Colitis in dogs-inflammation of the colon
When it comes to the world of gastrointestinal diseases, you may hear a lot of acronyms such as IBD and IBS.
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a broad term that refers to chronic swelling (inflammation) of the intestines. It’s often confused with the non-inflammatory condition irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Although the two disorders share similar names and some of the same symptoms, they have distinct differences. Learn the key differences here. Be sure to discuss your concerns with a veterianian.
A Dog with IBS will never develop IBD. Still, a Dog who has been diagnosed with IBD may display IBS-like symptoms. It’s also important to know that your dog may have both conditions at the same time. Both are considered chronic (ongoing) conditions.
IBD comes in the form of: Crohn’s disease ulcerative colitis indeterminate colitis
Unlike IBD, IBS isn’t classified as a true disease. Instead it’s known as a “functional disorder.” This means that the symptoms don’t have an identifiable cause. Other examples of functional disorders include tension headaches and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS).
IBS in dogs: It is not always known what causes irritable bowel syndrome, but some of the suspected factors are thought to be related to diet intolerances, possibly due to allergies, the ability of the food to effectively pass through the gastrointestinal tract, and mental distress. Irritable bowel syndrome in dogs is commonly associated with chronic inflammation and discomfort of an animal's bowels; however, it is not linked with any type of gastrointestinal disease.This will help him or her rule out all other potential causes of large bowel diarrhea, including:
- Whipworms
- Inflammation of the colon (inflammatory colitis)
- Clostridium perfringens (bacterial infection)
- Fiber-responsive large bowel diarrhea
- Dietary indiscretion or intolerance
- Giardiasis
- Histoplasmosis (systemic fungal infection)
- Pythiosis
- Colonic neoplasia (mass or tumor of the colon)
- Cecal inversion (abnormal turning of the intestine)
The good news is dogs diagnosed with colitis will have a speedy recovery. Colitis is one of the easier medical conditions to get a diagnosis for.
An inflammation of the colon, Colitis is the culprit for around 50 percent of dogs that suffer from chronic diarrhea. Based on the predominant cell types present in the intestinal lining, Colitis can be classified as eosinophilic, histiocytic, plasmacytic-lymphocytic, and granulomatous. The painful condition is considered by many as to be a genetic defect, especially when it comes to the plasmacytic-lymphocytic and histiocytic forms of the condition. In other cases, the cause of Colitis can’t be pinpointed or explained. If your dog has colitis, it may be because of the following factors:
Diarrhea is the most common symptom of colitis. The fecal matter often contains mucus, and may be blood tinged as well. Constipation may also develop.2
Infectious diseases caused by bacteria, fungi, viruses, or parasites (particularly whipworms) Colon cancer, Dietary intolerance, Medications (including antibiotics), Pancreatitis
A Boston with colitis will display some or all of these signs:
-40% of dogs will vomit with colitis
-they usually don't feel bad and continue to want to eat
-an urgency to eliminate, often resulting in accidents in the house
-usually several small piles of diarrhea
-often mucus in the diarrhea
-sometimes fresh blood in the diarrhea
-frequent bouts of diarrhea
Dietary indiscretion
The most common symptom of Colitis is diarrhea, which can be bloody or contain mucus. Other signs of Colitis include abdominal pain, gas, painful defecation, straining and prolonged squatting. Because of diarrhea, the dog may become dehydrated. As well, a dog with colitis is often lethargic and passes small stools. You many mistake this condition as constipation, due to straining and prolonged squatting.
Colitis can be chronic, acute or chronically episodic, depending on the duration of an episode. Chronic Colitis is constant while acute conditions come on suddenly. Chronically episodic means Colitis will come and go often.
Because there are different types of Colitis, it can be easily confused with other conditions of the digestive tract. Your vet will be in a better position to distinguish it from other diseases that share the same symptoms and determine the ultimate cause of the problem after running the proper tests.
If your dog is suffering from severe diarrhea, it will need to undergo several diagnostic tests, which include a thorough physical examination, complete blood count, fecal examination, and x-rays. First off, the most important thing to do is correct the fluid-electrolyte imbalances brought about by diarrhea. If symptoms still persist, your vet may recommend specific blood tests, an ultrasound, and colonoscopy to examine the intestinal lining closely and obtain a tissue sample for biopsy.
Based on the nature of the disease and the underlying cause, the line of treatment will vary. If parasites or diet are the problem, a dietary change coupled with antibiotics may help correct Colitis. Giving your dog a high-fiber diet can help alleviate the symptoms.
When the cause is due to the abnormality of the immune system and the intestinal lining is inflamed, prednisone and similar drugs are usually given. This usually happens with histiocytic colitis and plasmocytic-lymphocytic colitis.If your dog is prone to Colitis, your vet will probably prescribe a special diet for your dog to follow in order to prevent further episodes. If the cause is determined to be genetic, this dog shouldn’t be allowed to breed in an effort to stop the condition from reoccurring in its pups.
the causes of colitis include stress, infections (including Salmonella, Clostridium, and E. coli), and parasites (including, Giardia, Cryptosporidium and whipworms), trauma, allergic colitis and primary inflammatory bowel disease (lymphoplasmacytic, eosinophilic, granulomatous and histiocytic types). Colitis may also occur after ingesting contaminated food, being in contact with infected dogs or after chronic exposure to a wet environment.
"Inflammation in the colon results in reduced water absorption and decreased ability to store feces in the colon."1
It is, sadly, becoming increasingly common. It can affect any dog at any age. It can stand alone or accompany other health problems. Veterinary care is unable to successfully treat this problem, but a successful treatment is possible if you adopt a natural dogs health care regime. Veterinary diagnosis is with a biopsy (a process not without risk), a stool sample and a colonoscopy, but these are normally inconclusive. A diet (to a normally expensive commercial dog food which your vet sells) is normally the recommended treatment, along with antibiotics and anti-parasitics. Sometimes immunosuppressants are also used.3
Treating Acute Colitis
For an episode of acute colitis in dogs, usually a 24-48 hour fast is sufficient to manage the problem. Make sure that fresh, clean
drinking water is available. After 24- 48 hours, introduce a bland, low-fat diet such as boiled chicken or white fish with rice. When symptoms of colitis subside, re-introduce the normal diet to your dog, gradually increasing the amount of food a little every day for about a week. Herbal and Homeopathic RemediesVarious herbs (e.g. slippery elm, marshmallow root, licorice) and homeopathic remedies can be used to alleviate symptoms of diarrhea. Probiotics - Studies indicate that probiotics, or "friendly" bacteria, can help reduce symptoms of colitis by restoring the balance of microflora in the dog's intestinal tract.4
Notes for more information:
Crohn's disease is a rare condition that affects the digestive tract and the bowels of the dog. The disease will manifest through the inflammation of the stomach and intestinal lining and results in stomach or intestinal cramps, vomiting and diarrhea. The condition cannot be treated, as it has no known causes, but it is manageable. It is important that the dog is monitored, as the chronic vomiting and diarrhea may cause dehydration and anemia and may be fatal. Read more: Crohn's Disease in Dogs
Sources:
1 vcahospitals.com
2 dailypuppy.com
3 naturaldogshealth.com
4 natural-dog-health-remedies.com
5 petmd.com
Have you ever had a Dog diagnosed with Colitis? Please share you experiences.
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- Written by Donna
