Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are not the same, and there is a significant difference between them. In fact, most people think that IBS is only associated with humans, but it can also occur in dogs.
So it’s clear that dogs can suffer from both IBD and IBS, and they are both different. This article will discuss IBS and IBD and the symptom and treatment of these diseases.
What is Inflammatory Bowel Syndrome (IBS) in Dogs?
IBS is a disease that causes inflammation in the lining of the intestines. The first problem that will appear is the discomfort of the intestine and stomach. Other symptoms that will occur are nausea and diarrhea.
What is Inflammatory Bowel Disease in Dogs?
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a condition in which there is constant inflammation in the intestine and digestive tract. This ongoing damage to the digestive tract will prevent food from being digested properly. If this problem persists, the nutrient will not be absorbed, and further health problems will occur.
IBS VS IBD in Dogs
The signs and symptoms of IBS and IBS are the same, but they are different. IBD is a physical abnormality that occurs due to the overgrowth of inflammatory cells. However, inflammatory bowel syndrome occurs due to changes in diet, stress, and infection.
What Are the Causes of IBS and IBD in Dogs?
There is no definite known cause of IBD and IBS. These problems are diagnosed after ruling out all other potential causes such as gastroenteritis, roundworms, colitis, and pancreatitis. Some dogs are sensitive to a certain food, which means that their gut will not respond well to those foods. Similarly, some dogs are allergic to certain foods.
The most common food allergens are chicken, beef, wheat, milk, corn, and eggs. Certain food colors, flavors, and preservatives can also be the cause of these problems.
Lack of dietary fiber in the diet and stress play an important role in causing IBD and IBS symptoms.
Sometimes bowel function fails and becomes under or overactive.
Sign and Symptom IBD and IBS in Dogs
The most common symptoms of IBS and IBD are similar, like diarrhea, vomiting, and nausea. In contrast, those dogs that suffer from IBS show milder symptoms. If you want to distinguish between the two, you need to run some tests.
A common difference between the two problems is that dogs lose weight in IBD.
They also feel like going to the bathroom from time to time, but they produce less stool. If these symptoms occur for a few days, this problem is diagnosed as IBS. But if these symptoms last, your dog may have IBD.
How To Diagnose IBD and IBS in Dogs?
To diagnose irritable bowel syndrome, your vet will ask about your pet’s history. The common question asked is: does this condition occur after stressful events? Like after a heavy storm or a trip to the vet’s office.
Other things your vet may talk about are your pet diet. What is your dog’s usual diet? What was your dog’s last meal? He will also ask for the stool sample to rule out the problem of worms.
If the problem is diagnosed as irritable bowel syndrome, treatment is necessary.
Your vet will recommend a change in diet along with an antispasmodic medication.
However, inflammatory bowel disease is more serious, requiring a full diagnosis. The main cause behind this is diet, but infection also plays a role. Inflammatory bowel disease has different types, but one thing that is common in all is the presence of inflammation.
There are different tests available to diagnose the cause of gastrointestinal tract problems.
However, the biopsy is used primarily to diagnose the presence of inflammation in the GIT.
The biopsy also informs about the location of the inflammatory cells. The type of cells found in the biopsy helps the doctor make a treatment plan.
How To Treat IBS and IBD in Dogs?
The first thing to adjust is your dog’s diet. A dog suffering from IBD and IBS can be treated by changing the diet to the limited ingredient. Do not feed your dog processed foods that contain artificial colors, flavors, chemicals, and food scraps. It is important to provide food to your dog in the right amount and at the right time. Always check the food label before giving your puppy anything.
Your veterinarian will prescribe a therapeutic feeding plan or a prescribed diet for your puppy. This prescription diet acts as the first line of defense. For the most part, the prescribed diet includes hydrolyzed protein formulas, easily digestible formulas, and high fiber formulas. All of these options work differently, but in the end, they help GIT function efficiently.
- Different researches have been carried out on the GIT of dogs. The result of these studies is that you have to maintain the health of your dog’s GIT microbiome. It is an environment that contains hundreds of thousands of bacteria. If the microbiome is maintained, it can help manage IBD without medication.
- Microbiomes can be controlled through the use of probiotics and prebiotics. Research is underway to test the impact of nutrition on the microbiome and how different formulas can promote the growth of good bacteria. For instance, researches have aprooved that Black Blance prebiotics can improve animal digestive health starting from appetite to healing ulcers.
Black Balance by Medrego prebiotics can improve the work of the stomach and intestinal microbiome. In addition, the product improves the absorption of nutrients from the gastrointestinal tract and removes heavy metals and free radicals from the body, thereby helping to manage IBD and IBS.
- Treatment of IBD may include dietary changes along with probiotics, antibiotics, and corticosteroids. Inflammatory bowel disease is incurable, but its symptoms can be minimized. However, in severe cases of IBD, a dog will have to take medication for the rest of its life. Medicine can also help rebalance medication.
- Dogs with inflammatory bowel disease cannot absorb vitamins. Therefore, a vitamin B12 supplement should be administered. This supplementation is administered by subcutaneous injection.
- Deworming should also be recommended as fecal tests are not correct at some point.
Conclusion
Dogs can suffer from IBD and IBS, and the cause of both problems is almost the same, but they are different. IBS has less severe symptoms, and IBD has more severe symptoms. However, these problems can be managed through the use of a proper diet and regular medication.
The Medrego team always suggests consulting a qualified veterinarian for personalized advice.
