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Author Topic:   IBS
Ellen
New Member

Posts: 3
From:Houston, TX, USA
Registered: Feb 2004

posted 02-15-2004 04:19 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Ellen     Edit/Delete Message
My cat has been diagnosed with Irritable Bowel Syndrom. He is a 3 yr. old yellow tabby. I've heard this is common in tabbies. Does anyone know about this disease in cats? He has to take steroids every day for the rest of his life which is fine with me as long as they keep him healthy and happy. After one week on them, he is MUCH better but steroids seem like a harsh treatment to me. Any suggstions or advice? I love my cat.

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Chessmind
Member

Posts: 701
From:CA
Registered: Nov 2003

posted 02-15-2004 09:28 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Chessmind     Edit/Delete Message
Hello. Welcome to the site. I don't know what new treatments are available to cats with IBS. I do know that the cause is often neurological or psychological in origin.

Unless someone else here can help you out, I would try calling different vets in your area and ask them if they have any alternative treatments for IBS. If you happen to come across a vet that does, you may want to seek a second opinion or a consultation with this vet(s) regarding this new/alternative treatment. Please keep us posted. I'd like to know what you find out.

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nern

Moderator

Posts: 1591
From:NY, USA
Registered: Oct 2002

posted 02-15-2004 09:39 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for nern     Edit/Delete Message
I beleive Fleafly has experience with IBS in cats. Hopefully she will be able to give you some advice/information.

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fleafly
Member

Posts: 996
From:sheridan, wy
Registered: Aug 2003

posted 02-16-2004 04:54 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for fleafly     Edit/Delete Message
One of my kitties, Bebe, who now lives with a friend has IBS. It was diagnosed in her when she was vomitting and had really mucousy blood with poop in it. My vet never mentioned steroids, although I have heard of them as a treatment. Bebe's IBS is stress induced, so that may mean a different treatment- I'm not sure.

My vet said to try her on a high fiber diet, either by supplementing her diet with metamucil mixed with soft food or by switching her to a high fiber food. If that didn't work the next step was to try a protein source that she had never had before, like duck or lamb. This is easy with her since I hand raised her and know everything she has ever had to eat (except the junk she eats off the floor!).

I gave her the metamucil until she stopped eating it. Then it was easier to switch her to a high fiber food. If your cat is overweight you can use a diet food, they are higher in fiber. I had Bebe on diet food first, but since she is little I didn't want to keep her on diet food. I switched her to Authority brand hairball formula and she has done well on it. Everyonce in awhile there is a little bit of blood in her poop. One other consideration is that sometimes fatty acids are bad for cats with IBS. Authority has fatty acids so if her IBS flares up I might have to switch her to a food without fatty acids.

I wouldn't feel comfortable keeping my cat on steroids forever unless it was the only option. Cats tolerate steroids better than most animals, but they still have side effects. I would try to control it with diet first and use steroids only to get it under control and for flare ups. I think IBS can usually be controlled with diet.

I should see my vet tomorrow so I will ask some questions about steroids and IBS and see if I can find anything else out.

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Ellen
New Member

Posts: 3
From:Houston, TX, USA
Registered: Feb 2004

posted 02-17-2004 08:41 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Ellen     Edit/Delete Message
Thanks so much for your thoughts. The primary symptom he has to IBS is lethargy and lost appetite. He typically is very active, wants attention and eats a lot. My vet has told me to stop feeding him dried food ... said "cats are carnivores and primarily need protein." This guy specializes in cats and said his cat has IBS & has been on steroids for 7 years! I'm experimenting with his diet now but so far, the steroids seem to work best. Thanks again and any other advice is appreciated.

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fleafly
Member

Posts: 996
From:sheridan, wy
Registered: Aug 2003

posted 02-19-2004 09:56 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for fleafly     Edit/Delete Message
I talked to my vet, she specializes in dogs and cats. She said that in cats IBS is caused by 1) stress 2) food allergies 3) unknown GI problems 4) cancer. There is also some research being done that may link IBS to bacterial infections like ulcers have been lately.

She said that 90% of the time IBS in cats responds to fiber. As long as it is the digestable kind of fiber like metamucil. When it is not fiber responsive, she said the next thing to try is an alternative protein source. Sometimes it can be a food allergy causing IBS symptoms. If the alternative protein sources don't work you can try antibiotics to see if it is a bacterial infection. She said if it doesn't respond to any of those things there is a good chance that it is cancer.

She said steroids are used if nothing else helps, but they just mask the problem. So whatever the initial problem is is still there, you are just treating the symptoms. They should be used after everything else has been tried.

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Ellen
New Member

Posts: 3
From:Houston, TX, USA
Registered: Feb 2004

posted 02-22-2004 12:58 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Ellen     Edit/Delete Message
Thanks so much Fleafly. We did try antibiotics initially which had no effect on the IBS. The ultrasound did not reveal any tumers or masses that looked like cancer but you can never rule that out completey until a biopsy is done. I'm a little nervous about the fiber as one of his symptoms is diahria so I'm trying a high protein diet. He's responded so well to the sterioids which evidently do help with inflamation that I'm going to keep them up for awhile. Hope that's the right decision.
Thanks again for your help and concern. I visit his vets every other week or so so if I can return the favor for you, please let me know.

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fleafly
Member

Posts: 996
From:sheridan, wy
Registered: Aug 2003

posted 02-22-2004 10:07 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for fleafly     Edit/Delete Message
The fiber should help the diarrhea. The only thing too much fiber would do is make him constipated. Some metamucil added to his diet should clear the diarrhea up.

I'm glad to hear that the ultrasound was normal and that he is doing better.

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