Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Part I - THE STORY OF SHAMUS

On Christmas Eve of 2000, my soon to be four year old Siberian Husky, Shamus, came down with a violent case of diarrhea. Huskies are known to have sensitive stomachs but I couldn’t recall Shamus ever having anything more than an occasional soft stool.

The local vet prescribed medication to firm up his stool and ran a check for parasites like giardia. The test came back negative and the medication didn’t help at all. After a few weeks and still no improvement, I took him the Animal Medical Center, just a five minute walk from my apartment in New York City. The vet assigned to Shamus suggested a few different medications and thought the diarrhea might be caused by an allergic reaction from an ingredient in the commercial dog food he had been eating since he was a puppy. Over the next six months, we tried foods with different protein sources and a few different medications. None had the slightest luck in halting the diarrhea.

Out of ideas he suggested that Shamus be admitted to the hospital to undergo a full gastrointestinal endoscopy. During this procedure, they would send a tiny tube with a camera through his GI tract. For Shamus, they wanted to perform an upper and lower which would mean he would be under anesthesia for twice as long as they would send a tube down his throat and another through his rectum. The thought of this terrified me but I needed to find out what was causing such havoc inside his body.

Thankfully, the procedure didn’t turn up anything alarming. They found mild inflammation throughout his gastrointestinal tract. The diagnosis was Inflammatory Bowel Disease. IBD, as it’s more commonly referred to, is a gastrointestinal disease with no known cure. I sense some veterinarians use the IBD diagnosis in cases like chronic diarrhea when they’re just not sure what the cause is. The vet told me that they could control the diarrhea with steroids but that this treatment would need to continue for the remainder of his life. He pointed out that although these powerful drugs would stop the diarrhea in its tracts, the cost would be potentially harmful side effects that would certainly shorten his life span.

I was not prepared to choose this course of action without fully exploring any available alternatives. In my travels with Shamus through Central Park, I recalled speaking with a woman who told me that years earlier her dog had come down with chronic diarrhea. Her vet also recommended a life-long steroid treatment. She began to cook home-made meals for the dog and the diarrhea vanished immediately, never to return.

Now that I knew that there wasn’t anything seriously wrong with Shamus I was determined to learn everything I could about canine nutrition. I spent hours on the internet. I read as many books as I could find on diet and natural health care. A common theme was forming; an alarming number of respected veterinarians were attributing many cases of IDB, and a host of other chronic disorders, to the overuse of vaccinations, particularly annual boosters. Perhaps it was no coincidence that Shamus’ problems began a few months after his annual shots, which included the Lyme disease vaccine.

I also discovered that gluten, a protein found in cereals that are present in all commercial pet foods (and dog biscuits) acts as an irritant and prohibits the animals own body from beginning to heal itself. This is because the intestinal mucosa, which acts as a protective barrier to foreign objects as well as intact foods, is damaged during a case of chronic diarrhea. It’s no wonder now that Shamus’ diarrhea continued; despite trying different brands of dog food because they all contained some form of gluten. (A check of some of the cheaper supermarket brands will reveal gluten right near the top of the ingredient list.) It did surprise me that the veterinarian wasn’t aware of this important fact.

I began to formulate my own home-made diet, using organic, wholesome foods. As a protein source, I settled on free range ground turkey because it seems to cause less allergic reactions in dogs than meat or chicken, which are used in the manufacturer of some vaccines. I also included tofu. Although tofu isn’t as easily digested as some other proteins, soy contains unique properties for protecting intestinal mucosa.

As a carbohydrate source, I selected sweet potato. Besides having a nice taste, they have long been used as a diarrhea remedy. I also include a low fat white fish. Although not necessary to balance the diet, I imagined that fresh fish was a staple in the husky diet in Siberia, many years ago. For vegetables, I choose those that could be fed raw, like parsley, sprouts, dandelion, carrots and zucchini. To this I added supplements like bone meal, wheat germ, lite salt, sunflower oil and a multi-vitamin made for people.

It goes without saying that Shamus loved his new food. Best of all, his diarrhea cleared up overnight. Once on a wholesome all-natural diet, it’s generally believed that it takes a full year for a dogs system to fully heal itself, after which they are no longer sensitive to gluten and could return to eating a commercial pet food. For me, this was never a consideration. Shamus, who turns six this week, is a picture of health with beautiful white teeth and a shiny vibrant coat. He recently became a father to seven beautiful Siberian puppies, one of whom, Kayla, now is part of our family. They are the best of friends. Kayla, as the beneficiary of all I’ve learned about natural health care, will live her life eating healthy food and won’t be subject to annual vaccination boosters.

Part II SHAMUS & KAYLA’S DIET

This diet is completely balanced and suitable for a healthy adult dog. The ingredients are combined proportionally and the supplements added on a daily basis. Puppies can be fed the same diet, with only the supplements being adjusted. I usually make a 3 week supply and divide into containers. I’ll leave one container in the refrigerator and freeze the others. Since this diet contains no preservatives, this system assures that the food will stay fresh. All ingredients are blended using a food processor.

INGREDIENT MIXTURE

Protein : 45% of total volume
Ground Turkey: 85% of Total Protein
Fish: 15% of Total Protein

Carbohydrate: 45% of total volume
Sweet Potato: 60% of Total Carbohydrate
Brown Rice: 40% of Total Carbohydrate

Fiber Source:
Fruit/Vegetable: 10% of Total Volume

Protein Source:

Free Range Ground Turkey. Place in stock pot and bring to boil. I’m careful not to overcook. By the time the water reaches a boil, it’s usually done. Blend in food processor.

Fish. I use a low-fat boneless fish like trout, cod or flounder. Add to stock pot, bring to a boil. I cook just long enough for the fish to be easily broken apart with a fork or spoon.

Carbohydrate Source:

Organic Sweet Potato. Cut into cubes. (Discard the ends and any sprouting parts as they contain a solanine, a toxic substance.) Add water to a large pot and bring to a boil. It’s very important to make sure the potatoes are completely cooked or they will not be digested properly. Mash or blend in food processor.

Organic Brown Rice. I use short grain. When cooking, I find that by adding 20% more water, the rice is softer and more easily digested. Of note: Introducing this second grain isn’t necessary, and in cases where diarrhea is present it should be avoided. However, when grains are combined, the effectiveness of protein is enhanced because the balance of amino acids is more complete.

Fiber Source:

Organic Mixed Fruit and Vegetables. I choose fruit and vegetables that can be served raw. For each batch I’ll add a bundle of parsley and dandelion (using only the leafy part), zucchini’s, sprouts and carrots, mushrooms, apples and blueberries. Blend in food processor. (If fresh vegetables aren’t available, I’ll substitute with frozen organic mixed vegetables and add them in to the water with the fish.)

When all the ingredients are prepared, I blend them together and divide them into plastic containers. I place one in the refrigerator and the rest in the freezer. When it’s feeding time I’ll place the appropriate amount in a small container and microwave just enough to bring to room temperature. The daily supplements are then added.

Supplements - Shamus

Supplements: These supplement amounts are the daily requirements for a healthy 50 pound adult dog

• Bone Meal Powder: 1 Teaspoon (Should not contain Vitamin D as the multi-vitamin supplement contains an adequate concentration of this vitamin.)
• Raw Wheat Germ: 3 Tablespoons
• Lite Salt: ½ Teaspoon (For the potassium not found in Iodized salt.)
• Sunflower Oil: 1 Teaspoon* (sunflower is and excellent source of linoleic acid, which provides omega-6 fatty acids needed for healthy skin and coat. I have found that for animals that are prone to loose stools, sunflower works much better than the more popular flax seed oil.
• Multi-Vitamin/Mineral. This diet also requires a reliable source of vitamins and micro minerals. It is important to feed a vitamin and mineral supplement with the proper concentrations per tablet. I use Spectra Multi-Vitamin. Shamus gets two tablets per day (half the suggested adult human dose). The following brands also have suitable concentrations: One a Day 50 Plus and Theragram –M Advanced.

*Adjusting the amount of this supplement allows you to adjust the fat content in the diet, which helps to control weight gain/loss.

Supplements – Kayla

Supplements: These supplement amounts are the daily requirements for a growing puppy. As the puppy is growing daily supplements are given per ¼ pound of food. As the puppy eats more, the supplements intake will increase proportionately.

• Bone Meal Powder: 1/3 Teaspoon
• Raw Wheat Germ: 1 Teaspoon
• Lite Salt: 1/5 Teaspoon
• Sunflower Oil: 1/2 Teaspoon
• Multi-Vitamin/Mineral. 1 tablet per day

Finally, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that Shamus and Kayla drink only bottled or filtered water. I’ve read enough about our tap water to know that I would never drink it. After putting forth the effort to assure they are eating wholesome, healthy food, having them drink tap water that might be filled with harmful chemicals is a chance I’m not prepared to take.

Buying the ingredients and preparing the food is time consuming and costly, especially when it is so easy to open a bag of pet food and pour it into a bowl. Even the most loving owner just might not have time, or be able to afford the added expense. One of the best, most loving owners I know, who has 10 Siberians, including Shamus’ mother, brother and sister, uses a premium commercial dog food and supplements with healthy proteins and vegetables, prepared in the family kitchen. It took Shamus getting sick for me to realize there are alternatives to commercial pet foods, drugs and vaccines. Natural health care and all it encompasses is something every loving pet owner should at least be aware of. But I must warn you – it’s addictive. Should you begin the journey, it’s very hard to turn back.

Peter Amantia
February 17, 2003

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