What is the best dog food for dogs with IBD, IBS or Colitis?
Before discussing the best food for dogs with Inflammatory Bowel Disease it is important to understand the differences between Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and Colitis in dogs.
Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) in Dogs
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a syndrome rather than a disease. It is caused by a specific reaction to a chronic irritation of the intestinal tract as a result of the lining of the intestine being attacked by inflammatory cells. An allergic-type response then occurs within the intestinal tract. This inflammation interferes with the ability to digest and absorb nutrients. (1)
Common symptoms of IBD include chronic (typically longer than 4 weeks duration) vomiting, diarrhoea, reduced appetite, weight loss, flatulence or a grumbly tummy/abdominal discomfort. These vary in severity and can be persistent or intermittent, with some patients experiencing episodic symptoms. Concurrent signs of allergic skin disease (e.g. red, itchy ears) are sometimes present which is supportive of sensitivity to food as a likely cause.
Possible causes include parasitic or bacterial infection or adverse reaction to a specific protein in the diet, often referred to as food responsive enteropathy (FRE).
It is most often the protein source in our dogs’ food that is the cause of an allergic reaction or FRE. The protein sources most likely to be responsible for the upset are beef, dairy, wheat, lamb, egg, chicken, soya, pork, corn, rabbit and fish (in descending order).
IBD can involve any part of the digestive gastrointestinal tract, but most commonly affects the stomach and/or the intestines.
If the stomach is involved, your dog will experience chronic vomiting. If the intestines are involved, chronic diarrhoea will occur.
Gastrointestinal diseases in our dogs are fairly common. A recent study in the UK reported disorder prevalence amongst 3,884 dogs randomly selected from 148,741 dogs attending 93 clinics in central and south-eastern England.
A total of 2,945 dogs (75.8%) had at least one disorder documented during the study period. Gastrointestinal disease was the most prevalent (17.8%), followed by dermatological disease (15.5%), then musculoskeletal disease (11.8%)
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) in Dogs
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) in dogs is a condition where the intestinal muscles don’t function normally, and it causes diarrhoea and constipation. True IBS is not common in dogs.
IBS in dogs causes two main symptoms: diarrhoea and constipation. The diarrhoea or constipation can be chronic, or it can resolve with repeated episodes. Each episode can come on quickly, and the dog can have a painful abdomen and gas.
Irritable bowel syndrome in dogs is a motility disorder – that is the muscles of the intestines do not contract in a normal rhythmic manner when moving the food from mouth to anus.
In irritable bowel syndrome, the muscles don’t contract in unison, or they move too fast or too slow.
The cause of the abnormal motility seen in IBS can be food intolerance or stress-related.
Colitis in Dogs
Colitis is a digestive disease that causes inflammation of the colon – also known as the large or lower intestine.
A fairly common condition, colitis affect both dogs and humans. Like many conditions, it’s usually described as chronic – meaning slow to develop, but persistent – or acute, meaning it flares up quickly and may be intense.
Colitis can be painful and uncomfortable for your dog, and is responsible for causing up to half of all cases of chronic diarrhoea. While it’s relatively common and easy to treat, canine colitis can lead to inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), a more serious condition, if left untreated.
Treatment of IBD in Dogs
There is no ‘cure’ for IBD, but it can be treated. Not all dogs respond to the same medication or food, so a series of drugs and/or foods may be necessary.
The best and first place to start with the treatment of your dog’s IBD is their diet. So, what to feed a dog with inflammatory bowel disease?
Depending on test results and which part of the bowel appears to be involved, special diets can be used as a therapeutic trial. These diets contain protein sources that are new to your dog (novel protein sources) or hydrolysed proteins (proteins broken down into smaller parts, so the body does not recognise it as a specific protein). If these food trials are unsuccessful, a high fibre diet may be recommended.
Research has found that the best diet for dogs with IBD is a hypoallergenic, high fibre, plant-based, dog food that does not contain any of the major allergens as discussed above (beef, dairy, wheat, lamb, egg, chicken, soya, pork, corn, rabbit and fish).
A dog food with anti-inflammatory ingredients will help to reduce the effects of inflammation in your dogs intestines.
Stress, both physiological and emotional, has also been cited as a contributing factor for IBD. IBS and Colitis in dogs.
Stress and anxiety can be caused by a multitude of factors – move to a new home, separation, the introduction into the home of a baby or a new pet, boarding at a kennel, or when they suffer from any other physical disease.
There is an increasing scientific focus on probiotics for the treatment of immune-related diseases and conditions, including gastrointestinal issues like IBD, IBS and colitis for both humans and dogs. Probiotic treatment is understood to improve the diversity of gut microbiota for better balance and overall health outcomes (1,2,3)
It is always best to eliminate your dog’s food as the cause of their digestive upset or IBD before resorting to antibiotics and other medications, including steroids, to treat your dog’s condition.
Bonza has been formulated with many of the most common health issues our dogs are likely to be faced with through their lives in mind,including gastric and digestive disorders and allergic responses.
For this reason our unique recipe is an excellent choice for dogs with IBD or colitis :
- Contains no meat, corn, soy or wheat
- Is naturally hypoallergenic
- Includes a unique blend of anti-inflammatory ingredients including turmeric, ginger, oats, quinoa, baobab, cranberry, rapeseed oil, MSM, Glucosamine, Omega 3 fats and adaptogens including Reishi mushroom and Siberian ginseng
- Includes herbs and adaptogens to support a reduction in your dogs anxiety and stress including turmeric, ginger, chamomile, ashwagandha and reishi mushroom
- Includes probiotics and prebiotics to support a balanced and diverse gut microbiota
It is our belief that prevention is better than cure and our dry vegan dog food is developed to offer your dog preventative health support throughout their life.
Treats for Dogs with IBD
Just as it is very important to ensure that your dog’s food is not a contributing factor to their inflamed bowel disorder, it is important that any aspects of their diet, including treats is not overlooked when determining the cause of their condition.
The first consideration is that any treats fed to a dog with IBD do not contain any of the most allergenic ingredients for dogs as identified above – beef, dairy, wheat, lamb, egg, chicken, soya, pork, corn, rabbit and fish. A good place to start is treats that are hypoallergenic and preferably plant-based.
The next consideration is to look for treats that are not simply tasty expressions of love for your dog but provide additional nutritional benefits for your dog – functional food or IBD supplements.
Look for treats for your dog with IBD that include:
- Probiotics
- Prebiotics
- Anti-inflammatory phytonutrients
- Bioactive botanicals (herbs and adaptogens)
- Calming herbs and adaptogens for anxiety and stress
Giving your dog treats that not only taste delicious but also help to support them combat their inflamed bowel disease is a win-win for both you and your dog.
Bonza Superfoods and Ancient Grains plant-based formula is not only tail thumpingly tasty they are also sized so they can be used as treats, as well as a plant-based food, for dogs with IBD and are formulated to provide your dog with the support they need whilst battling their condition.
Bonza. Nose to Tail Good Health.
