I had a Minpin who nearly died with it, while we awaited test after test results. She initially had wicked diarrhea and later, bled continually from her rectum, tons of fresh red blood, lost all her body weight, and was a rack of bones. She wouldn't eat, either. Finally, when it appeared we had absolutely nothing to lose and she was nearing death, despite the last few results not being in yet, we felt we had no choice but to put her on Prednisone. Within 12 hours, I knew she was beginning to turn around. She started drinking and didn't lose her fluid I was giving her via ringers. Within 24 hours her appetite came back and her bleeding slowed to almost nothing. She recovered. Initially I fed her gastro type food, I forget what brand. After several months, I couldn't keep her out of the other dogs' food and gradually switched her back over to Kirkland, which she ate for the rest of her life, lightly soaked.
Over the years of her life, she had the odd relapse, but I was quickly able to ward it off with just a few days of Pred. Her first symptom would always be to go off her food and if it progressed, she was visibly painful in the abdominal area. I never let it get anywhere near the bleeding stage after I learned what it was and how to control it with the Pred. Slippery Elm was a fairly effective preventative.
I had a chocolate female who started having IBD symptoms at about three months of age and was one sick puppy - vomiting and diarrhea every time I tried to wean her off hamburger and rice back to puppy food. She had an endoscopy and was diagnosed with IBD. She ate Hill's ID for about seven years, but then she became intolerant of that protein source. I then switched her to a duck and potato based food - I think it was IVD brand. She did really well and lived to be a few weeks short of thirteen. I had to be extremely careful that she only ate the dry and canned of this food and nothing else. I would cut up and freeze the canned food to use as treats. Strangely enough, she tolerated rawhide. Over the last years of her life, my vet had me put Tylan powder in her food, which helped also. Good luck with your IBD pup.
