[Dailydrool] Questions about Bo's new meds. regimen and other drooler's experiences

[Val Brewer]

Today we are starting Bo's new medication regimen. As droolers who have followed his woes over the past year know, Bo suffers from a bad case of ulcerative colitis, or "IBD" (irritable bowel disease). Our vet and we originally tried to manage this with diet alone (low fat, high fiber kibble) plus Metronidazol 250mg./day during acute episodes, but this plan alone did not work. Bo incurred two perineal hernias from straining, both of which had to be surgically repaired, and in the course of a year dropped from 49 to 36 pounds (a 6 pound loss in one month). Probiotics and slippery elm did not seem to help either and caused gas and nausea which were a problem, so we discontinued these as well. 

Since his most recent surgery and a post-surgical infection of a suture which required treatment, Bo has been on Metronidazol 250 mg./day and Prenisone 10 mg./day (plus antibiotics and stool softeners when his condition called for them). He has been eating boiled chicken breasts, white sticky rice, and "low residue" kibble. In the past month, Bo has regained 10 of the lost 13 pounds (he looks good) and has not had any recurrences of the colitis. But...secondary to the prednisone, our vet thinks, he has been peeing all over everyplace frequently....and...the vet does not wish to keep him on the prednisone long-term because of long-term side effects.

So....here is the proposed new regimen. Stay on the boiled chicken, white rice, and low residue kibble.  Stay on the Metronidazol 250 mg./day. Start on a new medicine--Budesonide (Brand name seems to be Entocort) 2 mg. day. The Budesonide is supposed to be like the prednisone except that it comes in tiny little beads that only dissolve in the intestines, so its side effects are supposed to be less dangerous in the longrun and more specific to bowel disorders.

My questions about the Budesonide/Entocort--Has anyone used this? Experiences? It is very expensive--$387 a month (and this is if I break open the capsules and measure out the right amount myself--if I have the pharmacist do this--"compound" it--it costs $1000/month). Does anyone know of any cheaper sources of this drug?

I trust our vets and I love my dog, so we will do whatever is required, but this is unwelcome budgetary news. So I would appreciate any feedback I can get from Droolers. I will also do a Web search. Thank you, everybody. Val. Bo, and Harley


      
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