How is Cody doing, Sharon?

mod note: This was the first post in a new thread today which is now merged into the old thread (above).


Cody had a battery of tests done, blood work up, ultra sound, addisons disease test, so far all are in except one with nothing showing up. They are treating him right now for gastroesophageal reflux disease. They are recommending purina special diet dry food. Of course, I do not want to feed him purina: one he is alergic to wheat, two he is usually on a raw diet. I researched this disease and they state dogs should have a low protein/low fat diet.
I wanted to see if anyone here has had experience with this type of diet or this disease they are treating him for. (right now the vets are trying to rule out different things. They are treating him for reflux for 10 days to see if his symptoms improve.)
I would like some other opinions and I trust Connie and others on this web to give me good advise. Cody is 18.3 lbs, almost 4 years old, terrier mix. He has been on a raw diet since we got him at 12 weeks. This is the first time the symptoms of upset stomach have appeared and lasted this long. (2 weeks) He is only having problems in the morning when he wakes up he needs to eat right away.
Thanks for any help you can give me. sharon

Edited by Connie Sutherland (03/10/2011 11:27 AM)
Edit reason: mod note

My parent lab's might also have the gastesophageal reflux disease, and he is on the crappy ID which costs an arm and a leg. I asked my parents to see if he has pancritis instead of the GI issues (the symptoms often are similar). Maybe you could keep him on a bland diet (hambuger and rice) instead of the ID. I am curious what others think.

 Quote: sharon empson

Cody had a battery of tests done, blood work up, ultra sound, addisons disease test, so far all are in except one with nothing showing up. They are treating him right now for gastroesophageal reflux disease. They are recommending purina special diet dry food. Of course, I do not want to feed him purina: one he is alergic to wheat, two he is usually on a raw diet. I researched this disease and they state dogs should have a low protein/low fat diet.
I wanted to see if anyone here has had experience with this type of diet or this disease they are treating him for. (right now the vets are trying to rule out different things. They are treating him for reflux for 10 days to see if his symptoms improve.)
I would like some other opinions and I trust Connie and others on this web to give me good advise. Cody is 18.3 lbs, almost 4 years old, terrier mix. He has been on a raw diet since we got him at 12 weeks. This is the first time the symptoms of upset stomach have appeared and lasted this long. (2 weeks) He is only having problems in the morning when he wakes up he needs to eat right away.

Hi, Sharon .... could you please recap (sorry, I'm old ) the symptoms so we can see why reflux disease is posited:

"He is only having problems in the morning when he wakes up he needs to eat right away."

Bile vomiting (as on your previous thread, if I recall)? Bedtime snacks don't help? A late-night snack doesn't help? More details.

Is that the only symptom? He is otherwise fine all day?

 Quote: Sharon Empson

Cody had a battery of tests done, blood work up, ultra sound, addisons disease test, so far all are in except one with nothing showing up. They are treating him right now for gastroesophageal reflux disease. They are recommending purina special diet dry food. Of course, I do not want to feed him purina: one he is alergic to wheat, two he is usually on a raw diet. I researched this disease and they state dogs should have a low protein/low fat diet.
I wanted to see if anyone here has had experience with this type of diet or this disease they are treating him for. (right now the vets are trying to rule out different things. They are treating him for reflux for 10 days to see if his symptoms improve.)
I would like some other opinions and I trust Connie and others on this web to give me good advise. Cody is 18.3 lbs, almost 4 years old, terrier mix. He has been on a raw diet since we got him at 12 weeks. This is the first time the symptoms of upset stomach have appeared and lasted this long. (2 weeks) He is only having problems in the morning when he wakes up he needs to eat right away.
Thanks for any help you can give me. sharon

My rottie has chronic pancreatitis and requires a very low fat diet to keep from becoming ill. I researched many foods to keep from having to buy prescription food except in an emergency. I've fed her Avoderm Lite (both kibble and canned) since she got over her acute episode and has done absolutely wonderful on it. I believe it is comparable (if not lower)in fat content that the I/D food. I'd have to check about the wheat content, however.

Human GI nurse speaking here again:

The symptoms of pancreatits and GERD are very similiar in the beginning.... however , acute pancreatitis will progress very rapidly presenting with persistent, severe vomiting and abdominal pain. The vomiting combined with their unwillingness to eat or drink can and will lead to dehydration. Dogs (and people) become extremely ill with pancreatitis requiring hospitalization and support with fluids and medications. It's nothing to fool around with. Usually an ultrasound and/or x-ray will give them an idea that the pancreas is involved.

Have they put him on any anti-acid drugs for the reflux? If not, I'd strongly suggest asking them why not. Since I'm sure he probably doesn't drink caffeine, alcohol, eat chocolate or smoke, you don't have to worry about those contributing factors. You might also try feeding him a little earlier in the evening - late night meals and/or snacks will often times make reflux worse. It doesn't sound like he's overweight, but that (in humans at least) can also be a contributing factor.

Again, just my HNO (human nurse opinion).

---

Here Decoy, Decoy, Decoy!

Dana is this the food that your rottie is on? I was wrong in the post above my parents lab has IBS (irritable bowel). Do you think the avoderm food will still be good.
http://www.avodermnatural.com/Dog_Foods/lite.htm

 Quote: Dana Martin

... Have they put him on any anti-acid drugs for the reflux? If not, I'd strongly suggest asking them why not.

Good question! This is really more of a continuation of a previous thread of a few days ago. I'll link it.

Merged the two threads.

 Quote: sharon empson

... I wanted to see if anyone here has had experience with this type of diet or this disease they are treating him for. (right now the vets are trying to rule out different things. They are treating him for reflux for 10 days to see if his symptoms improve.) .... This is the first time the symptoms of upset stomach have appeared and lasted this long. (2 weeks) He is only having problems in the morning when he wakes up he needs to eat right away. ...

"He is only having problems in the morning / when he wakes up he needs to eat right away" ...


What happened with late-night snack? How late, how much food? Did something else happen to preclude that late-night-snack experiment?

 Quote: cassie timm

Dana is this the food that your rottie is on? I was wrong in the post above my parents lab has IBS (irritable bowel). Do you think the avoderm food will still be good.
http://www.avodermnatural.com/Dog_Foods/lite.htm

Yes, that's what I feed her.

IBS isn't usually linked to high fat or high protein in diets. It's usually linked more to a food intolerance and especially dairy. Increasing fiber is what commonly works to help control IBS. The theory with fiber is that it expands the inside of the digestive tract (primarily the colon) which then decreasess the likelyhood of it being able to spasm. Increased fiber also promotes "regularity" of the tract.

I know the old wive's tale is that fiber is used to promote "elimination" but it also works two-fold and where diarrhea is concerned will help adjust the level of liquid by absorption to help to reduce the episodes.

Stress usually plays a big roll in IBS (not a cause but making it worse). I know that athletes across the board are very prone to IBS as well as other gastric problems specifically ulcers.

Unfortunately, there is no true way to diagnose IBS. A colonoscopy can rule out microscopic causes contributing to it, but there is no "test" that says "yes, it's IBS". It's purely diagnosed by symptomology - and ruling out any other cause for episodes of abdominal pain linked with diarrhea.

There are also contributing factors in humans such as smoking, alcohol, etc., etc.,....but not things you'd need to worry about with a dog

Changing the diet can't really hurt. An elimination diet might be the way to go. That way you can find out if there is a certain food that triggers the episodes that they can stay away from.

Again, HNO

Mod note: As Dana says, this is a HNO (human nurse opinion). Readers please also see Aaron's post #321239 here for differences between role of fiber in humans and in dogs: http://leerburg.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/ubb/showflat/Number/321295/page/0/fpart/1