Scooter, is a small, seventeen pound terrier
mix. You can try and figure out just what that mix may be because
I cannot. He was adopted from a shelter back in April of 2003 and was about
a year old when I got him. He's a rooter. He just loves to root around outside
with his nose to the ground. He will do this by the hour if you let
him. One and two mile long walks are his specialty. Those little legs and
feet just never seem to get tired,
apparently.
Soon after I got Scooter he was diagnosed with IBD by a board certified internist. His symptoms consisted of moaning during the night, constantly licking his stomach area during the day as if to calm the pain, eating grass when outside to do his business and a lack of appetite no matter what I gave him. He would have diarrhea often but he rarely, if ever, vomitted.
The vet put him on 250mg of the antibiotic drug flagyl (metronidazole) when he had a flare up and told me to give him one half of a Pepcic AC (famotidine) if he seemed to be suffering. This seemed to be working although he would still have his bad days now and again. There would be mornings he would wake up at 5AM and be crying at the back door to go out and eat grass for 10 minutes straight. The grass would help him so I always got up to put him out (on a leash). For the most part this has been his only treatment for the four years I have had him.
When I put him on Nutroproducts Natural Choice pet food, I finally had luck getting him to eat. It is a well formulated food that he seems to tolerate well. Their lamb based food, especially. They do not use wheat gluten, which is hard for dogs to digest (people as well, for that matter) but use a brown rice which is much easier to digest. I use both the wet and the dry and mix them into a sort of clay consistency. Then I chop that up into small bites. Sometimes he would eat it all but usually he left a portion. There were many days he would eat one meal (he is fed twice a day) but not eat the other. This is the way it was for Scooter and I.
Recently, I read where plain old Quaker Oatmeal (the
one in in the round cardboard container) was a good source
of fiber for
dogs and that adding it to the food would help with their digestion. I had
some around so I gave it a try. I mixed about a tablespoon in with his food
and gave it to him. Scooter is not one to dive into anything with out giving
it a complete going over... but, after he surmized it was OK to eat he cleaned
the bowl and sat there looking for more. I continued to put the Oatmeal
in every meal and Scooter contiuned to clean the bowl every time. Frankly,
I was surprised he would even eat it. It cannot be very appetizing what with
it's bland, dry taste. But he seems to like it. I spilled some on the floor
one day and before I could pick it up he had eaten it all. I 'm amazed
to say the least. It has to be good for him. Oatmeal is high in fiber, low
in fat and well stocked with protein. How could such a simple thing like
Oatmeal completely change this little dog's life? Not only has the grass
eating totally stopped but he has not missed a meal in months... and no more
moaning. He has not had any meds in all that time, either. He's so full of
pep these days I sometimes cannot keep up with him. I can tell he is also
much happier and that's the best part!
His bowel movements have also improved. He almost always goes during his morning walk. Something he rarely did before. He also does not strain to go like he sometimes use to. I know this sounds to good to be true but it is. I cannot explain it. All I know is it's working and I hope it continues to keep working for Scooter's sake.
Just let me add this. If you're giving your dog treats of any kind... STOP. Do not let them have Greenies, Nylabones, cowhide chews, pigs ears or any other products like this. This is all garbage and will only harm your dog. The only thing I allow Scooter to have is a real (unflavored) hard hollow cow bone (calcium bone) to chew on. It gives him the chewing and scraping he needs but he can never swallow it. All he'll do is wear it down and that will take years.
Recently,
and because of the good luck I have had with his Oatmeal diet, I have
allowed Scooter to have a treat made from lamb meal. It is a very similar
composition to that used in his dog food but made by a different company.
So far there have been no problems.
IMHO It is important with IBD to be consistent with your feeding. Do not give your dog strange things to eat just because he may be begging you. No chips or cookies. No milk products... ever. No ice cream and no cheese. They simply cannot tollerate any change without suffering for it.
Do this and your dog will thank you.
I offer this story for what it's worth but I'm not a vet and any treatments should be with the consultation of your own pet's doctor. This has worked for my dog and, depending on the cause of your pet's IBD, it may work for him or her.
BTW: I do not work for Quaker Oats or for any pet food products company. Write to me at: tfg1 at mindspring dot com
canine ibd inflammatory bowel disease causes and cures in dogs treatment diets using oatmeal for potential treatment in dogs with ibd as a source of fiber in the diet may help some dogs with inflammatory bowel disease affecting the colon using diet to treat ibd inflammatory bowel disease in dogs with ibd may do well with a diet containing oatmeal in their dog food as a source of fiber for dogs who have ibd can do well by changing their diet to a source high in fiber by adding oatmeal to their diet you will increase their intake of fiber and this may reduce their ibd inflammatory bowel disease symptoms Oatmeal is high in fiber, low in fat and well stocked with protein and should be good for dogs with ibd symptoms of the colon the story of Scooter the little terrier with ibd inflammatory bowel disease and how he was able to find happiness when his owner put oatmeal in his food every meal just by feeding oatmeal to your dog