Temporary Holistic Treatment for IBD

[Ms. N]

I have been searching for a new vet to take my cat for a second opinion and treatment for her gastrointestinal issues (no confirmed diagnosis yet), and have found two prospective vets in the area. Unfortunately, I have been unable to make an appointment until a few days from now. The last couple days, my cat has been looking very bad, and yesterday she barely got up.

I had a prescription for Prednisolone, but she has not been started on it, as I have suspicions that it will make her condition worse in the long run. We do not know what the cause of it is, whether it may be a fungal infection or cancer, so I do not want to give it to her, especially if a biopsy is necessary. If I start her on it, I have to keep her on it for 3 weeks.

I did some research and have found that licorice root can sometimes be used to treat the symptoms of IBD with effects similar to steroids. Has anyone ever used this or any other holistic remedy? I need something temporary, just for a couple days, to try and hold her over before I can get her to the vet. I want to get some nutrients in her, but she doesn't absorb them with her swollen intestines. I am so scared she will be too far gone by the time the appointment comes.

[Greenport ferals]

Cats can go without eating for a few days, but she really needs fluids. I would get some in her by whatever means, maybe an eye-dropper. Cat milk has nutrients. I am sorry I cannot be of more help.

[Mitts & Tess]

Inflammatory Bowel Disease | Little Big Cat

She is not a fan of raw diet but I think that might be examined as a possibility. Otherwise I think she is right on.

One of my friends cat has IBD. She give it slippery elm from the health food store. It helped. Slippery Elm | Little Big Cat

There is an excellent IBD yahoo group on line you might want to join also. There are members on Cat Forum whose cats have IBD which I hope sees this thread and will give you more information.

[doodlebug]

I second the slippery elm. I had a cat with IBD and it helped a lot, particularly with the vomiting. I used the syrup recipe that is in the Little Big Cat article and mixed it with her food. Typically you would want to administer it 30-45 minutes before a meal to coat the stomach but she wouldn't take it that way.

For diarrhea I used Animal Essentials Digestive Enzymes and Probiotic, after a year of diarrhea she had firm poop the next day after starting this. I believe her digestive tract was so damaged that she wasn't producing the enzymes she needed to digest the food.

[Stryker]

I am so scared she will be too far gone by the time the appointment comes.

So, it's time for action.

Originally Posted by Mitts & Tess

There is an excellent IBD yahoo group on line you might want to join also.

Mitts & Tess gave some valuable advice just then.......

Several years ago, I lost my little one to a common feline disease...without knowing about one of the most useful resources that was available to me 24/7......a specialized online group of people who had years of, tons of experience dealing with that exact condition....it was only after I had lost him that I discovered this.....and discovered that, had I had the opportunity to work with those people and benefit from all that collective knowledge and experience, my little one would not have gone before his time.

That "If only I had known..." haunts me to this very day.

Look, if you want the best chance of getting some answers to your questions, I suspect that's going to happen right here: felineibd1 : Feline IBD group

Here's where you join up: http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/felineibd1/join

I believe time is of the essence.....

Please keep us posted.