Adopting a dog with IBD. What should I expect?
October 9, 2013 6:39 AM   Subscribe

We are considering adoption of a dog who was diagnosed with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD). Seeking advice from people who have experience caring for a dog with IBD. I am concerned about: Scavenging. We live in a dense suburban neighborhood with no fenced area. Doggie gets walked 4 times a day. As hard as I try, he grabs mysterious food items off the ground. Sometimes I can pry the food away from him. Scavenged food is bad for IBD maintenance. Progression of the disease. Can dogs live normal healthy lives with IBD? Or is it a string of crises? Our last dog had a serious heart condition. He lived a long, reasonably comfortable life. But it was costly, time-consuming, and we worried a lot. We grew attached to this dog before we knew about the IBD. I wonder if we should decline to adopt him.

The dog is currently in our care while the owner is travelling on business. 75 lb Lab mix, 3 years old. a lovely gentle boy. He has a loving home, but his owner needs to re-home him due to employment changes.

Doggie was diagnosed with IBD about a year ago. The vet did a surgical biopsy. Dog was losing weight and almost died. Then they stabilized him on a duck diet. He eats Royal Canin duck potato kibble and water only. He is currently healthy with a nice coat and good energy. But he seems to itch and scratch more than most dogs. We spoke with the owner's vet. She gave us data, and said the dog could develop even more allergies in the future.
posted by valannc to Pets & Animals (8 answers total)
 
Can you teach him the "leave it" command?
posted by cakebatter at 6:59 AM on October 9, 2013 [3 favorites]


I came here to suggest teaching him "leave it." "Drop it" will also be helpful. If you need to, hire a trainer for a few sessions, but I was actually surprised at how quickly my pup learned those two commands.
posted by lunasol at 7:19 AM on October 9, 2013 [1 favorite]


Response by poster: He knows "leave it". But sometimes he will gobble the item so quickly, I don't have time to react.
posted by valannc at 7:27 AM on October 9, 2013


Best answer: My suggestion relates to your comment about not being sure whether you can handle this.

My take would be that if someone has some apprehension about adopting/getting a pet, then don't get the pet, especially if the pet needs lots of special care and attention. You aren't a bad person if you say "you know what, I don't think we will be able to handle this so your dog is cared for in the best way."

I had to recently put my foot down at home in this arena. My partner has a special needs kitty who is very old and has lots of very expensive problems, and she wanted to bring home another cat with some issues... but we both felt like it would take too much time and expense (we're busy professionals and it is hard as is to take care of our current cat... and we already spend lots of money on our current cat's special food, vet bills, surgeries). I had to be the bad guy and say no, but I know it was the right call, and in the end she agreed. The kitty found another good home with someone who had more time and energy to take care of it.

If you're already worried about it being more time, worry, and money than you can handle, then it's ok to follow your gut.
posted by Old Man McKay at 7:39 AM on October 9, 2013 [1 favorite]


Is he not on any meds, beyond limited-ingredient food? I have a cat with IBD and in addition to the special food, she gets a daily low-dose steroid and monthly B12 injections. She used to have a terrible chronic shedding/dry skin problem and that has cleared up entirely. You might want to ask your vet whether there is anything besides diet that might help your dog feel better over the long term.
posted by aecorwin at 7:44 AM on October 9, 2013 [1 favorite]


My dog doesn't have IBD but does have HGE, triggered by dietary changes, eating certain treats and stress.

Have you tried a simple basket muzzle. While most people think of them as a means to stop dogs biting they are also used to stop dogs eating things they shouldn't. If you only put it on when you are going for a walk the dog will learn to associate it with good things and should get used to it easily, just make sure to get the sizing right so it is comfortable. Our vet suggested these for our dog.

I would also talk to your own vet about what you are considering, as they would be able to give you a more accurate picture of what to expect than someone who is hoping you'll adopt their dog for them.
posted by wwax at 9:24 AM on October 9, 2013 [3 favorites]


Response by poster: Thanks to all for your replies.

We decided to decline adoption. I have too many misgivings about the health issue. I'm going to help the owner find him a forever home. He is a very good dog.

I will save these tips to pass on when we place the dog in his forever home. The basket muzzle is a great idea for reducing the scavenging.
posted by valannc at 4:18 PM on October 9, 2013


Response by poster: A follow-up:
After five weeks, we returned the dog to his owner. They were thrilled to be re-united. She has decided to keep him, and to deal with his health issues. I believe this is the best possible outcome for the dog.
Thanks again for all your replies.
posted by valannc at 3:26 AM on October 31, 2013 [2 favorites]


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