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Here is an abstract of a research report published over 23 years ago, describing how feeding a hypoallergenic diet to dogs with colitis can completely eliminate their digestive system issues:
Abstract
Idiopathic chronic colitis was diagnosed in 13 dogs. Owners sought veterinary care because of semiformed to liquid feces, fresh blood and/or mucus in the feces, tenesmus, increased frequency of defecation, vomiting, weight loss, and flatulence in their dogs. A lymphocytic, plasmacytic infiltration in the colonic lamina propria was found on colonic biopsy specimens. Signs resolved in all 13 dogs after they were fed a low residue, easily assimilated, relatively hypoallergenic diet. In 11 dogs, two commercial diets not previously fed to these dogs were successfully substituted for the initial test diet, without causing recurrence of signs. Only two of these 11 dogs subsequently tolerated a switch to diets that had been fed at the time of onset of signs of colitis. All 13 dogs have been successfully managed from 2 months to 28 months following the initiation of dietary therapy. The results of these dietary challenges strongly suggest a dietary role in the pathogenesis of this disorder, and also illustrate the importance of dietary therapy in the management of idiopathic chronic colitis.
The red emphasis is mine, of course.
Of course, no self-respecting gastroenterologist is likely to read research published by a veterinarian - so that's probably a big part of the reason why many dogs seem to have much better health care available to them then their human companions. GI docs often seem to be about 20 or 30 years behind the vets, in their ability to effectively treat digestive system disorders.
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
Ironically my cat just went gluten free a couple months ago. She had stopped eating and after the first bunch of tests they found nothing wrong so recommended hypoallergenic food and tada she's back to eating. The vet was very nice and she was cured in less time then it takes to get a GI appointment. You would think the GI docs would take note.
Well at least I don't have to worry about cross contamination with my cat's food! Too bad it isn't as easy for us to just by a different bag of food, although similarly it is more expensive.
Ditto for my cat. She was having constant diarrhea, with blood in her stools. My vet in NYC did not make the connection, but the one here in Colorado did, and she has been on vet formula hypoallergenic food for 5 years now. All her symptoms cleared up, and I won't dream of putting her back on the commercial food I used to feed her.
I believe veterinarians are pretty bright people in general, as it is very competitive to get into vet school - at least it used to be :).
LOL Tumbleweed - it sure would be nice if it was that simple for us.
Love,
Kari
"My mouth waters whenever I pass a bakery shop and sniff the aroma of fresh bread, but I am also grateful simply to be alive and sniffing." Dr. Bernstein
Tee hee--I know it's not supposed to be funny, but it does make me giggle to see "my cat went gluten-free," as though she came to you and said, "You know, I haven't been feeling very well lately, and I'm pretty sure it's not the hairballs, so I'd like to eliminate gluten from my diet, if that's okay with you."
I've always heard that it was harder to get into vet school than med school.
Our cats and dog are all on high-quality, commercial diets with no grains at all. Our dog most certainly gets hold of the occasional pizza crust on the street - but he came to us with horrible skin issues and huge wound-up craziness, which resolved incredibly quickly when we put him on a decent diet. We're able to offset the expense with a surprisingly good canned cat food, supermarket brand, with absolutely no weird ingredients at all. They adore it, and I think it's better than some of the top-of-the-line brands (no gums or fillers at all).
My husband recently bought a different flavor from the same line of dog foods, and it contained oats. It made an immediate, negative difference to the dog, which took several days to resolve. Amazing. (And very persuasive.)
Visit the Microscopic Colitis Foundation Website
