does anyone know anything about this? I am so heartbroken. I keep researching and it is making me even more upset. Everything I read links symptoms with IBD to tumors, ulcers, kidney disease, liver disease. I can't even read it anymore. Some articles I read say to treat with meds (prednisone) and others say to scope her first. Is this related to the pancreatitis? Could it be something more serious?
I appreciate ANY advice or information. Also, I live about a half hour north of Baltimore. I am not 100% confident in my vet and would like another opinion. My vet seems too laid back about everything and doesn't answer my questions. I checked the bulldog vet list on this website. I went to the one in Baltimore and I wasn't crazy about him either. Does anyone recommend a vet in MD, DE, PA, NJ or the nearby area that you absolutely love and trust?? I'd love to see someone that I know is great with bulldogs.
Thank you so much,
Mallory
I have a cat with IBD but not a dog so I don't know if they will
be treated the same. We started with the Metronidazole and Pred combo and slowly weaned him off. He takes Metronidazole for his flare ups and I have a prescription for a year with unlimited refills. He also gets Pred when he flares because it seems to be the only thing that helps him with the inflamation etc. He can have NOTHING but his cat food and it's measured very carefully. So far after 2 years of battles, we have him "controlled" but we do zero shots on him now because if he stresses, he flares, he eats something different, he flares...it can be a nightmare. He drops weight rapidly during a flare and then takes a lot of time to put it back on.
Good luck with your kid. It can be controlled but it does take a while to get there.
Sorry to hear this
but I think you are on the right track by finding another vet for a second if necessary third opion.
I do hope your baby feels better soon.
Jo Ann
So sorry to hear
Our beloved Weimaraner suffered with it for almost his whole life. We got him as a pup and was diagnosed shortly after. We had lots of ups and downs and TONS of vet bills. He was on Prednisone for many years. We got to know when he would flare then increase his dose. We got him down to 10 mg. every other day and he did well on that dose. We had to do liver enzyme checks every year also. It is something that you can manage through diet and medications. I also would get another opinion for piece of mind. Good luck to you and your baby.....
It sounds hard to deal with...
I have read so many bad things about long term use of prednisone. I hate to have her on that. This stinks I tell ya! I am just so confused because, like you said, yours was diagnosed as a pup. She is 3 years old and up until 6 months ago when she had pancreatitis was totally healthy. No stomach issues at all. Why now? Now it makes me wonder if this caused the pancreatitis rather than the other way around. It just doesn't make sense that this happened so suddenly. I am planning on a second opinion just in case. Thanks for the kind words.
I would get the second opinion especially with the sudden
onset. Bubba (our cat) was diagnosed as a young cat. It's not horrible or hard to deal with, it just takes patience and time (along with some money) to get them to a place where you can control it. If you get a second opinion and they recommend the endoscopy, I would do it. They can do a sample and check for lympocytes. Also an x-ray is not out of the question to rule out tumors etc. The scariest part for me was waiting for the results to see if it was cancerous or not. Usually, not always, bloodwork and urine come back clean on an animal with IBD so it's hard to get a definite just from that. Also as silly as it sounds, get a fecal done and check for coccidia and giardia as well as worms and parasites just to be on the safe side.
Good luck....
Awww Shirley!
Poor babygirl! I have no experience with this, but I sure hope you get some answers.
Cathy and Audrey
I have heard of dogs having diarrhea from IBD but not vomitting
If she is vomitting, seems to me that the bowels are not involved.
When does she vomit, before/after a meal, first thing in the morning, etc.,etc.?
Hope your vet can find the answer, poor girl.
Lynn King CPDT-KA
They can if the upper small intestine is inflamed, IBD
can cause upset in the entire gastric tract, not just lower gastric. My cat vomits as well.
It not like a heaving vomit....
its more like regurgitation. she doesnt move and it comes up. everything i read abut IBD talks about vomitting. she has no pooping problems at all. i was reading more last night and with regurgitation it always refers to cancers, tumors, liver disease, and kidney disease. this scares me so much. she shouldnt be going through this at three
That's what Bubba does. It has something to do with the
acids moving around. Poor baby. ;( Good luck at the Vet, keep us posted. You CAN control it, if that is what it is and they can lead long, happy and semi-healthy lives under control.
Have you tried Dr. Molesworth
Have you tried Dr. Molesworth in Reisterstown?
Robin
Haven't heard of him...
I just took her to Valley Animal Hospital in Reisterstown though
If you need more help, Dr.
If you need more help, Dr. Molesworth is an excellent Bulldog Vet & has many Bulldog clients
Main Street Veterinary Hospital, 11617 Reisterstown, Road, 410-526-7500
Robin
How is your Bulldog?
Did you get your dog's issues resolved? I am entering into a simular situation just at the beginning of the figuring out what is wrong with my bulldog.
He has been vomiting, bloodwork showed elevated Liver Ezymes and hit white count, Xray shows thickening areas on the intestines and Liver. Thinking it might be Inflamatory Bowel disease but not diagnosis yet. After a dose of anti-infection meds, he is back to bulldog'n bossyness but if I play with him too rough he gets super drooly. Tomorrow we have an Ultra sound with a internist. More as the story following, my bulldog is going to be 8 this year. He has been pretty healthy up until this point ignoring the first two years of his life. poor guy (disticia operations, Urethral Prolaspe and solf palate operations, and a bout of Patella Luxation).
Anyway, hoping you have found out what is wrong with your Baby!!!