An Introduction To Canine Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Canine inflammatory bowel disease, or canine IBD, is not a specific disease. The condition occurs when inflammatory cells penetrate the stomach or intestinal wall. IBD normally affects dogs that are middle-aged or old.

IBD simply means that your dog is suffering from one of many different disorders that affects the gastrointestinal lining. Symptoms will occur frequently, and some dogs may have a very hard time in their daily lives since the disease can be quite debilitating.

Causes

Unfortunately, there is no specific cause known for canine inflammatory bowel disease. However, certain factors can lead to an increased risk for developing the condition. These factors include genetics, diet, and immune system deficiencies. Your dog may also be allergic to a specific food protein and develop a case of canine inflammatory bowel disease.

Symptoms

Canine inflammatory bowel disease can affect certain parts of your dog's gastrointestinal system. If the condition affects his stomach or upper part of the small intestine, your dog's most noticeable symptom will be vomiting. Canine inflammatory bowel disease that affects the intestines will cause chronic diarrhea. Sometimes, mucus or blood will appear in your dog's stool.

Both the stomach and intestines can be affected in some cases of canine IBD. This will cause both vomiting and diarrhea. If the condition becomes too severe, your dog may lose weight, lose his appetite, and develop a fever.

Diagnosis

If your dog has chronic bouts with vomiting and diarrhea, your veterinarian may suspect a number of other conditions. These conditions can mimic the signs of IBD. Therefore, he would have to rule out other causes of the diarrhea and vomiting before making an accurate diagnosis.

There are a number of other things that need to be done in order to diagnose dogs with IBD. Starting your dog on a food trial is very common. X-rays and abdominal ultrasounds can also help the vet determine what's going on with your canine. The vet may also elect to do a biopsy of the intestinal walls if he suspects that IBD is to blame.

Treatment

Canine inflammatory bowel disease is usually most effectively treated with corticosteroids. Corticosteroids are medications that help get rid of the inflammatory cells in the gastrointestinal system. You will also likely need to change your dog's food to a hypoallergenic diet. If canine inflammatory bowel disease is mainly affecting the colon, then your dog would likely benefit from foods that are high in fiber.