colitus in dogs---is the end coming

getthemax

That's interesting re Immodium. I know that there's a brand of wormer (can't remember which one) that contains a closely related drug to Ivermectin that's not a good idea for dogs, and also if you have dogs that are liable to be exercised in fields where cows graze then be very careful because Ivermectin is a common ingredient in cow wormer.

However, I've just scrutinized the ingredients list in Immodium Plus and Ivermectin is not listed.

Lobell

getthemax wrote: »

That's interesting re Immodium. I know that there's a brand of wormer (can't remember which one) that contains a closely related drug to Ivermectin that's not a good idea for dogs, and also if you have dogs that are liable to be exercised in fields where cows graze then be very careful because Ivermectin is a common ingredient in cow wormer.

However, I've just scrutinized the ingredients list in Immodium Plus and Ivermectin is not listed.

Apologies...my mistake. I muddled up my drugs. Ivermectin is potentially dangerous to herding breeds but the ingredient in Imodium is Loperamide (or deravitives thereof). I've edited my previous post so as not to cause confusion.

The brand of wormer to which you refer is Milbemax. I understand that it is considered 'safe' as long as the exact appropriate dosage is not exceeded...not sure if I'd br prepared take the risk, though, when there are other brands on the market that are equally effective.

Roo10

Our 10year old collie, has suffered with colitus since we have had him (had him for 5 yrs) his first bout. I came down the stairs one morning, and the kitchen was like a blood bath, to say I was shocked was an understatement, I checked the dog and the cat, both fine, as I could not work out were the blood had come from :eek: took dog on a walk, and noticed he was really straining, then noticed blood in his poop, made an appointment for the vets, explained I had recently rescued him and what I had found etc, as I knew nothing re colitus at the time, vets explained colitus to me, he normally had a bout about 3 to 4 times a year, vet suggested I changed his food, which I did, only nothing changed, seen another vet, and she suggested trying him on chappie. Thankfully he has been clear for about a year now, he has chappie for breaky and butchers for tea,(he can only have the meatloaf butchers) but earlier on in the week, noticed his poops not as firm, I have fed him on plain chicken and rice for the past 4days, and he is now firming up, vet did say to me last year, to give him chicken and rice for a few days, to see if he firms up, save giving him medication, as this normally does the trick, (fingers crossed it has worked this time)
I never knew about the imodium, so will ask about that when we go back to the vets. I found with our dog, his colitus kicks off when he is stressed and obviously it was his food before I changed him over.
Sorry for the long post, my fisrt time at posting aswell lol.
I hope your furbaby gets better soon

cazza1968

Ok to let everyone know. Jasper had his colonoscopy today. The vet said his colon is extremely inflamed and is also bleeding. He has taken some biopsies of the polyps he found, the results will be known in a week. He is still loosing weight, he is down to 17kgs now. He has just been starved for 48hrs because of the colonoscopy, the vet said to carry on with the kd food, but also to supplement it with some turkey, rice, duck or lamb? My question is this....how long do i keep hoping the runny bum is going to stop. He is still young he is only 7. However he cant keep loosing weight, he looks like he has been starved for weeks now. I havent had to think about this sort of decision so early before, my old dogs from being a child lived until they were 17 and 15. I dont want to think about it, but if he is in constant pain am I being selfish (and poor as insurance now doesnt cover any treatment) in keeping him going.....will have to see what the biopsies reveal..........

getthemax

Further to Lobell's post re Ivermectin and Loperamide, here's a useful (if scary) link http://www.laboklin.co.uk/laboklin/showGeneticTest.jsp?testID=8032

Cazza, it must be very distressing for you. I hope you get things sorted out.

cazza1968

Well, unfortunately Jasper isn't getting any better. He is still eating and drinking, and going in the garden every 2 hours or so. The vets have said there is nothing more they can give him and they have never seen a case as severe as his. He has lost most of his muscle mass over his body, and although he still wags his tail and wants to go out for a walk, I feel the time to say goodbye is nearing. The orig problem of his leg, for which he had the metacam has now become a problem, and although he doesnt seem in any pain from it, he has started to drag it behind him sometimes. I feel the time has come to let him rest in peace, then he decides to come and say hello and want to go for a walk. It would be so much easier if this decision was taken away from me How do you know if the time is right.....sorry for rambling, my husband and daughter (13) think i'm being negative and i think they hope he will get better, but i know in my heart that i dont want him to suffer........

foreign_correspondent

oh cazza, its not easy is it... what do they think the cause of the colitis is? I know the metacam triggered it, but have you tried changing his diet, (has he been on the hills ever since he was ill?) and looking at supplements etc? (I dont know if a probiotic may help? or fish oils as they are anti inflammatory?) - my mum's lurcher gets much milder colitis occasionally - she had it all the time at first, but after a low dose of panacur over several days to rule out giardia it pretty much dissapeared... not suggesting that this is the case here, but just that it is wise to rule out all the options.

I have also worked with teenagers with ulcerative colitis, and in my experience, in humans it appears to be quite unpredicatable - and it comes and goes again - so I would be careful not to make any rush decisions here.

alleycat`

Hi caz,

Really sorry to read about your pup

My pup GH/Collie cross has had a few issues with allergy and diet and upset/runny pooh and the diet that worked best for him was cooked pork and potatoes (an utter faff to have to prepare every day bu well worth it in the end.).

We had it recommended by a vet after rafts of allergy tests.

Pork isn't in dog food (usually) so is a good way to rule out allergen and it is also low in fat so shouldn't cause upset either.

As he got older our lad seemed to grow out of it but it is something you could try as last go maybe?

cazza1968

He had a colonoscopy to see if they could diagnose a specific colitus and they did. But the tablets havent done anything for him. He is still on steroids and azathioprine. He has been on zd since he started eating again. When he was starved for his colonoscopy we gave him other food...it was from the vet....that came out the same way it went in. He is just not digesting anything...sometimes his tablets he has in the morning..are in his poop an hour later (sorry TMI) I have tried just chicken and rice as well.....no change

alleycat`

Hi Caz,

I assume you used brown rice as it is much better as a fibre bulking agent?
You probably know all this anyway - sorry if i'm telling you things you already know.