Although diarrhea is a common symptom in both, IBD refers to inflammation in the intestinal tract caused by an autoimmune response while Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) refers to colitis caused by stress. In IBS, symptoms tend to improve once you remove the causes of stress and use the correct therapy, whereas Inflammatory Bowel disease can present more severe symptoms and requires vet-prescribed medication and nutrition supplementation for longer, sometimes for life.
Modifications to the diet are very common when dealing with symptoms of IBD since the main cause can be linked to food allergies, so a hypoallergenic diet can really help support your kitty's recovery. IBD symptoms management may also include medications for internal parasites, B12 vitamin therapy, and antibiotics.
Different factors may lead to this unpleasant condition like allergies, bacteria, parasites and imbalances in your furkiddo’s immune system, however, there is no definitive cause for irritable bowel disease in cats. Initial testing for IBD in cats can include blood work, stool analysis, and scans of the GI tract (ultrasound and x-ray). These tests are meant to rule out all other conditions that may present similar symptoms to IBD such as food sensitivity, hepatic illnesses, kidney issues, feline leukemia virus (FeLV), diabetes, parasitic or bacterial infections, and hyperthyroidism, to name a few.