# Problems with Raw Diet for Dog with IBD...Help!!



## kateh8888 (Aug 9, 2011)

Hi all,

I'm sorry if this is long winded!!

To cut a long story short, my boy has been diagnoised with IBD after extensive tests. Before this, he was very fussy with food and suffered badly with diarrhea. He was on Steriods for 8 weeks. Whilst on them we put him on a raw diet. He ate so well and couldn't get enough of the stuff (r2g minces).

He has been off the steroids for over two weeks now. He has solid poo, no sickness (touch wood!) and seems happy in himself (playing, asking for walks).

The problem is though that he has gone back to be very fussy! He shows no interest in the r2g mince. He has some interest in lamb bones and liver treats.

I REALLY don't want to put him back on the medication. My guess is that he may be slightly inflammed? 

Here's my questions:

Does anyone know of a 'natural' inflammatory?
Am I being impatient in regards to his stomach working by itself since coming off the steroids?

any advice would be really appreciated.

Thanks!!


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## LexiLou2 (Mar 15, 2011)

My girl has IBS and we have tried a few things to help.

Dorwest Tree Bark powder really helped, I got a 200g tub and fed with every meal (half a tea spoon per meal, two meals a day) until the whole tub had gone (about 8 weeks) now i just keep a small tub in for when she has flair ups.

She has a teaspoon of pro biotic yogurt every day with her tea.

We went to Holland and Barratt and explained IBS they gave us some Aloe Vera liquid which is good at soothing her bowl.

Most importantly do you know what he reacts to? Lexi reacts to cereals, all cereals so she is raw fed and can have very very few commercial treats, she has dried tripe sticks and some treats I found that are chicken and sweet potato.

Lexi also has raw blended veg with every meal....but in particular sweet potato as I was told it helps their digestive system and it seems to make a difference.

Lexi is 2 and half she started having issues at 6 months and we finally got her sorted about 6 months ago.


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## Goblin (Jun 21, 2011)

Can't help but could you just clarify. I know you've been "living" this and know the abbreviations. As a grunt, is IBD, Inflammatory Bowel Disease ?


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## Mum2Heidi (Feb 17, 2010)

Bionic Biotics from Pooch and Mutt was our godsend.


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## Sled dog hotel (Aug 11, 2010)

kateh8888 said:


> Hi all,
> 
> I'm sorry if this is long winded!!
> 
> ...


Cant really add anything to the above excellent info, but Steroids themselves
would cause him to eat. Steroids act as an antiinflammatory, but they also stimulate hunger and thirst as a side effect, and dogs tend to pee at lot more too on them, another side effect. Mine are always ravenous when on steroids
and probably because of this she would have likely eaten anything and everything you may have given her.


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## kateh8888 (Aug 9, 2011)

LexiLou2 said:


> My girl has IBS and we have tried a few things to help.
> 
> Dorwest Tree Bark powder really helped, I got a 200g tub and fed with every meal (half a tea spoon per meal, two meals a day) until the whole tub had gone (about 8 weeks) now i just keep a small tub in for when she has flair ups.
> 
> ...


Thanks so much for the info. Did you have problems getting Lexi to eat? I will order some of each.

We don't know exactly, but we are guessing it is wheat. He doesn't have anything treats but homemade liver treats. He only eat raw.

Hope you don't mind me asking, but what exactly do you feed Lexi, still learning about raw! Thank you x



Goblin said:


> Can't help but could you just clarify. I know you've been "living" this and know the abbreviations. As a grunt, is IBD, Inflammatory Bowel Disease ?


Yes, Inflammatory Bowel Disease. Basically after every test under the sun, they had to group his symptoms under this. It seems it affects his colon the most.



Mum2Heidi said:


> Bionic Biotics from Pooch and Mutt was our godsend.


Thanks, I'll look into this.



Sled dog hotel said:


> Cant really add anything to the above excellent info, but Steroids themselves
> would cause him to eat. Steroids act as an antiinflammatory, but they also stimulate hunger and thirst as a side effect, and dogs tend to pee at lot more too on them, another side effect. Mine are always ravenous when on steroids
> and probably because of this she would have likely eaten anything and everything you may have given her.


I understand steroids would increase his appetite but he wouldn't eat dry biscuits whilst on them. We changed to raw and he loved it.

Part of me is convinced he associate foods with pain as when he is off the steroids he is inflammed.


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## Sparkle (Jan 28, 2010)

Could he be fussy because you've pandad to it when he was sick??? Just wondering as maybe it's a case of if he doesn't eat he waits until the next meal? 

I have a girl with colitis as a puppy, I put her on raw at 9 weeks no problem since unless she gets something she shouldn't. 

Slippery elm bark works wonders it coats their gut it's v v cheap.


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## 1290423 (Aug 11, 2011)

Did the vet reduce the steriods gradually?
And have you considered a good quality wet food?
As someone else has said it could be that perhaps the cereal content is aggrievating the IBD or even source of protien that makes up the bulk of his diet As you have said he seems to like the lamb - maybe you could tried naturediet Lamb -t'is a pretty good food .


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## sezra (May 20, 2011)

I can't give you any advice with the IBD but I also have a fussy dog! Daisy was on NI mince which she hoovered up daily and then suddenly refused to eat. She is on R2G minces at the moment and the change seems to have done the job. Until I tried them she was just on carcasses, chicken wings and lamb bones. NI is really expensive (although I can't fault the quality) but it could be worth changing her raw minces for a bit? Good luck and hope she feels better soon.


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## kateh8888 (Aug 9, 2011)

Sparkle said:


> Could he be fussy because you've pandad to it when he was sick??? Just wondering as maybe it's a case of if he doesn't eat he waits until the next meal?
> 
> I have a girl with colitis as a puppy, I put her on raw at 9 weeks no problem since unless she gets something she shouldn't.
> 
> Slippery elm bark works wonders it coats their gut it's v v cheap.


We thought that he could be because we fussed over him so now we put his food down for 15mins and ignore him, he will eat a little but not what he needs.

Slippery elm bark is on the list, thanks.



DT said:


> Did the vet reduce the steriods gradually?
> And have you considered a good quality wet food?
> As someone else has said it could be that perhaps the cereal content is aggrievating the IBD or even source of protien that makes up the bulk of his diet As you have said he seems to like the lamb - maybe you could tried naturediet Lamb -t'is a pretty good food .


Thanks for the advice, we would would like to see if we can have success with the raw first but we may try this later.


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## OllieBob (Nov 28, 2010)

Try very briefly flash frying which will make the meats smell stronger. Then reduce the timing until back to raw.

Bobby has collitis and has to have a grain and beef free food. I prefer to feed raw but unfortunately he now refuses all raw foods, after 4 days of absolutely no food, not even treats, I have to concede defeat for his healths sake.


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## Sleeping_Lion (Mar 19, 2009)

Can I just suggest a gentle transition to raw, lamb and liver are very rich, liver is quite high in vitamin A which can make them loose, it does with my two fed raw, so I cook it. It isn't the same for every dog, but having helped quite a few swap over, I've found the most successful route by far is to get them used to green tripe and chicken/turkey, these two ingredients form the basis for the diet of my dogs, along with lamb bones, fish, liver and a few other odds and sods. I'd be looking at introducing chicken and tripe over the next couple of weeks and seeing how they go, and building up slowly from there if it were my dog. I've just swapped a young pup over, and that's much easier (generally speaking) she's now a complete raw convert. I'm currently helping at least two people on here, as well as several others elsewhere in the *real* world (yes there is a world away from PF).

If you want my raw guide, please email me at [email protected] and I'll send it over for you to give you an idea of what I feed mine. It's based on the barf diet, and I do believe in blended veggies.

Just as an aside, I've heard that the tree bark powder is very good for dogs with IBD as well


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## LexiLou2 (Mar 15, 2011)

kateh8888 said:


> Thanks so much for the info. Did you have problems getting Lexi to eat? I will order some of each.
> 
> We don't know exactly, but we are guessing it is wheat. He doesn't have anything treats but homemade liver treats. He only eat raw.
> 
> ...


I never had any issues getting Lexi to eat, but I do find mixing things like probiotics in with her food helps, the odd raw egg etc. Bosley my rescue patterdale wouldn't eat raw but got him eating tripe and went from there.

A typical week's menu for my two is below but I took it really really slowly with Lexi one new protein source a week so it took about 8 weeks to have her eating a variety.

One thing to be aware of I tried bionic biotic as recommended by heidismum as I had heard some really good things about it, but the first ingrediant is cereals so if your boy is intollerant to wheat chances are that will react with his bowel.

I've typed my menu up before I'll just go find it and post again in a min.


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## LexiLou2 (Mar 15, 2011)

Menu

Monday am - DAF mince with blended veg
Monday pm - chicken breast (no bones) chunks with liver, blended veg and a tablespoon of probiotic yoghurt
Tuesday am - DAF minced tripe with blended veg
Tuesday pm - raw meaty bones with blended veg and a tablespoon of probiotic yoghurt
Wednesday am - DAF mince with blended veg
Wednesday pm - fishy meal
Thursday am - DAF minced tripe with blended veg
Thursday pm - chicken breast (no bones) chunks, blended veg and a tablespoon of probiotic yoghurt
Friday am - DAF mince with blended veg
Friday pm - raw meaty bones blended veg and a tablespoon of probiotic yoghurt
Saturday am - DAF mince with blended veg
Saturday pm - Daf minced tripe blended veg and a tablespoon of probiotic yoghurt
Sunday am - DAF mince with blended veg
Sunday pm - raw meaty bone blended veg and a tablespoon of probiotic yoghurt

With regards to bones, they have a mixture of chicken wings, chicken carcus, rabbit carcuss, duck necks, turkey necks, lamb bones. There is no pattern to what they have when, its whatever I get out of the freezer.

Their wednesday fishy meals are made up of half raw fish (salmon, mackrel, sprats etc) and half tinned tuna sardines etc

I give veg as mine appear to like it and it seems to help lexis stomach. in their veg it is all blended up they have spring greens, spinich, cucumber, apples, celery, sweet potatoes and carrots. I blend loads up and bag up into seperate potion size bags and freeze. They have a tablespoon each per meal. I also add cod liver oil to their veg mix, I add about half a bottle of cod liver oil to one large full mix bowl of veg. That seems to help Lexis dry skin.


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## kateh8888 (Aug 9, 2011)

LexiLou2 said:


> Menu
> 
> Monday am - DAF mince with blended veg
> Monday pm - chicken breast (no bones) chunks with liver, blended veg and a tablespoon of probiotic yoghurt
> ...


Thanks so much for this. I really appreciate it. Is the sweet potato raw?

He is eating a little bit of chicken but turned his nose up as fresh meaty lamb bones this morning.


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## guyblaskey (Nov 26, 2007)

As "mum2heidi" has said, Bionic Biotic is great for this.

More info can be found at Probiotic for Dogs | Dog digestion / skin + coat supplement | Pooch and Mutt

Or feel free to email me - [email protected]

Thanks

Guy


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## LexiLou2 (Mar 15, 2011)

guyblaskey said:


> As "mum2heidi" has said, Bionic Biotic is great for this.
> 
> More info can be found at Probiotic for Dogs | Dog digestion / skin + coat supplement | Pooch and Mutt
> 
> ...


Its not if your dog is allergic to cereals like mine is....the OP thinks the her dog's IBD is triggered by cereals so bionic biotic won't be any good.

And to answer OP's question yes I give raw sweet potato (no skin) just blended up.


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## alive555 (Oct 10, 2011)

Hello fellow pet lovers

Actually i think i am somewhat of an unfortunate expert in IBD .

Not because i have any medical background but because my dog suffered from the really badly for 1st 6 years of his life. 

Thats a long time and that a lot of trying and failing with different things

Now hes nearly 8 and his health is almost 100%.

and it was all to do with food.

this is my experience ;- 

definitely chicken is not a good food for ibd. 
neither is any beef
fish is ok
never give any snack they are so bad u wont believe
never feed any bones
u ned the dog to make small baby steps to recover his stomach balance, and to get the balance u need a really good strict diet.

by far and away the best food to give is dry dog food. dont tell me why but i tried every brand and every type out there. but it became so clear to me that the quality of the food is the only thing that matters.

do not revert to home cooking. that helps a bit but basically u cant beat good dog food. no home made recipies ever really worked for me and we tried a huge number .

so id def stick to real dog food.

prob ur vet will prescribe special canned dog food - low in protein . that stuff is fine for a short while but u need a better quality food for long term ibd management

without going into all the dog brands i found 1 which really worked. and surprise surprise it was the most expensive. if u love you dog feed him the best food you can afford. this is absolutely the best advise i can give.

Earthborn Holistic Pet Food

buy it steal it, whatever. if u cant get this try to find another similar brand.

i cant guarantee it will work for your dog but it really worked for mine. in fact since fed this food never been back to the vet.

good luck, and ps. no i have no affiliation with the above company.

if anyone needs help pls email me.


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