best4koda Posted June 10, 2012 Share Posted June 10, 2012 Hi, I have a GSD that has regularly presented with colitis symptoms and ends up on drugs each time. We usually get no warning and she has bleed each time as well. She is currently recovering from the last episode (Monday last week) and is still medicated. I have read some people have found slippery elm useful with stomach issues. I have two questions: 1. Can I add this to her food while still on the drugs....eg. does it affect drug absorption etc 2. Do you stir it into water first and let it turn into the jelly stuff and how much do you use. Any help would be appreciated. So which we could get her stable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staffyluv Posted June 10, 2012 Share Posted June 10, 2012 Perhaps a better idea is to reevaluate what you are feeding her.. I had to change my old Staffords diet to stop it recurring.. The only we had a recurrence was when a neighbour felt sorry for him and gave him a rissole over the fence nod day when he was home alone.. Low fat diets are best... There is a lot of info on DOL and the Internet for pancreatic diets for dogs. I do believe that the slippery elm is stirred into the dogs food each time but I can't help with dosages etc. Good luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
best4koda Posted June 10, 2012 Author Share Posted June 10, 2012 (edited) Valid point. But we have re-evaluated her diet and can't do much more with it. She only has the kibble we find that works (gluten free), chicken and turkey and roo which she seems fine with. She does not get any treat food, scraps, left overs, the kids don't feed her anthing and no food is left so she can get to it. The vets are at a loss with her at the moment. She's been on restricted diet since the first occurence a year ago. She was suspected of being an EPI dog but they ruled that out. Seems to be IBS related. Edited June 10, 2012 by best4koda Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staffyluv Posted June 10, 2012 Share Posted June 10, 2012 Sounds like you have it covered.. Robert McDowell is a holistic vet, look him up on google, send him what info you have and his team will work something out for your girl.. There are lots of people on DOL that use his services and highly recommend him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
best4koda Posted June 10, 2012 Author Share Posted June 10, 2012 Sounds like you have it covered.. Robert McDowell is a holistic vet, look him up on google, send him what info you have and his team will work something out for your girl.. There are lots of people on DOL that use his services and highly recommend him. Thanks for the name, I will look him up. We are in remote WA at the moment and our vet options are very limited. 2nd opinions are always good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allerzeit Posted June 10, 2012 Share Posted June 10, 2012 Robert McDowell's website is http://www.herbal-treatments.com/ :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staffyluv Posted June 10, 2012 Share Posted June 10, 2012 Thanks Allerzeit, I am on the iPad and links and stuff doesn't work.. McDowells post everywhere.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
best4koda Posted June 10, 2012 Author Share Posted June 10, 2012 Thanks Allerzeit, I am on the iPad and links and stuff doesn't work.. McDowells post everywhere.. Yep, I'd found it too and sent a message. He also has the amount and time frame for slippery Elm on his site too. Would love to know what is the real cause though. She was fine when little. It started at about 7-9months but at the time it coincided with a food change and we initially thought it was that. then from that point we were struggling to find a food that worked for her. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trifecta Posted June 10, 2012 Share Posted June 10, 2012 I use Slippery Elm from time to time, particularly in scouring foals, but I usually use the tincture. Just 5-10 drops usually does the trick. The tincture is the homoeopathic form - it stimulates the nerve endings in the stomach & intestines to secrete mucus. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
best4koda Posted June 10, 2012 Author Share Posted June 10, 2012 I use Slippery Elm from time to time, particularly in scouring foals, but I usually use the tincture. Just 5-10 drops usually does the trick. The tincture is the homoeopathic form - it stimulates the nerve endings in the stomach & intestines to secrete mucus. okay. haven't heard or seen that version of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erny Posted June 10, 2012 Share Posted June 10, 2012 Would love to know what is the real cause though. She was fine when little. It started at about 7-9months ... from that point we were struggling to find a food that worked for her. Same here, so I feel your pain. Regards the Slippery Elm - I use this as well and yes, from what I have read, it can and does affect absorption of medication, but I expect that's what you've already found out via Robert McDowell's site. I should've looked there myself too - think I'll pay a visit to see what additional interesting snippets I can find. I am not making a recommendation here and the results of what I found may purely be anecdotal, but I found that when I introduced Coconut Oil to Mandela's diet, his eating regime and results improved. Not fully to any "total success" level, but improved - as though it made his stomach more comfortable. I now give him the Slippery Elm and that may be assisting (hard to tell) but I stopped the Coconut Oil - things aren't too bad, but are going off the boil a bit, so I'm going to re-introduce the Coconut Oil to him and see what happens.' This is not to tell you of "Mandela's story" nor to hi-jack your thread, but to give you an account of what I do and have experienced in case there is something you might find of use for your dog. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
best4koda Posted June 10, 2012 Author Share Posted June 10, 2012 That's alright, you have to tell so much of the story to show what you mean or what the experience is and I'm all for that. It's frustrating to find what the real issue is and what works. You get that way you don't dare stray to far from what seems to work in fear of upsetting things again. I have read about coconut oil but had trouble buying it or really getting some good info regarding dogs and success with it. Yeah I found info that should feed meds with a 2hr gap from slippery elm. Trying to work out which way I will do it or if I will hang off till she's finished most of her meds when she goes down one tablet a day, then I can do one at either end of the day instead. I noticed on the herbal site he suggests once a day feeding as well, Koda seems to do better on 2 small feeds at the moment. So annoying being in remote WA at the moment with such a problem. 18months to go and we will be back somewhere where we can get products etc to assist Koda. I like to see products if possible first not just a photo online. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shepherds Posted June 10, 2012 Share Posted June 10, 2012 Howdy.... Ring Robert McDowell and ask to speak with Kate....she will run through with you all your dog's symptoms, when it all started, what you've done since, current medication etc etc.....then come up with a plan for you. They are brilliant...can highly recommend them. All the best with your girl and hope you get something sorted soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
best4koda Posted June 11, 2012 Author Share Posted June 11, 2012 Hi, my email was referred to Tracey. They have sent an action plan which I will try once the antibiotics stop and see how she responds to it. Fingers crossed we get some results. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
InspectorRex Posted June 11, 2012 Share Posted June 11, 2012 I take slippery elm bark capsules twice daily for my ulcerative colitis-recommended by a naturopath who is also a nurse. It helps keep the GI tract "healthy". If I run out and am unable to get them I soon notice the difference,eg tummy gurgles etc. Did use the slippery elm bark powder in the past when the dogs were recovering from gi issues and it did aid recovery,1 teaspoon on their meal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trinabean Posted June 12, 2012 Share Posted June 12, 2012 You sound like you've got it sorted now but I've found slippery elm very useful. My dog has had chronic colitis issues until recently. I've outlined a diet that is working for us in a thread here about a dog drinking more than usual. That may not be helpful for your dog though if diet isn't the cause. With slippery elm I mix about one teaspoon into about a tablespoon of natural yoghurt and blob in on top of the dog's food. I haven't had to use it lately but will always keep some on hand. Good luck with Koda. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
best4koda Posted June 12, 2012 Author Share Posted June 12, 2012 You sound like you've got it sorted now but I've found slippery elm very useful. My dog has had chronic colitis issues until recently. I've outlined a diet that is working for us in a thread here about a dog drinking more than usual. That may not be helpful for your dog though if diet isn't the cause. With slippery elm I mix about one teaspoon into about a tablespoon of natural yoghurt and blob in on top of the dog's food. I haven't had to use it lately but will always keep some on hand. Good luck with Koda. Thanks. The herbalist is saying a tablespoon a day for Koda in the plan. We aren't sure if it's food or environment or simply bad luck with her. We have limited her diet to rule things out and to keep her on the healthy path but she still has outbreaks. The last one we are not sure of as the day it started hubby took her for a run off lead and whether she got to something out of sight I don't know....we are in remote Australia, so kangaroo poo, dead animal who know's. It's the same weekend we had to treat the lawn as well so who knows with that as well. Wish we had a crystal ball for this one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erny Posted June 12, 2012 Share Posted June 12, 2012 OT - Best4Koda : Is that Koda in your avatar? She has a beautiful face. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Her Majesty Dogmad Posted June 12, 2012 Share Posted June 12, 2012 I had a dog with IBS, until he stayed off meat completely he kept having bleeding and gastric episodes. It finally got diagnosed by an endoscopy after carefully following months of different diets etc inc chicken and rice of course. He ended up on the Hills Science Ultra ZD diet and a medication called "Salazapyrin" which worked for him. we tried two other medications before that but they didn't work. When he was having episodes - usually if he picked up some discarded meat that I didn't spot first (think Maccas etc), he had another medication which I used to crush up and give him with a syringe as he wouldn't eat anything. It was a human medication for ulcers - recommended by the vet. He also had Slippery Elm in some meals as well. He was Ok to have tuna once a week - not much, I was very nervous of setting him off. He also enjoyed things like sweet potato, yoghurt, cottage cheese, anything to give him a bit of a break from just dried biscuits although you can now get the food in canned form. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
best4koda Posted June 12, 2012 Author Share Posted June 12, 2012 OT - Best4Koda : Is that Koda in your avatar? She has a beautiful face. Yep, that's my Koda. Thanks. A very handsome girl but we are biased of course. lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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