Ibd Encouragement

[Guest Fasave]

It's been a long year. For anyone who checks this forum regularly, you may have seen my threads. Safari started having these weird "episodes" and after seeing my regular vet, an e-vet, a orthopedic vet, an internal medicine doc, an acupuncturist and two neurologists, it was determined that he was likely have severe intestinal cramping and the diagnosed him with kidney disease. I put him on a high fiber diet and he did well until right before Christmas when he started to refuse to eat his food. He eventually ended up in ICU for three nights with edema in his legs and acisis (sp?, swelling in abdomen) and this was after seeing my regular vet and an e-vet in the ten days prior to hospitalization with everyone shrugging it off as holiday stress and goodies. In the hospital I opted to do a biopsy via endoscope to rule out lymphoma. His final diagnosis was PLE/PLN/IBD

 

I'm writing this because I read the threads and the frustration of some many caring GT'ers trying to help their IBD dogs. There were days when I wondered why I was keeping him going. He came to hate the only food I knew that wouldn't make him sick (chicken & rice). He entered the hospital at 79 pounds and two weeks later, he was 63 pounds. Every day he challenged my problem solving skills as I searched every pet store I could find to try to find something that he could eat and would like. For a while, freeze-dried chicken liver sprinkled on his food worked, When that began to fail, I added duck and then tried turkey and he had a flare up. It was at this point I wondered why I was trying to keep him alive. After one particularly bad morning where he split out his "pill meatball" and I was crawling around the kitchen floor trying to figure out whether I was looking at a grain of rice or a quarter baby aspirin (one of his seven meds) to know what had made it into him, I looked at him and asked him what he wanted me to do. "If I feed you what you want, you will get sick and die. If I feed you what you CAN eat, you won't eat and you will die."

 

Safari is 9.5 years old. He's amazing pup who lives life large. He packs more excitement into one day than any dog I've ever known. There's still a life worth fighting for in him. So, after a good cry, I pulled it together and continued down the path of finding a diet that would work for him. It's now May, five months since he was released from ICU. I was told he had months not years to live in January. This week we had a follow-up visit with his IM doc. I'm happy to report that all his bloodwork came back NORMAL. Best of all, he doesn't need to be seen again for 4 MONTHS!! He's still on many meds but he's down to 10mg of prednisone.

 

For all those working with this disease, hang in there. Take it one day at a time and don't worry about the future. We only have these pups for such a short time. Safari didn't come to me until he was 6 so I always knew my time with him would be short even in the best case scenario. But it's not about how much time but what you do with that time. Probably the biggest frustration is that what works for one pup may not work for another but keep working at it, it can get better, at least for a while. Know it's okay to be frustrated and you're not alone. Thanks to everyone who has shared their IBD stories and reach out to help us throughout the year. Thinking the best for all of you and your hounds.

[Guest kydie]

Thank you for your story, I too have a dog (GSP) with IBD went though much of the same issues, lucky for me the diagnosis, was found soon in his life, with a massive investment from us, but worth it, he still struggles with flare ups, but we are doing well, with all home made food, and like you meds, ,more at times than other times, he will be 6 in November, and has had it all his life, good luck to you and i will think about you . good thoughts to your hound

[RobinM]

Are you on the yahoo IBD board?

[Guest Fasave]

Are you on the yahoo IBD board?

I just stumbled across it the other night. I had some difficulties signing up but it sounds like a great resource. I will keep trying.

[Guest zoolaine]

Thanks for sharing your story again. I am glad he is doing better. Sunny has PLE and it has been a chore trying to get his "numbers" back into the normal range. But he too is also doing better and is finally stable in the low average range. He now does not have to go back for 2 months, which is big since he has basically been going every three weeks since July. I love to hear success stories about IBD/PLE pups, we need more of them as it can get soooooo frustrating anf lonely at times.

[RobinM]

Are you on the yahoo IBD board?

I just stumbled across it the other night. I had some difficulties signing up but it sounds like a great resource. I will keep trying.

 

It is a really greyt resource however the only way you are "allowed" to be on their board is if your dog was actually diagnosed with IBD by surgical procedure. A vet who owns GH was denied because even though her dog is IBD, she did not do surgery to diagnois. Also, it is a highly moderated board. If you forget to trim your posts, your threads become moderated. Many rules.

 

PM me with any questions. My Beau diagnosed by open abdominal exploratory surgery in January has severe IBD and we have been on pred/imuran since late January. His food is z/d. Trreats are dehydrated tilapis jerky which we make and z/d cookies. It's difficult but manageable only once it's under control and that is the whole issue- getting it under control.