Amanda was diagnosed with a very severe case of IBD over Easter weekend of this year (2004). She is 11 ½ years old and has her Canine Good Citizen and her Therapy Dogs International certificates. She was also doing agility prior to her illness. We love her with all of our hearts, and our 10 month old baby and our 2 year old Dalmatian just think that the sun rises and sets on her. She is my hero.

Amada is ½ Dalmatian and ½ Lab. When she was first diagnosed, she was found to have a helicobacter infection in the stomach (and ulceratic lesions in the stomach) and SEVERE IBD in her duodenum (the upper part of the small intestine). The official diagnosis in the duodenum was lymphplasmacytic enteritis. The symptoms that we went into the vet with were vomiting and loss of weight due to the vomiting. At first the internist told us that, visually, it was probably terminal cancer (we had her endoscoped). Needless to say, I was relieved when the biopsies came back and said IBD. Severe as it is, it was IBD and not cancer. I literally broke out in uncontrollable tears.

The internist put her on the following medicines for the various conditions:

Metoclopramide (eventually in pill form, we have had to give injections) – Nausea
Amoxicillan – IBD
Prednisone – IBD
Metronidazole -- stomach bacterial infection
Prilosec, OTC -- stomach bacterial infection
She also takes Cosequin DS (a glucosamine supplement) for arthritis.

This condition came out of nowhere. She seemed perfectly healthy and was still doing agility on a regular basis --- then out of nowhere she starts vomiting and it escalated rapidly. She got to the point quickly that she was in the lower 30 lbs range --- her bones on her head stood out like a shark and her ribs were all showing through. She couldn't even hold down water.

Let me tell you about how things progressed for us. A few weeks before Easter, she was doing great and still doing agility (not bad for an almost 11 year old girl). 3 1/2 weeks before Easter happened we see that her spark is off. 2 1/2 weeks before Easter she is hospitalized for several days. The Thursday before Easter she was rushed on an emergency basis to the internist and the vomiting was not controllable even with medicine (I had to carry her into our vet for IV fluids and I had to carry her up and down stairs, etc). I learned how to give her anti-nausea injections so we could bring her home where she could rest more easily (she is a rescue and is deathly afraid of the kennel and the vet's hospital was very stressful to her). I was sitting up nights catching vomit in a towel and using a mister to keep her mouth moist.

She has had food allergies in the past --- she was on regular Science Diet until age 7 and then got chronic diarrhea. She changed to Eukanuba Intestinal Formula and until now has done fine.

She still takes the glucosamine supplements daily. She eats Eukanuba Intestinal formula which uses a beet protein in it. She can also eat home-cooked rice and chicken. We are still unable to vaccinate due to the compromised immune system, and have given up agility at least in the near future (probably forever). Good news is that she is up to 44 pounds! And, she and I are trying to get her ready to go back to work as a Therapy dog. Will Amanda ever get off medicine? My vet says we should keep her on it --- she is 11 so if she has liver problems at 13 is it due to old age or Prednisone. I am still undecided as to what to do. Like I said --- she is my angel and I will move heaven and earth for her. Expenditures? Well we are already over $3,500.00 --- definitely not cheap. Worth it? To us, she is worth every darn penny! I have a standing order at the vet that he has to tell me when she is suffering --- because then I will let her go. Until then, we fight on. Every time she coughs I panic --- worrying that the vomit will return.

Is Amanda's story common --- from what I read --- yes and no. It seems like all of our furry friends are walking similar paths but at the same time very individual roads to recovery.

Is IBD frustrating? It is probably the most difficult diagnosis that I have had to deal with. It seems to be elusive when you read about it on-line and in veterinary manuals --- dogs either vomit or have diarrhea --- which can also have many other diagnoses. Very, very frustrating.

Why don’t we give up? We will, when Amanda is ready. We will fight this disease as long as she has the mindset to keep on trying to fight.

Right now? We are on an upswing after a 2^nd flare up of IBD in July and August (2004).  As of October 2004, we are again back up to about 44 lbs. She is a feisty lady and a food thief, so we must be constantly vigilant!  Just recently, she downed about 12 cups of bland cereal. So far, so good.  Let’s hope it stays this way. As for medicines, she is on 10 mg of Prednisone a day, and one Prilosec-OTC a day. She is still on Glucosamine supplements for arthritis. We hope to reduce the Prednisone dosage in the future, but for now are on hold in a wait-and-see pattern.

-Karen and Amanda (11 ½ year old Dal/Lab, Severe IBD)