Canine IBD: Expensive but a Happy Ending
by A reader
Reader Question
My 5-year-old female Schnauzer, adopted from a rescue at age 3, was diagnosed with IBD soon after we got her. On a good-quality kibble she often seemed uncomfortable and vomited yellow bile almost every day, and she was often irritable after meals, growling and baring her teeth, which we took as a sign she was in pain. We tried various wet, dry and homemade foods to find what she was reacting to, with no real change. After a tentative diagnosis we weighed three options: exploratory surgery, steroids or a hypoallergenic diet. We chose the least drastic and put her on a strict hypoallergenic diet. It took a week or so for her to settle, but the vomiting and the irritable behavior stopped. Whenever she gets a treat, ordinary dog food or something she finds on a walk, she vomits yellow bile almost at once. After a year on the diet, she is a very energetic and happy dog. The prescription diet is expensive, but it worked for her. I hope this helps someone.
Answer from Our Team
Thank you for sharing your dog's story. What you describe is a good example of how diet can control some dogs' chronic gut problems. A strict diet trial with a hydrolyzed or new-protein food is one of the first steps vets take for dogs with chronic vomiting or diarrhea, and many dogs improve within a few weeks without needing stronger medicines.
Your experience also shows why the diet has to be strict: even small amounts of other food or treats can bring signs back. If you want to give treats, ask your vet about ones made from the same diet. Keep up regular checkups, and see your vet if vomiting returns, she loses weight or seems unwell, because IBD can change over time.
See IBD in dogs.
This is general information, not a diagnosis. Please follow your own vet's advice.
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