Question Details
Colitis In A Dog
by DWT - July 10, 2017    View Case Report
Hi Steve. I have been working with a 4.5 yr., s/f, Chihuahua with a history of chronic, intermittent colitis for over a year. She has always had a sensitive stomach but 2-3 times a month she gets acute bouts of colitis with anorexia, diarrhea with lots of mucous and frank blood and bile. Her condition would best be described as bile acid diarrhea like some people have. It usually last a couple of days then eliminates itself. Any manipulation in the diet or adding probiotic triggers a colitis. She had to have an enema at the regular vet about a year ago and during the enema she started hemorrhaging and they had to keep her for a day in the hospital.

She prefers warm, has a dark pink tongue with clear coat, pulse is normal depth and wiry. I started doing acupuncture and sent home SRT from Kaan Herbal. We also started working her onto a fresh diet. She seemed to be improving over a month and then had another bout of colitis then a week later had another bout with lots of frank blood and started vomiting blood so she ended up at the emergency clinic.

I have been focusing on damp and heat, and used some fasting and a cooling diet but I am not sure how to deal with the bile acid scenario. I guess in people they believe it is a failure of uptake in the bile in the distal small intestine. Should I focus on the liver as well. Should I use an herbal formula that has more heat clearing properties in the GI even though she is chilly overall? Any help would be appreciated.
Replies
by naturevet
July 11, 2017
Hi Diane,

I've tackled similar cases in the manner you suggested - using Liver Blood formulas.

The darker tongue and wiry pulse suggest an underlying stasis condition that must be addressed, so a Qi mover is needed. Often the dogs end up on Xiao Yao San, but Yi Guan Jian may be the place to start, as it can also help coat the GI and reduce irritation from bile acids. If needed, you can add about 10g Huang Lian (Coptis) per 100g YGJ to clear the Heat that is driving the hemorrhage.

I think that's how I'd start, and I'd use a low dose, to ensure it is well tolerated first. YGJ without HL will taste better than when it is added, but if you're putting it in gel caps or something, it won't matter

Hope that helps you out. Let us know how it goes. These cases are curable, although ongoing herb use is sometimes required

Steve
Reply to this question.
You must be logged in to reply