When the large intestine and colon are involved, then added fiber in the diet can be helpful. When the stomach and small intestine are involved, a lower fiber diet may be best. Eliminating grains, especially for cats, can also be helpful. For dogs grains such as rice, quinoa, millet or other lower gluten or gluten-free grains may be tolerated.
In addition to raw food or a very high quality canned food and hypoallergenic kibble, a good digestive enzyme and probiotic supplement is important to aid digestion and help repopulate the GI tract with healthy bacteria (see Animal Essentials Plant Enzymes & Probiotics).
For immediate control of diarrhea Fast Balance by Vetri-Science is very useful. It is a paste that can be dosed directly into the cat or dog's mouth and generally works quickly.
For additional support in healing the GI tract a supplement containing beneficial nutrients, amino acids, enzymes, and herbs is often necessary, such as Only Natural Pet GI Support.
A Chinese Herbal remedy such as Gastrigen by Thorne Research can also be beneficial in alleviating symptoms such as vomiting and diarrhea and soothing the digestive tract. A holistically trained veterinarian can prescribe further Chinese Herbal remedies that have been shown to be very effective.
For more severe cases extra L-Glutamine and probiotics (in addition to the amounts in the Only Natural Pet GI Support formula) may be needed in the beginning of treatment. Seacure by Proper Nutrition can also be very helpful in healing the GI tract and is especially useful in animals that have lost weight or at risk of poor nutrition as a result of IBD or other gastrointestinal issues.
Always make any diet change very slowly to allow your animal's system to adjust, and start with half the recommended dose of each supplement and build up over the course of 3-5 days. It is wise to stagger the introduction of each supplement by 2-3 days, introducing only one at a time and adding gradually.
Acupuncture can be helpful for many gastrointestinal conditions including IBD. For a list of practitioners in your area see the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association referral directory: http://www.ahvma.org/referral/index.html
Article courtesty
return to Pet Page
