I have looked for this topic under medical issues but did not see, so I apologize if its been discussed.

As you all may remember our family got a liter of 4 wooley pups. Our oldest moved out on her own and took her baby with her and Milo diarrhea issue worsen and he dropped 10-15 lbs and she began seeing a vet and after several tests and an ultrasound, diagnosed him with small intestinal disease. Although he has gained weight back, he still has the diarrhea but instead of weekly it is now stretching to 2-3 weeks.

Milo was on special food but now back on kibble and taking cobalequin for low vit B and omeprazole to help with he goes thru one of his events.

We were hoping if anyone else had run into this?

I have not run into this but know anytime you are dealing with bowel issues you need to be careful of pancreatitis. Long term inflammation in the intestines can eventually lead to pancreatitis if the food isn't managed. Foods with a fat content over 10% can cause issues.

What type of issue with the small intestine. Spider has an issue where the orfice between the large and small intestine is narrow. We switched her to raw and proviable forte and it seems to have helped alot. According to my vet the issue spider has is genetic to sibes. 

@wooley4pk somewhere in the forum there is something i posted when spider had the bloody diarrhea and tested pos for clostriduim and helicobacter.  Its what gave us the diagnosis of the intestinal issue.

When you say small intestinal disease, are you referring to inflammatory bowel disease?

Hello and thank you all for your answers, they are appreciated.

The vet used small intestine disease but honestly I feel it is inflammatory bowel disease only because she did say his bowels are inflamed. She not notice any abnormalities when doing the ultrasound. She explained his body is not keeping up the Vit B levels and that was the cause of the weight drop. This could have turned into a real health issue for Milo. He is lucky Bree is so observate and caught it right away. He was put on Royal Canin can and dry mix for digestive issues and there was not much of a difference but when the started adding the Vit B, he has had less issues but it has not stopped. He has converted by to regular kibble and having events less. My daughter is okay with the Vit B supplement (as steriod use was alternative but she was not happy with) but is discourage on it not totally going away. This process took 5 months to diagnosis and 2 months and it not gone.

She is also considering a raw diet, as I have thought about for the other 3. Before we were to start this route I wanted to ask you guys because I know you have seen almost of of the issues here.

Would anyone mind pointing out the link to raw food for newbies? as I would not want them to not to get the right vitamins their bodies need.

I am sure we would also say we are not happy with the way dog food is made this days and wanting the best for our babies.

If it is inflammatory bowel disease likely a life long disease that will need to be managed, won't be cured. If it becomes really cantankerous, immunosuppressants may be needed.

When it comes to raw definitely do your research first. If not balanced properly you can create serious issues for your dogs. I raw fed for years until it became too labor intensive after we moved and changed jobs. I predominantly used the facebook groups The Raw Feeding Community and Homecooked Meals for Dogs. I did not cook our meals but the Homecooking group has a fantastic set of saved files with calculators and print outs that make all the calculations so much easier. The saved files in the raw group aren't as nice and neat but it's important to use both since the vitamin load is different between cooked food and raw food.

I currently feed The Honest Kitchen so that we are still getting as close to fresh without having to do the whole raw dance. That can sometimes be a good way to transition over while you learn.

I cheat. I bounce between andersons, oc raw and instinct. But when i did cook for splinter i found a thing that both has some guidelines  and where you imput your exact ingredients and amounts and it gives the nutrient list just like a box of cereal.

https://www.dogfoodcalc.com/calc#/ this is it

You all are wonderful in your advice. I can not thank you enough.

As far as Milo, I believe it is probably more of IBS, which unfortunately will be for life. It is odd because his human father also has the same issues. We like to joke that the dog is meant for their family.

I am not sure if I am cut out for raw after reading all of information. I am going to do research on a better affordable food for them. I do not mind spending more if it allows for better over all health. I am on a budget. (unfortunately)

I discovered pre done raw was the cheapest option for spider since carbs and starch get her regardless of being grain or grain free.  

I was having to mix something in her food to get her eat. Turns out it doesnt matter what i feed her she gets tired of it after a few days so raw also allows me to mix it up. Right now we have duck, chicken and turkey in the freezer.

Ended up calling the vet yesterday because spider was straining and whining. And back to a 5 day antibiotic run. So yes this is very lifelong.

I am sorry, it is hard watching them suffer. Why antibiotics?

I lost my little girl last January (it’ll be one year on the 26th) after suffering from this, or something very similar to this. Like you, I had the ultrasound done and Mishka’s intestines were inflamed. She had bouts of diareah most of her life and nothing helped. Like you, Mishka got low on B12 and she had to have once a week injections done for 6 weeks and then the B12 supplement from then on. The B12 is the ONLY thing that seemed to help Mishka, the prescription food (hydrologized protein) did nothing for her and the daily antibiotic (Tylan ) and in reading up on it, may have even made her situation worse. Vet put Mishka on the steroid and it killed me she had to take it, especially since it didn’t seem to help her either. Last January, she started having the diareah around the 9th of the month, this was just 3 days after her last check up where the vet told me her numbers looked promising. Diareah never cleared up, and a week later her diareah was bloody, and back to the vet she went. They kept her all day and were very concerned she was getting pancreatitis and sent her home with me with lots of meds. Meds were doing nothing, and that’s where the Tylan antibiotic comes in…long term use (vet directed we give it to her daily) can cause them to become immune to other antibiotics, and can actually exasperate the situation (which I believe happened in Mishka) she hemmoraged and nothing was stopping the bleeding. To have to watch this sweet little girl deteriorate the way she did is something I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy. On the 26th, I had to put her to sleep. After she passed, I went through all her records and noticed a years worth of consistent weight loss after being put on her regimen of B12/Tylan/HP prescription food/steroid/probiotics. I don’t know what that means though, in my mind, they may not be diagnosing correctly, thus the treatment ends up doing more harm than good, I don’t know, I just know whatever this is, it’s a cruel disease to have. I did everything from my mom cooking her meals, me baking her treats in the earlier stages, to following the vets very strict diet and none of it helped.

Spider consistently tests positive for clostriduim and helicobacter. The is a debate about if the bacteria is reactive or the actual cause so if it lasts more then 3 days or she whines its metronidazole for 5 days.

Its really sad what happened to mishka

I have a family member with long standing severe inflammatory bowel disease, just got out of the hospital after a severe flare. It is an autoimmune disease, the treatment for this person involved a powerful immunosuppressant. Which resulted in multiple squamous cell skin cancers and so was pulled off the drug. Hence the severe flare - much like Mishka. Severe diarrhea with resulting dehydration, electrolyte imbalance resulting in total body massive muscle cramps. She was treated with high dose steroids and a couple of antibiotics as well as fluids and electrolytes. On the way to the hospital, this person thought this was the end but treatment worked still on steroids but the choice appears back on the immunosuppressants and deal with the cancers as they come up. Last and largest skin cancer being removed this week. The choices are not great. The sad news is that some times the best treatments are still not sufficient. I believe Mishka falls in that group - Jimmy did the best that could be done but still had a devastating outcome.

Hoping that Milo had a more benign course.

Thank you again for all your help. I know my daughter has it down to a science, she can count the days and know when he is gonna have a episode. I will give her all your advice. I hope this will help and it wont be as bad for Milo. He is very calm and sweet one out of the bunch as so far the only one with this issue.
Emily, I am so sorry about Spider having the issues. It is definely hard to watch them suffer.

Jimmy, words can not express how sorry I am for your loss. When I joined, I had seen pics of your babies and their passing was so incredibly sad. I hope catching his issue at one year is a benefit and helps him. All your input will no doubt help us get him thru this.

I appreciate your thoughts, Amy, Emily and Yvonne. I miss them more than you’ll ever know. Even with my new puppy, I think about, and cry about, Kohdi and Mishka daily.

Yvonne, one thing I’ve learned is that stress can trigger issues with this disease. I’m hoping more than anything, your family and your vet can manage this disease, it is highly manageable. With Mishka, there were a series of things happening in her life that I think may have contributed to her getting so bad. I still don’t think she was diagnosed corrrctly, but at the same time I don’t necessarily put blame on the vets for it. However, in Mishka’s case, things were happening in her life that I’m pretty positive caused enough stress to her to send her health downwards quickly. In November, my mom had been diagnosed with cancer. My mom watched Kohdi and Mishka daily while I was at work so they were hardly ever alone. It was a very tough time for us all and no matter how I tried to hide my sadness from the dogs, dogs just know something isn’t right. In December, my mom started chemo and radiation, and the dogs were left alone daily. They weren’t used to that. Appointments were usually early morning and I’d be back home by 11 or so but on days when chemo was also happening, I’d only be able to come back home for about 30 minutes. This was stress…to both of them but Mishka especially. Mishka passed away just two days before my moms final treatment. Not knowing Kohdi was actually dying, no signs whatsoever until it was too late, but knowing it’s possible that dogs can detect cancer/illness…part of me thinks Mishka knew Kohdi had cancer which also would have stressed her big time (Mishka loved Kohdi more than anything) Kohdi was her rock. Kohdi’s mass didn’t happen overnight and since he died only 3 months after Mishka, I’m sure he had it already while she was alive, and if she sensed it, it wouldn’t be good. Part of me thinks Mishka would still be here had things been different. I’ll never know for sure, but I do know losing Kohdi would have absolutely traumatized her. When Mishka died, I had decided I wouldn’t get another pup for him, I just couldn’t imagine him with any other pup but Mishka. Had Mishka been well when Kohdi passed, I think it would have been the beginning of the end for her. I honestly don’t think she would have survived it. The loss of both of them has been the worst possible thing for me. I’ll never be the same.

Please update us here whenever you can, and let us know how she’s doing . I’m not on here often anymore but this site is a part of Kohdi and Mishka so it will always be a part of me as well, so I’d love to read one day how your pup is enjoying life and kicking this disease in the a$$.

Ghost has many issues with his bowels and stomach since he was little. He eats Royal Canin Hypoallergenic and has been ok (with ocasional episodes). He started with Royal Canin anallergenic, which was even more strick, but then we swiched to this one and he didn't have any issues, so we kept the hypoallergenic.

He also takes omeoprazol regularly. Have you tried those probiotics like Purina's FortiFlora? As soon as he starts to take that he starts to get better. Then, with the antibiotics, he gets to his normal state.

I hope this help. I know what that is like. Yesterday, he was ripping appart a Kong tennis ball and must have swallow some tiny pieces and today he is full of diarrhea. He just did diarrhea on my bed and on the sofa *sigh*

Oh My... that would be a mess. Milo is taking a probiotic, I am not sure which. He is currently living with our daughter. I know he also had been on Royal Canin in the beginning but she has switched him to a different food. He was doing good and had been having an issue every two weeks but had a bad 2 weeks where he was every few days. So she is reevaluating all her choices. Its is so hard to watch. We have the other three sibilings here and they can eat anything and not have the same issue at all.