Collitis

[Guest]

About 4 months ago my otherwise healthy 2 year old cross breed started with a deposit which had a small amount of 'fresh' blood in it. It quickly manifested into deposits of jelly-like substance with small flecks of blood, his urgency also increased but the volume dwindled. He was otherwise fine. Was not off his food, continued playing and wanting walks. At first I just stopped his food, thinking that it would clear up within 12 hours. This did not happen, so a trip to the vets was in order. The vet diagnosed him straight away with Collitis after I described all of his symptoms. So off we went home with a jar or "Scourban" and a syringe with instructions to give him 7 mls daily for 5 days and introduce a bland diet of boiled chicken and rice until he was well enough to be introduced his normal diet. 5 days later he was as right as rain with stools back to firm and bloodless.

Having not having any experience with dogs having collitis I asked the vet if this would be a re-occurring illness? To which she replied "NO". I couldn't understand how he had managed to 'pick it up' as I am diligent about what he picks up while we are out walking, but I had been using some very rich treats in training sessions and the sessions had been many over the last few weeks, so I could only surmise that the treats caused the upset.

Today, while out on our walk, as usual he did his business and while picking it up to dispense of it and though it was well formed the last part was jelly like with small flecks of blood in it. It is starting as it did the last time. I will be going to the vet if he starts to deteriorate. I guess what I want to know is ; Is collitis a re-occuring illness that has to be managed or it there something that I can do to prevent him getting it again.

His diet is not over rich, in fact I make sure it is as natural as possible with no preservatives whatsoever. I now make my own treats by using a dehydrator to dry his chicken treats.

Any comments?

[TangerineDream]

Can be triggered by stress - both yours or the dog's (Tango used to get it when he went to holiday camp, but he doesn't get stressed if I leave him there now - so problem has gone) or could be a mild case of pancreatitis....check the fat levels of what you are feeding......Cadence (previous GSP) used to be fine so long as his food had 8% fat or below...anything over that and he'd start off with the same symptoms as colitis and I'd have to cycle back through rice and yoghurt, and then rice, boiled chicken and yoghurt......till I got him back onto his 'normal diet' (Supercoat was about the right % of fat iirc)......

[AmandaJ]

Because colitis causes damage to the gut and intestine you need to treat and strenghten them too. Colitis also reduces the enzymes in the gut necessary to breakdown the food preventing the dog from getting all it can from the food you feed. One of the problems with some diets is that the dog does not get all the nutrients is needs in the quantities it needs but as kibble becomes one of the "irritating" factors of colitis being able to break down the kibble better helps the dog aquire the nutrients better. I'd be using bovine colostrum in the food - it is proven to aid in gut repair (along with other benefits - athletes have been using the stuff for years) and proteolytic enzyme replacers to help breakdown the food. You can buy a commercial replacer (Enzyplex) or use fresh pineapple or papaya.

Good luck

[sas]

MSM is registered for use of Colitis.

You can but it in bulk on ebay:

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/1-Kgs-MSM-99-9-pure...=item1c183c3e45

Might be something you might like to consider in addition to what your Vet suggests.