I am so grateful for this long letter of yours, TLC. I do not feel so alone any longer. I have been and am going thru hell with Buddy, although for ten whole days he has been symptom free--even playful and naughty like a Yorkie should be. What a joy. But I know what's coming in just a matter of time, unfortunately.
I have and am literally the poster child/dog for your letter. I AM walking in your past shoes--I say 'past' cause obviously your Tylan powder is working. But every word you typed is EXACTLY what I am going thru with Buddy, my rescue Yorkie. Little did Iknow but guess what? I would have adopted him anyway!! His is almost five years old and God knows how long he has had this malady.
I too, hate, just hate giving him vet food or even commercial food of any kind. Since I sell holistic dog food, I long ago gave up on the commercial food (if it's sold in the store you can count on it not being really fresh and could even be risking your dog's health as things are going nowadays) but now I am forced to listen to my vet (whom I adore) because I need to help my little 'fireplug' aka Buddy to stop vomiting and spewing out bloody/mucousy stools. It is very hard on MY NERVOUS SYSTEM to say nothinig of how lousy he must feel during the regular flare-ups.
I think I mentioned in a letter to you personally, TLC,or on the boards that I will not only check out this powder but will also ask my vet when I get home from my travels, in about two months. Of course, I took Buddy and Dixie with me for these three months out of NY as I travel thruout N.E. but because I am traveling I have no options with Buddy. My vet and I discussed this and she wants me to keep him on Reglan 2x a day plus pepcid and the i/d dog food until I get home. If I try to make any changes while traveling, and he gets REALLY SICK, I am screwed as the vet situation, as you can safely assume, when traveling around here is almost non-existent; especially when you are not a customer and have the daunting task of going thru all the preliminaries with someone new <arrrrgh>.
By the Way, if anyone knows of any PET INSURANCE that might be approved for a dog with IBD, please let me know. I tried VPI (I think this was it) and they turned me down flat because it's a pre-existing condition. However, if I had called what Buddy has "gastritis" I think they would have approved him. Go figure.....
Time to send this.