Canine Colitis...Kassie

I'm just wondering if other chaz dogs go through something similar as Kassie. I'm really not looking for information on it, though any new info would always be appreciated. This is more a "need to share" post...it's not really a venting post since I'm not upset about it....I'm more like an "I'm emotionally and physically tried" post. LOL

Kassie has colitis, it come in bouts and usually only last about 2 to 3 days. But during those days life can be scary, hectic to name a few. I brought her to the vets today because of a flare up she has that started Saturday and has been sick since. I was up with her until 3am this morning trying to comfort her. She lays down a few minute then jumps up with a sudden urge to go potty...did that all night. Anyhow, she's back on sulfasalazine for the next 5 days with her boiled rice, hamburger and pumpkin.

She's already showing some signs of feeling better.

So, anyone else go through this with their dogs? What works best with your dogs?

Also, she had a full blood work panel done today also tested her for pancreatitis. The vet thinks that a cashew triggered her attack, one cashew that cost me a couple hundred dollars...lol

Saga has had it a couple times. Hers is onset by red meat and possibly very high protein. I had to take her off of Evo and cut red meat out. She is ok with the ocassional bully stick but can not be on a red meat based diet. She does extremely good on salmon though. We haven't had any stomach issues on it, and Miss Farty Pants is almost an abandoned nick name.

Bo's had it twice, but only once did we know what triggered it. He was hospitalized overnight last year, when I switched him to Diamond Naturals Lamb and Rice. Within 3-4 hours he was throwing up and having uncontrollably bloody, mucousy diarrhea. He spent the night and the next day at the vets, tons of bloodwork, and was diagnosed with colitis and sent home with meds.

He went thru another bout a few months later, and we think a rich can of EVO (not the whole can) that was mixed into his kibble caused it. Back at the vet, more bloodwork, diagnosed colitis and sent home with meds again.

So with Bo, we've learned not to mess with his food, LOL. Oddly enough he handles table food and treats just fine, and while training for Rally right now I am using turkey hot dogs for rewards and he's had no problems.

Bailey has Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), an autoimmune disease with flare ups that cause similar symptoms.

He's seen a specialist (is this something you've done with your dog? "Colitis" is a general term and it would be good to get a specific diagnosis). He's on daily meds. I homecook his food and add a bunch of gut-healing supplements (digestive enzymes and probiotics). I would LOVE to take him off the meds but can't seem to get his symptoms under control for more than a short period of time without them.

It's honestly rather stressful. I just want him to be healthy.

Kassie does well as long as she stays on her diet, if she gets something different, like the cashew she garbed, then her colitis gets set off. She's intolerant to chicken and some grains (not sure which so we avoid all except for rice). She doesn't need to be on a daily meds. I feel confident in my vets, the next step would be to do a colonoscopy with a biopsy but my vets don't feel it necessary since her diet has been working fine, and if it does flare then the sulfasalazine works well and fast.

What meds is your dog on? Poor fella, I can understand the stress. We don't go through it too often, Thank God, but when it does happen it's very scary and stressful.

I think one of our dogs might have it. She gets mucusy, bloody diarrhea flare ups a couple times a year. Former vet diagnosed it as stomach ulcers, however I don't trust his diagnoses as if it was stomach ulcers, the blood would be black and partially digested by the time it made its way out her butt. So, I think Pepper too has colitis. It can be very very scary.

I would bet as Kassie weighs like 3lbs. LOL I <3 you Kassie! Feel better soon and I will bring the poodles over for a play date!

Haha, yah! A friend of mine said that for her, eating a cashew, would be like us eating a watermelon...lol

We need to set up some play time. My BIL and family are arriving in 2 days and staying a week. After that I hope to have some free time...though grooming has become very busy. Crazy good, though. LOL

Didn't mean to push the diagnosis -- I trusted the wrong vets for too long and didn't address B's underlying issue (they kept treating the symptoms), so I get a little...presumptuous.

Bailey actually didn't have the endoscopy, either, so I don't technically have an IBD diagnosis. The internist didn't think it was necessary as long as we could control the symptoms medically (and the two general vets I've seen (good ones, not the other guys) have agreed).

Bailey is on metronidazole (Flagyl) daily. It's an antibiotic that also has anti-inflammatory properties. It works pretty well, actually, as long as I stick to it and the supplements. We're not at the stage of prednisone -- I would be much more concerned about that. As long as we can keep his symptoms controlled, he should be fine and live a normal doggie life (the disease isn't curable, so it's all about management).

I'm glad you seem to have Kassie's issues figured out. Hopefully she will steer clear of treats in the future!!