A dog from Bolton struggled to walk and even underwent surgery before his owner realised a change in diet was needed to treat his long term condition.
According to vets, Irritable Bowel Syndrome is surprisingly common in dogs, with many of the symptoms mirroring that of humans - gastro-intestinal discomfort, nausea and an upset stomach.
Dog owner, Rachel Field, said her poor pooch Teddy even went through surgery before it was discovered that he had IBS.
She told TeamDogs : “He was so tired he could barely walk and he was just so sad all the time. The vets couldn’t figure out why. They tried an ultra-sound and found nothing. He then had surgery on his stomach looking for an ulcer or tumour but didn’t find anything there either.
“Turns out he has IBS. We changed his diet and he was happier and healthier than ever before, within a week of changing.
“IBS could have easily been detected from a stool sample without the need for surgery.
“Absolutely no table snacks allowed.”
Teddy now eats a special diet of vegetables, fish, meat and rice along with suitable protein powder medication that he takes with his food.
Dr Scott Miller, veterinary surgeon and spokesman for Dogtastic, said: “Diagnosed with the help of your vet, diets are used alongside medication in some cases to help manage this condition. Often prepared to ensure they are simple and easily digestible, these commercially prepared complete balanced diets sometimes use novel protein sources such as duck and venison in attempts to avoid the gut producing an inflammatory response.”
IBS can be caused by multiple factors like allergies, intolerances, or dietary deficiencies.
Sometimes, IBS can even be caused by stress. Whether or not your dog suffers from IBS may also be down to their breed, as some dogs are more prone to it than others.
Foods that are easily digestible are recommended for IBS-suffering dogs, which can minimise discomfort and ease tummy pains.
Your vet can help you plan a nutritious diet for your pet, and you can boost your dog’s intake with health supplements designed for dogs. These can help make sure they're getting more of the vitamins and minerals they need to keep their stomachs soothed.
