DIGESTIVE

Colic, Chronic

Species affected: Horses
Background: This disorder has many causes, including inflamed small bowel, ulcers, poor motility or poor microbial balance. Horses fed a high ratio of grain to roughage or poor-quality feeds are often prone to colic.
Symptoms: May include restlessness, distress, abnormal postures and distention of the abdomen.
Diagnostics: History of symptoms of abdominal pain (may be associated with changing weather conditions); dietary history, physical examination, fecal exam for parasites.
Special Notes: Overuse of antibiotics, non-steroidal anti-inflammatories and stress must be corrected if successful recovery is to occur.
Principles for Supplementation: Restore bacterial flora, heal digestive mucosa and support digestion with herbs, homeopathics and nutraceuticals.

EQUINE PRODUCTS

Therapeutics:Dosage:	Mechanism/Purpose:
Equine Chinese Herbal Easy Digestion91/2 - 2/3 scoop, bid	Helps restore normal digestive function, spleen tonic to clear damp.
Hilton Herb Phytotherapy Mix42-4 scoops, bid	Herbs that support intestinal wall healing.
Hilton Restore41-2 scoops, sid	Provides beneficial gut bacteria to repopulate the intestinal flora.
L-Glutamine95-8 capsules, sid	Main fuel for enterocytes.
Lactobacillus Sporogenes94-6 capsules, sid	Beneficial gut bacteria.
PRO BI15 ml, bid	Corrects pH balance favoring beneficial bacteria.

Constipation

Species affected: Dogs, cats
Background: Causes of chronic constipation in dogs and cats include dehydration (may be secondary to renal disease), obstruction, dietary indiscretion and occasionally, colitis.
Symptoms: May include pain and difficulty with defecation.
Diagnostics: Palpation may reveal a feces-distended colon.
Special Notes: Some cases are complicated by long-term effects of a highly-processed or cooked diet that is low in roughage, lack of exercise, inability to eliminate at will, and confinement. Cats have a unique condition, megacolon, which is a functional deficit of colonic smooth muscle. The use of fiber can worsen the condition of megacolon.
Principles for Supplementation: Ideally, dogs and cats should be gradually switched to a natural diet containing meat and vegetables, or a high-quality canned food. Some animals may need long-term fiber supplementation. Digestive herbs and variety in the diet may help.

CANINE AND FELINE PRODUCTS

Therapeutics	Dosage:	Mechanism/Purpose:
Canned pumpkin fiber	Cats 1/4 - 1 teaspoon/meal	Palatable source of insoluble fiber.
	Dogs 1/2 - 4 tablespoons/meal
Gastriplex9	Cats 1/2 - 1 capsule, sid	Support enterocytes; improve local immune function.
	Dogs 4 capsules/50 lbs, sid
Herbal Bulk9	*titrate to effective dose approx: Cats 1/4 teaspoon/meal	Source of soluble fiber.
	Dogs 1 teaspoon/50 lbs/meal

Acute Diarrhea

Species affected: All
Background: In dogs and cats, this condition is often due to "garbageitis" (dietary indiscretion). It can also occur as an acute manifestation of parasitic diseases: whipworms (especially in adults), coccidia, roundworms, hookworms, giardia, salmonella, e. coli, etc. Many cases are of a self-limiting nature. Recurrent episodes may indicate a more serious problem such as inflammatory bowel disease or lymphoma.
Symptoms: Looseness of stool and/or an increase in the frequency of elimination.
Diagnostics: Stool, blood, and radiology, if foreign body suspected.
Special Notes: Some cases can rapidly cause dehydration, electrolyte imbalance or even rectal prolapse; intervention and supportive care should be administered in cases that do not resolve quickly on their own.
Principles for Supplementation: Antibacterial (only if bacterial are causal); support the enterocytes, introduce beneficial gut bacteria, help repair the intestinal wall.

CANINE AND FELINE PRODUCTS

Therapeutics	Dosage:	Mechanism/Purpose:
Artestatin3	Cats 1/4 - 1/2 tablet, bid or tid	For giardia, and protozoal and bacterial diarrhea.
	Dogs 1/2 - 2 tablets, bid or tid
Berbercap9	Cats 1/4 capsule, sid	Contains berberine to treat bacterial infections.
	Dogs 2 capsules/50 lbs, sid
Chinese Herbal Bactolyte9	Cats 1-2 pills, bid	Antibacterial - use only if has bacterial cause.
	Dogs 5 pills/50 lbs, bid
Chinese Herbal Gastrigen9	Cats 1-2 pills, bid	Clears damp, corrects spleen qi deficiency, supports the GI tract for symptomatic treatment.
	Dogs 5 pills/50 lbs, bid
Formula SF7349	Cats 1/4 capsule, sid	Contains bismuth, helps slow diarrhea, not for long-term use.
	Dogs 2 capsules/50 lbs, sid
Gastriplex9	Cats 1/2 - 1 capsule, sid	Supports enterocytes; improves local immune function.
	Dogs 4 capsules/50 lbs, sid
Lactobacillus Sporogenes9	Cats 1/4 capsule, sid	Beneficial gut bacteria.
	Dogs 1 capsule/50 lbs, sid

EQUINE PRODUCTS

Therapeutics:Dosage:	Mechanism/Purpose:
Chinese Herbal Easy Digestion91/2 - 2/3 scoop, bid	Supports GI tract, clears damp.
Gastriplex98-12 capsules, sid	Supports enterocytes; improves local immune function.
L-Glutamine95-8 capsules, sid	Main fuel for enterocytes, helps heal the gut wall.
PRO BI15-20 ml, bid or tid	Corrects pH balance, favoring beneficial bacteria.

Chronic Diarrhea

Species affected: All
Background: Causes of chronic diarrhea range from viruses, bacteria, and intestinal parasites to inflammatory processes, including immune-mediated conditions and cancer. Diarrhea is often due to food allergy as well as poor-quality food; if this is the case, dietary changes are required. Inflammatory bowel disease is very often die to a food allergy in dogs and cats. Chronic parasitic diseases, cancer and other serious conditions may also manifest as chronic diarrhea and should be investigated. Exposure to toxins in the environment may also be involved.
Symptoms: Increased volume and/or frequency of stool.
Diagnostics: Stool evaluation, blood work, complete workup of any other systems that may be involved.
Special Notes: Emotional stress can directly affect the digestive tract and should also be evaluated. If animals have been ill for an extended period, and especially after a long course of antibiotics, the balance of normal intestinal flora is likely disrupted; this can allow an influx of pathogens to become established.
Principles for Supplementation: Probiotic supplementation is important, along with support for healing of the intestinal wall. Enzymes are important in many cases, especially for animals with poor digestion.

CANINE AND FELINE PRODUCTS

Therapeutics	Dosage:	Mechanism/Purpose:
Chinese Herbal Gastrigen9	Cats 1-2 pills, bid	Clears damp, corrects spleen qi deficiency, supports the GI tract.
	Dogs 5 pills/50 lbs, bid
Dipan 99	Cats 1/4 capsule/meal	Pancreatic enzymes.
	Dogs 1 capsule/50 lbs/meal
Gastriplex9	Cats 1/2 - 1 capsule, sid	Supports enterocytes; improves local immune function.
	Dogs 4 capsules/50 lbs, sid
Iberogast liquid7	Cats 2 drops, tid	Anti-emetic, antispasmotic, anti-inflammatory; regulates motility.
	Dogs 2 - 20 drops, tid
Lactobacillus Sporogenes9	Cats 1/4 capsule, sid	Beneficial gut bacteria.
	Dogs 1 capsule/50 lbs, sid

EQUINE PRODUCTS

Therapeutics:Dosage:	Mechanism/Purpose:
Equine Chinese Herbal Easy Digestion91/2 - 2/3 scoop, bid	Supports GI tract, clears damp.
Gastriplex98-12 capsules, sid	Supports GI tract, clears damp.
Hilton Restore41-2 scoops, sid	Provides beneficial bacteria to repopulate the intestinal flora.
L-Glutamine93-10 teaspoons, sid	Main fuel for enterocytes.
Lactobacillus Sporogenes94-6 capsules, sid	Beneficial gut bacteria.
PRO BI15 ml, bid	Corrects pH balance, favoring beneficial bacteria.

Enteritis, Equine

Species affected: Horses
Background: Can be a serious condition with inflammation generally of the small bowel, though the large intestine can also be inflamed and produce a colitis of varying degrees of severity.
Symptoms: Acute diarrhea that can be watery, projectile, or significantly increased in volume and frequency is possible. Animals may be febrile, depressed and may or may not have an appetite.
Diagnostics: Stool evaluation should be performed for the possible etiologies including salmonella and colstridium infections, Potomac Horse Fever and severe cases of parasitism.
Special Notes: Antibiotic induced enteritis is not uncommon. Other toxic agents can also be implicated. An accurate diagnosis of the causative organism may be obtained too late to be useful for prescribing therapy, so treatment should be instituted based on presenting signs, with changes made, if necessary, once cultures are obtained. Appropriate supportive therapy with fluids and antibiotics as needed should be used.
Principles for Supplementation: Nutritional and herbal supplementation can improve the health of the intestinal tract, especially after protracted courses of antibiotics have been administered. The goal is to decrease the healing time, support the intestinal epithelium and replace beneficial bacteria.

EQUINE PRODUCTS

Therapeutics:Dosage:	Mechanism/Purpose:
Equine Antioxidant91 scoop, bid	Antioxidant.
Equine Chinese Herbal Easy Digestion91/2 - 2/3 scoop, bid	Supports GI tract, clears damp.
GI-Encap98-12 capsules, sid	Heals gut mucosa.
L-Glutamine93-10 teaspoons, sid	Main fuel for enterocytes.
Lactobacillus Sporogenes94-8 capsules, sid	Beneficial gut bacteria.
PRO BI15-20 ml, bid or tid	Corrects pH balance, favoring beneficial bacteria.

Incomplete Digestion/Maldigestion

Species affected: All
Background: A common problem with multiple causes; if an entire herd or kennel is affected, environmental or dietary causes are likely.
Symptoms: Digestive symptoms such as excess gas production, loose or unformed stool or increased appetite accompanied by weight loss. Secondary conditions, resembling signs of malnutrition develop; these include skin and coat problems. Muscle weakness, mental derangement, pica, and/or skeletal demineralization may occur in severe cases.
Diagnostics: A thorough examination of the housing facility, feed storage area and analysis of the diet is essential. An analysis of the components of the stool as well as blood tests to evaluate potential liver, kidney, pancreatic (endocrine and exocrine) and electrolyte problems. Parasites should also be ruled out.
Special Notes: Signs of maldigestion may appear first in animals with weaker digestive capacity. The digestive tract may have developed improperly or been damaged through disease, surgery or other insult. Certain families and breeds have a greater likelihood for weak digestive processes.
Principles for Supplementation: Enhance healing of the intestinal wall, replace enzymes that may be lacking.

CANINE AND FELINE PRODUCTS

Therapeutics	Dosage:	Mechanism/Purpose:
Chinese Herbal Gastrigen9	Cats 1-2 pills, bid	Clears damp, correct spleen qi deficiency, supports the GI tract.
	Dogs 5 pills/50 lbs, bid
Dipan 99	Cats 1/4 capsule/meal	Pancreatic enzymes.
	Dogs 1 capsule/50 lbs/meal
Gastriplex9	Cats 1/2 - 1 capsule, sid	Supports GI tract, clears damp.
	Dogs 4 capsule/50 lbs, sid
Multizyme9	Cats 1/4 capsule/meal	Source of digestive enzymes.
	Dogs 1-2 capsules/50 lbs/meal
MediClear9	Cats 1/2 teaspoon, bid or qid	Supports enterocytes and detoxification pathways.
	Dogs 1/2 - 6 teaspoons, bid or qid

EQUINE PRODUCTS

Therapeutics:Dosage:	Mechanism/Purpose:
Equine Chinese Herbal Easy Digestion91/2 - 2/3 scoop, bid	Clears stagnant food, enhances digestion.
Hilton Restore41-2 scoops, sid	Provides benefical bacteria to repopulate the intestinal flora.
L-Glutamine93-10 teaspoon, sid	Main fuel for enterocytes.
PRO BI15 ml, bid	Corrects pH balance, favoring beneficial bacteria.
Slippery Elm20 grams, bid	Aids in healing the intestinal wall.

Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Species affected: Dogs, cats
Background: Congenital or acquired inflammation of the intestine, especially the small intestine; similar to Crohn's disease in humans. There is no known pathological organism involved, however, secondary infections may result from chronic inflammation.
Symptoms: Diarrhea and/or vomiting, blood and/or mucus in the stool, hypermotility on the bowels, malabsorption and eventual destruction or severe scarring of the intestine itself.
Diagnostics: Rule out other similar conditions such as parasites (especially giardia), food allergies, toxic ingestion, or other infections.
Special Notes: Certain breed types, especially those with nervous dispositions, are prone to this condition - often as a consequence of improper diet or emotional stress.
Principles for Supplementation: Support healing of intestinal mucosa, increase fiber in some cases, provide antioxidants.

CANINE AND FELINE PRODUCTS

Therapeutics	Dosage:	Mechanism/Purpose:
Chinese Herbal Gastrigen9	Cats 1-2 pills, bid	Clears damp, corrects spleen qi deficiency, supports the GI tract.
	Dogs 5 pills/50 lbs, bid
Dipan 99	Cats 1/4 capsule/meal	Pancreatic enzymes for digestion of fat, protein and carbohydrates.
	Dogs 1 capsule/50 lbs/meal
Gastriplex9	Cats 1/2 - 1 capsule, sid	Modulates immune function, supports enterocyte function.
	Dogs 4 capsules/50 lbs, sid
Herbal Bulk9	Cats 1/4 teaspoon/meal	Source soluble fiber.
	Dogs 1 teaspoon/50 lbs/meal
Quiet Digestion3	Cats 1/4 - 1/2 tablet, bid or tid	Helps with gastric distress, abdominal pain, bacterial or viral enteritis.
	Dogs 1/2 - 2 tablets, bid or tid
Small Animal Antioxidant9	Cats 1/2 capsule, sid	Antioxidant.
	Dogs 2 capsules/50 lbs, sid

Giardiasis

Species affected: Dogs, cats
Background: The usual source of infection is contaminated drinking water or via contact with infected fecal material.
Symptoms: Diarrhea, soft "cow patty-like" stool, sometimes bloody stool, and weight loss.
Diagnostics: The single-cell organism or cyst can be detected using a saline smear of fresh fecal material or using special fecal flotation techniques. The diagnostic work-up should rule out any other predisposing factors.
Special Notes: While debilitating, it is rarely fatal and will almost always be self-limiting if supportive care is provided.
Principles for Supplementation: The organism is susceptible to many herbal products; treatment rarely requires heavy medication.

CANINE AND FELINE PRODUCTS

Therapeutics:Dosage:	Mechanism/Purpose:
Artestatin3	Cats 1/4 - 1/2 tablet, bid or tid	For giardia, and protozoal and bacterial diarrhea.
	Dogs 1/2 - 2 tablets, bid or tid
Berbercap9	Cats 1/4 capsule, sid	Antimicrobial.
	Dogs 2 capsules/50 lbs, sid
Gastriplex9	Cats 1/2 - 1 capsule, sid	Improves local immune function, supports enterocytes.
	Dogs 4 capsules/50 lbs, sid

Nausea/Motion sickness/Chronic vomiting

Species affected: All
Background: Motion sickness is triggered by the sensations from the nerves of the balance mechanism of the inner ear. This is a naturally protective mechanism that may be hypersensitive in some animals. Chronic vomiting may be due to the secondary effects of a deeper illness or it may reflect an ongoing inflammation of the digestive tract. These causes are usually not infectious, but may involve such processes as: a foreign body in the digestive tract, kidney or liver problems, cancer, allergies, autoimmune states, or chronic toxicity due to drug side effects or exposure to chemicals. The cause should be determined and treated accordingly.
Symptoms: Salivation, nausea, vomiting.
Diagnostics: For chronic vomiting, digestive function tests are useful, as are blood values to check for internal diseases or signs of toxicity; a very thorough history (for example, some animals are exposed to toxins when neighbors spray or treat properties with toxic chemicals).
Special Notes: It has been assumed that horses do not suffer from motion sickness. However, there are many horses who eat poorly while a vehicle is in motion, and will then eat normally once removed from the vehicle. This indicates a possible discomfort with motion. (It is normal for horses to eat while travelling.) Small animals should travel on an empty stomach if they are sensitive to motion sickness.
Principles for Supplementation: Line intestinal tract with soothing herbs or with Chinese herbs to help prevent nausea.

CANINE AND FELINE PRODUCTS

Therapeutics:	Dosage:	Mechanism/Purpose:
Chinese Herbal Gastrigen9	Cats 1-2 pills, bid	Settles the stomach, helps nausea by correcting the flow of qi downward.
	Dogs 5 pills/50 lbs, bid
Gastro-Relief7	Cats 1/4 - 1/2 q. 1-4 hours	Antacid, stomach protectant.
	Dogs 1/2 - 4 q. 1-4 hours
GI-Encap9	Cats 1/4 capsule, q. 8 hours, p.r.n.	Contains intestinal protectants.
	Dogs 2 capsules/50 lbs, q. 8 hours, p.r.n.

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