Inflammatory bowel syndrome/disease (IBD) is chronic gut issues resulting in vomiting, diarrhea or constipation.  In 1997 the National Institutes of Health put out a consensus statement that acupuncture was a valid and effective therapy for IBS/IBD for people.  The same is true in animals. 

Acupuncture, herbs, food therapy, fasting, reiki, energy work, understanding the human-animal bond, evaluating stressors in the environment, and nutritional supplements are all contributors to helping ease IBD.  There are many options for treatment that avoid antibiotics, steroids and immunosuppressive drugs—the typical therapies for these gastrointestinal nightmares.  The natural therapies tend to calm down and heal the gut lining, making it less inflamed and reactive to food.  Therefore, your pet will have less or no puking or diarrhea for you to have to deal with.  Plus, your pet will feel better, have a healthier immune system, and be less likely to catch other infections or develop cancer as a result of being on immunosuppressive drugs.  Cyclosporin and prednisone are immunosuppressive drugs used to suppress the immune system.  If the immune system is creating excess inflammation, then the theory behind that therapy is that it needs to be suppressed.  But at what cost?—especially when there are healthier and safer alternatives? 

Antibiotics—especially chronic use of antibiotics, obliterate the natural beneficial gut flora critters.  These are vital and needed to be in the intestines—they help process the food and feed the cells of the lining of the gut.  If a gut is leaky or inflamed and overrun with bad bacteria, the toxins are easily distributed throughout the body.  But antibiotics are not selective, and kill good natural gut bacteria as well as the bad.  It is estimated that about 70% of the immune system is actually created in the gut.  So if it is not working properly, then all systems in the body will suffer.  Antibiotics and steroids also tend to lose efficacy over time, becoming less effective if they even help at all.  Even if they do help, the steroids can create a predisposition to developing insulin resistance, or diabetes.  The chronic antibiotics create resistant bacterial strains and contribute to imbalances in gut flora, and therefore the immune system.

Simple solutions such as soluble fiber (pumpkin, acacia) and culinary herbs such as fennel or peppermint can help calm IBS symptoms.  Often, diet restrictions need to be applied, the possibility of parasites needs to be evaluated, and stress needs to be moderated in the life of the patient.  This usually means more playtime and exercise.  Often this includes meditation or lifestyle changes for the pet guardians as well.  But isn’t this better, long-term, than side-effect laden pharmaceuticals which only mask the symptoms?  Do you want to take responsibility for your part, as pet-guardian, or do you want to give your cat a pill for the rest of his life?

flag