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Canine Colitis
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Idiopathic
Canine Colitis (ICC)
Colitis
Treating Colitis the Natural Way
Colitis
Idiopathic Canine Colitis (ICC)
Inflammatory Bowel Disease
(IBD) [basically an umbrella term to cover any disease of the digestive
system]
Large Intestinal Diarrhea
Description or Definition:
Chronic idiopathic colitis (ICC) is one of the most common causes
of chronic diarrhea in dogs. It is a type of colitis that appears
to involve an allergy to something in the diet, which causes the colon
to become markedly inflamed. Large intestinal diarrhea is often
referred to as colitis, which means inflammation of the colon.
Dogs with large intestinal diarrhea produce small amounts of stool and
have increased urgency. These dogs may also have blood and/or mucus in
their feces. In contrast, small intestinal diarrhea is characterized
by large volumes of watery stool and can be accompanied by the other signs
of illness. The main functions of the colon are to absorb water and
store feces until the animal defecates. In dogs with colitis, water is not
effectively absorbed, and the ability of the colon to store feces is impaired.
Excessive amounts of mucus, and even blood, are often passed with the feces
of dogs affected with colitis because of damage to the protective mucosa
lining.
According to Dr. George Padgett, any breed of dog can get ICC,
usually around the age of 8, but it is undetermined as to whether ICC
is genetic.
Symptoms:
In general, colitis is not difficult to diagnose, because the
clinical symptoms are very specific for large bowel inflammation. As
mentioned above, those symptoms include straining to defecate, production
of scant amounts of watery feces that may contain mucus and/or blood,
and increased urgency to defecate.
Diagnosis:
There are many different causes of canine colitis. Diet, parasites,
bacterial infections, and even stress are among the more common causes
of colitis in dogs. Fiber-responsive colitis describes large bowel diarrhea
that resolves by adding fiber to the diet. In some instances, hypersensitivity
or allergic reactions to certain components in the diet can cause a
disease called inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) of the colon.
Dietary Factors:
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Parasites:
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Infection:
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Protein hypersensitivity
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Unabsorbed fats
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hydroxy fatty acids
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Deconjugated bile acids
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Excess or deficient dietary fibre
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Trichuris vulpis
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Goardiases
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Hookworms
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Coccidia
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Clostridial Infections
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Salmonella
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Campylobacter
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Genetic:
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Stress:
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Immune Mediated: |
Boxers
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French bulldogs
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German Shepherd
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Golden Retrievers
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Increased permeability
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Reduced immune tolerance
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Treatment:
It is very important to ensure that there is no concurrent
systemic or small intestinal disease associated with colitis because
such cases will fail to respond to treatment for colitis until the underlying
cause is addressed. When a specific cause of colitis can be identified
as shown above, specific treatment will usually affect a complete cure.
However, in the majority of cases, the etiology is not known; thus, treatment
remains symptomatic. Such therapy normally involves both drug and dietary
management and although it may provide a clinical remission, it will rarely
affect a cure. Long-term remission is now possible using diet alone in
the majority of cases.
Dietary Management:
ICC is one of the commonest causes of chronic diarrhea in the
dog. In order to reduce the amount of inflammation in the large bowel,
your veterinary surgeon may again advise a "hypo-allergenic" diet. These
diets reduce the number of potentially allergenic materials reaching
the colon and therefore minimize allergenic stimulation. Food should
be withheld for an initial 24-48 hr in animals with acute colitis in
an effort to "rest" the bowel. When feeding is begun, the protein source
used should be one to which the animal has not previously been exposed.
In particular the value of "novel" protein diets, fermentable fiber and
polyunsaturated fatty acids is receiving the most attention. It is
now possible to maintain patients in long-term remission and to modify the
severity of colitis by using diet alone. Your vet will recommend a
diet that is unlikely to stimulate an allergenic response. These diets
are highly digestible, so the number of potentially allergenic particles
reading the colon is fewer. They also contain a single meat protein
source and a single source of carbohydrate. What this does is reduce
the number of potentially allergenic materials reading the color and
minimize the possibility of triggering an allergenic response.
The specific nature of an appropriate diet for ICC has been
the subject to considerable debate. Some researchers have reported
minimal success with any diet, others have had some success with highly
digestible, relatively hypoallergenic diets and other have seen promising
effects with predominately meat based, fiber-supplemented diets.
Drug Therapy:
Anti-inflammatory medication is often required, at least in
the early stages of the disease to quickly decrease the inflammation
and improve the clinical signs. In certain types of colitis, such as
ICC, dietary management can reduce the necessity of long-term anti-inflammatory
medication.
Prevention:
The origin of colitis is not known, but there is a general agreement
that an immune-mediated response to an antigen is involved in the majority
of cases and/or that diet is considered to play an important role.
An antigen is any substance that when introduced into the body stimulates
the production of an antibody. Antigens include toxins, bacteria, foreign
blood cells, and the cells of transplanted organs. In working dogs,
this condition is frequently associated with some stress factor, although
highly nervous and excitable dogs may also exhibit similar clinical signs.
Recent studies have placed considerable importance on the value
of diet in the prevention, immediate and long-term therapy of colitis
in dogs.
This summary
provided by:
Ellen F Lennen
Southern Highlands
Shilohs
To Contact the Webmaster
please e-mail dpknatz@optonline.net
Copyright © 1998
- 2004. Shiloh Shepherd Dog™ Club of America.
All rights reserved.
Revised: April 03, 2004
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THE PET HEALTH LIBRARY
Colitis
What Is Colitis?
In brief, colitis is inflammation of the colon.
What / Where Is the Colon?
The colon is another term for the large or lower intestine. For
those who do not know the lower intestine from the upper intestine, a
short tour is in order:
Food is chewed up in the mouth and swallowed. At this point the
goal is to convert the food from what is in the bowl to a liquid slurry
that will flow evenly through the intestinal tract bathing the vast absorption
surfaces lower down. The first step is to liquefy the food and chewing
begins this process. Adding saliva adds some enzymes to further begin
the breakdown of food structure. The breakdown of food into the liquid
slurry is called digestion.
From the mouth and throat food travels through the chest via a
tube called the esophagus. This is a well-coordinated muscular movement
rather than just natural flow or gravity. The esophagus connects to the
stomach where the food completes its breakdown process. The stomach is
capable of not only serious grinding but also squirts strong acid into
the mix. Gradually the food mixture is squirted out of the stomach into
the small intestine. At the end of this process, only the most undigestible
material is left in the stomach. It is either vomited up or a single large
stomach contraction (called a house keeper contraction) moves this material
into the small intestine as well.
The small intestine is divided into three parts: the duodenum,
jejunum, and ileum. The food at this point is in the duodenum where digestion
completes. The duodenum is where the bile duct and pancreatic duct are
located. As food enters the duodenum, bile is squirted into the mixture
to neutralize the stomach acid and help dissolve the dietary fats in the
mixture. Pancreatic enzymes squirt in to digest the starches. From here
on in, the name of the game switches from digestion to absorption.
The food mixture flows along the small intestine where it is absorbed
into the body. Bacteria live in the small intestine symbiotically, producing
vitamins and assisting in food breakdown as the food passes by.
After the long journey through the small intestine, most of what
is left in the tract is undigestible fibers and any material that was
not absorbed earlier.
Now the food enters the colon. The colon has three functions: absorption
of water, storage of stool, and further digestion of unabsorbed nutrients.
The bacterial population in the colon is about 10 times more dense than
that of the small intestine. We're talking about New York City for bacteria.
These bacteria take undigestible fibers and digest them into the
three biochemicals: acetate, propionate, and butyrate (in addition,
they produce assorted gases and pigments to create stool as we know
it). These biochemicals nourish the colon cells (which only live about
a week anyway) and control colon pH so that excreted toxins will not
be reabsorbed.
What Are The Symptoms?
In classifying diarrhea, it is important to determine whether the
problem relates to the small intestine (diarrheas originating here are
more serious) or large intestine. Diarrheas of the large intestine have
the following common characteristics:
They are not associated with weight loss
They are associated with straining and sense of sudden urgency
They often involve fresh blood in the stool
They often involve slime or mucus in the stool
They often involve a stool that starts normal and finishes loose
They involve stool quality that is more gooey or slimy than watery
A diagnosis of colitis is generally straight forward given the
above classic findings though how one should proceed depends on the
course of the signs. Is the problem acute (i.e., suddenly there) or chronic
(been happening for several weeks regularly) or episodic (happens then
goes away then happens again)?
Sudden Colitis
A pet that has symptoms of colitis suddenly probably has a stress-related
colitis (common after boarding, moving, severe weather or other change)
or a dietary indiscretion related colitis (related to treats or raiding
the garbage). These cases are generally minor and can be cleared with a
short course of medication; metronidazole is commonly prescribed) and/or
dietary therapy. Parasites can also cause colitis and may have to be ruled
out as well.
Chronic or Episodic?
If your pet has had symptoms of colitis for one month or more,
a search for the actual cause of the colitis should be sought. Your first
move is to run a basic database. This should include blood chemistry,
a white and red cell profile (a CBC), and at least one fecal test for
parasites. Cats should have their viral status (feline leukemia virus
and feline immunodeficiency virus) confirmed. A test for pancreatic ability
to produce digestive enzymes may also be in order. A fecal smear or cytology
test where the bacteria of the stool sample (as opposed to worm content)
is examined microscopically can help rule out pathogenic bacteria that
can cause colitis (Clostridial organisms especially).
In dogs, whipworms are difficult to confirm by fecal test (the
test detects worm eggs and whipworms only periodically release their
eggs). It may be prudent to deworm the dog for whipworms and see if the
problem resolves.
If response to a short course of simple treatment is short-lived
and if blood testing, then colonoscopy with biopsies will probably be
necessary to reach a diagnosis.
Please read the section on inflammatory bowel disease for more
information on specific therapy. It is very important to rule out irritable
bowel syndrome at this point, which will mimic colitis but be related
to psychological stress, and tissue sampling is the only way to do this.
Management Tips
Colitis is best managed when its cause is known and specific therapy
can be instituted. When this is not possible, symptomatic management
is often attempted. The following are therapeutic medications and strategies
that can be helpful in the treatment of colitis.
Metronidazole This medication has anti-inflammatory properties
in the large intestine as well as ability to kill harmful organisms such
as Clostridia and Giardia. For more information on this medication, see
the link.
Sulfasalazine: This medication consists of a sulfa antibiotic
bound to a salicylate anti-inflammatory. The sulfa bond protects the
anti-inflammatory medication until it gets to the large intestine thus
saving the anti-inflammatory effect for the disease of the large intestine.
This is an effective medication but is typically given 3 times a day,
which is an inconvenience. Cats are sensitive to salicylates, thus this
medication is primarily used in dogs.
Dietary Fiber: The role of fiber in colitis is confusing
as there are an assortment of fiber preparations (soluble fibers, insoluble
fibers, and mixtures). In general, colitis is felt to be a fiber-responsive
disease. Fibers are broken down into nutrients for colon cells and also
for food for beneficial colon bacteria.
Fructooligosaccharides (FOS): One of the prescription Iams
diets as well as the Innovative Veterinary Hi Factor diet emphasizes
the addition of FOS to its formulation. FOS’s are carbohydrates involving
fructose (fruit sugar) units attached to glucose (starch sugar) units.
Most carbohydrates are digested by the bacteria of the small intestine
leaving only the undigested fibers and other dregs for the teeming masses
of the large intestine. FOSs are not fibers but they are digested in the
large intestine (not the small intestine) in the same way that fibers
are yielding the same biochemicals that fibers do. Why is this good? Tests
in healthy cats indicate that this will help remove pathogenic bacteria
from the large intestine and promote the growth of helpful bacteria. Think
of it as an anti-crime program in the New York City of bacteria. Diets
that contain FOSs may be helpful in the management of colitis.
Elimination Diet: Colitis can result from a food intolerance
(an example would be lactose intolerance from which numerous people
suffer). Intolerances can result from dyes, preservatives, contaminants
or even natural proteins in the food. Similarly, colitis can result from
an actual food allergy. The solution for these intolerances is the feeding
a pure diet, ideally a home cooked food made with carbohydrates and proteins
that are novel or new to the patient. An 8 to 10 week diet course is typically
needed and no other chews or treats can be offered during the time of the
trial. Food allergy cannot be diagnosed by blood test or skin test. At
this time, response to elimination diet is the only test for food allergy
or intolerance.
Since itchy skin is a common manifestation of food allergy or intolerance,
more details on an elimination diet can be obtained on the food allergy
page.
Treating Clostridium: Clostridial organisms are a group of
anaerobic bacteria responsible for such unpleasant conditions as tetanus,
botulism, and gangrene. There are Clostridial organisms that normally
live in the large intestine, but they do not cause any trouble unless
some stressful event or diet change allows them to over grow. Once they
are present in large numbers, the toxins that they produce become significant
and can cause colitis. (Think of these organisms as the criminal element
in the New York City of bacteria. When there is a large scale blackout
in the city, large scale looting occurs with these bad eggs leading the
way.)
The diagnosis of Clostridial disease is complicated. A fecal smear
may show the presence of Clostridial organisms but that does not mean
they are producing toxin. Further tests (the reverse passive latex antigen
test and the ELISA test) may be needed but the accuracy of these tests
is in dispute. Often a course of a Clostridium-killing antibiotic is used
as a test. Such antibiotics include: amoxicillin, tylosin, metronidazole
(which has other colitis-helping properties as well), and clindamycin.
Prednisone is the cornerstone of treatment for inflammatory bowel
disease and inflammatory bowel disease must be diagnosed by biopsy. Sometimes
a trial course of this medication is suggested for colitis.
Date
Published: 1/1/2001
Copyright
2001 - 2007 by the Veterinary Information Network, Inc. All rights reserved.
This work was originally published by Veterinary Information Network,
Inc. (VIN) and is republished with VIN's permission.
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Colitis refers to inflammation of the large intestine (colon). Symptoms
may include abdominal pain, diarrhea, dehydration, abdominal bloating and
increased intestinal gas. Colitis can be caused by a primary disease,
irritation of the bowel, antibiotic use, parasite infestation or ulceration.
Two Major types of Colitis are Ulcerative Colitis and Ischemic Colitis.
Ulcerative colitis
Ulcerative colitis is an inflammatory disease of the colon, the large
intestine, which is characterized by inflammation and ulceration of the
innermost lining of the colon. Ulcerative colitis affects only the colon.
Research has shown that in ulcerative colitis, the body's defenses
are operating against some substances in the body, perhaps in the digestive
tract, which the body recognizes as foreign. These foreign substances (antigens)
may themselves cause the inflammation to begin or to stimulate the inflammatory
process to continue without control.
Symptoms of Ulcerative Colitis
The first symptom of ulcerative colitis is normally a progressive loosening
of the stool. The stool is generally bloody and can be associated with
crampy abdominal pain and severe urgency to have a bowel movement. The
diarrhea may begin slowly or quite suddenly. In addition there may be skin
lesions, pain in the joints and failure to grow properly.
Ischemic Colitis
An inflammation caused by interference with the blood flow to the large
intestine.
Symptoms:
Severe abdominal pain, fever, vomiting, bright red blood in the stool,
diarrhea and muscle pain.
Treatment for Colitis
Because Colitis can be similar to Irritable Bowel Disease and can be
triggered by many factors, it is important to have a thorough examine
done by a veterinarian. If you decide to seek natural methods, Purely
Pets recommends a consultation with our on-staff nutritionist.
A consultation will include a personalized diet and holistic program
suggestions, all custom-tailored to your pet's personal needs. This is
particularly imperative with pets suffering from Colitis.
The nutritional program and other recommendations outlined in this
article are designed for pets that have been diagnosed with Colitis, but
does not apply to every pet.
Feed What is Right for Your Pet
Good nutrition is essential in any chronic disease but especially in
this illness, which is characterized by diarrhea and rectal bleeding that
can rob the body of fluids, electrolytes, and nutrients. Maintaining proper
nutrition is important in the management of colitis.
The most important thing to remember when choosing a food for your
pet is to choose a food that is right for YOUR pet, not what other people
think is right. Raw diets are great, and home cooking is wonderful, but
if your pet doesn't do well on it, don't feel guilty.
Some pets suffering from Colitis do very well on a BARF (raw) diet,
others do well on a home cooked diet and others only do well on dry or canned
food. Every case is different, so it is a matter of experimenting and sticking
to what works best. There IS NOT one diet that works for every pet.
However, when choosing a dry food avoid synthetic preservatives such
as butylated hydroxyanisol (BHA), butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), propyl
gallate, propylene glycol and ethoxyquin. Avoid animal fats (found in many
pet foods), high fat treats, processed foods, spicy foods, sugar and diary
products. These foods may aggravate the problem.
Eating the wrong combination of foods can trigger symptoms. For example,
when proteins and grains are eaten together, the grains start to ferment
and cause gas. Also, as the combination slows the process down, proteins
start to putrefy and cause toxins to be released into the system. Therefore,
you may need to eliminate grains.
In many cases, feeding a very simple diet helps. Diets that seem to
be beneficial are chicken and one vegetable, or ground meat and one vegetable.
Some pets only do well when brown or white rice is added to the diet.
In other cases a dry food containing beet pulp is beneficial because it
hardens the stool.
Structure Meal Times
Feed small, frequent meals instead of one large one. Offer all food
at room temperature for best digestion.
Recommended feeding schedule:
Breakfast: High quality pet food, raw or homemade food.
Lunch: High quality pet food, raw or homemade food.
Midday: Light Snack.
Dinner: High quality pet food, raw or homemade food.
Before bed: Light snack.
Use Bottled Water
Toxic metals such as lead, copper, mercury, and aluminum are often
found in drinking water and some pets are very sensitive to these metals.
Rule out a Parasite Infestation
A parasite infestation is a very common problem with dogs and cats.
Symptoms of an infestation are -- vomiting, lethargy, loss of appetite,
weight loss, diarrhea, inability to absorb nutrients, bad breath, skin problems,
chronic ear infections, yeast infections, foul odor to the stool, and many
other minor and major ailments.
GIARDIA does lead to Colitis and many other illnesses! Giardia
is a gastrointestinal infection caused by a microscopic parasite called
Giardia lamblia. This is a common parasite causing gastrointestinal illness.
It is found in the stools of many animals, including rodents, dogs, cats,
cattle, and wild animals.
A Giardia infection can be acquired when your pet ingests food or water
that has been contaminated with the parasite. It then multiplies in the
small intestine. The infection can also be spread person-to-person when hands,
which are contaminated with an infected person's stool, are brought in contact
with the mouth. Swallowing as few as ten parasites can cause the infection.
Symptoms of Giardia are diarrhea, foul, greasy stools, abdominal cramps,
bloating, increased gas, weakness, and weight loss. These symptoms are
similar to Colitis, so it is essential that your pet be tested for this
parasite. This test is normally not done by your veterinarian, so you need
to request it. This simple and inexpensive test can save you hundreds of
dollars and invasive testing.
Giardia is usually diagnosed through a laboratory examination of a
stool sample. Your veterinarian will forward the stool sample to a laboratory
that will use a microscope to look for the parasite. Several stool samples
need to be examined to detect the parasite.
If your pet is diagnosed with Giardia, always thoroughly wash your
hands with soap and water before meals, before preparing food, after having
a bowel movement, after changing diapers, and after playing with your pet.
Eliminate Toxins in the House, Yard and on your Pet
Because Colitis can be triggered by stress, it is important to put
as little stress on the body as possible by avoiding toxins that may deplete
the immune system.
Avoid the following:
Carpet powders
Air fresheners
Plastic bowls - All plastics release some undetectable fumes,
especially when heated. This out-gassing means the fumes can pass into the
foods that are served or stored in the bowl or container. Stainless steel
or glass bowls are recommended.
Cheap ceramic bowls - Cause the same problem as described above.
Fumes from all bathroom cleaners.
Fumes from bleach.
Fumes from dusting products.
Toxic flea products - If the product states "Hazardous To Humans
And Domestic Animals", it is hazardous to your pet.
Toxic shampoos
Toxic flea collars
Paint fumes
Paint chips from lead based paint.
Rawhides - Many are dipped in a solution of salt and bleach
Cheap painted pet toys
Red food dye
Ethoxyquin
Supplements
Purely Pets does not recommend discontinuing traditional medications
cold turkey or discontinuing them at all. This is YOUR decision based
on how the following program works. We highly recommend you work closely
with your veterinarian.
Although medications can be very effective, some may cause side effects
that can eventually lead to other symptoms. Many pet owners are now looking
into other methods for treating Colitis. A more natural approach is outlined
below.
Supplement Recommendations:
Giardia & Parasitic Cleanse
Provides an excellent compound containing bitter principles which activate
digestive secretions. Can be used safely to clean out the colon, when
parasites are suspected as a trigger.
Digest Zymez
Since Colitis can be triggered by an inadequate amount of digestive
enzymes, adding them to your pet's diet cannot be stressed enough. A lack
of enzymes can lead to decreased energy, excessive gas, allergies, poor
skin condition, loose stool, consumption of their own stool, foul breath
and/or body odor. Without digestive enzymes even the most nutritious foods
will not be of any use to the body.
Digest Zymez are capsulated enzymes which can be fed orally or opened
and mixed directly into the food. This product reduces intestinal gas and
cramping and is very helpful in treating Colitis.
Yucca Intensive
Yucca is a natural steroidal supplement containing steroid saponins
which are nature's most powerful anti-inflammatory agents. This product
reduces pain without gastric side effects and is effective for arthritis,
bone and joint problems, soft tissue swelling and digestive and bowel problems.
Mega Pet Daily
This is our most outstanding multiple nutritional supplement. Higher
potency, easy to feed gel cap provides daily support of important vitamins
and minerals, including the A's, B's, Selenium, Chromium, Zinc, and Choline,
all the vital nutrients for optimum immunity and health.
Exercise Your Pet Daily
Exercise increases the efficiency of the immune system and helps with
muscle development, digestion and overall health. A well-conditioned body
will work and perform better and increase the ability to carry blood and
oxygen to muscles. Exercising burns fat and increases your pet's metabolism.
Be sure your pet gets at least an hour of exercise everyday. However,
age, health and weather should be taken into consideration when exercising.
Do NOT over exercise older pets, or pets suffering from hypoglycemia, epilepsy,
heart problems, during bouts of diarrhea, etc. Pets suffer from exhaustion
just as humans do.
Conclusion and Tips for Treating Colitis
1. Feed what is right for your pet.
2. During bouts of diarrhea, Pedialyte and baby food may help.
Plain yogurt replenishes the intestinal tract with friendly bacteria and
does help in some cases. Rice can be helpful for bouts of diarrhea, but this
is not true in all cases.
3. Large breeds that eat off the floor from a bowl are forced
to gulp down their food and this may cause bloating and slow down digestion.
Raising the food bowl for them eases the digestive process and causes less
discomfort.
4. Feed small, simple meals throughout the day.
5. Test for Giardia and other parasites at least 3-4 times.
6. Eliminate any food or supplement which seems to upset the
digestive tract or aggravate the symptoms.
7. Exercise your pet regularly as this helps with digestion.
8. Give supplements to strengthen the immune system and most
importantly give digestive enzymes before or during each meal.
9. Avoid using toxins on or around your pet.
10. Offer only bottled water.
11. Last, it is important to keep a positive attitude, as your
problems and your stress level will affect your pet.
If you
have any questions, please feel free to contact Purely Pets!
Pet Nutritionist: darleen@purelypets.com with questions
about your pet or our products.
copyright © 1997~2007 Purely Pets. All rights reserved.
reprinted with kind permission from Darleen Rudnick
************************
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Colitis
TEXTBOOK OF VETERINARY INTERNAL MEDICINE
Client Information Series
Albert E. Jergens
Colitis refers to inflammation
of the colon (e.g., large intestine) with any of a variety of causes. Colitis
is a rela-tively common problem in pets and may be caused by reactions to
food, gastrointestinal parasites, bacterial or fun- gal infections, benign
infiltrative diseases (such as inflam-matory bowel disease), and even neoplasia
(cancer). The most common symptoms of colitis include straining to defe-cate,
bright red blood on the stool, fecal mucus, and in-creased frequency of defecation.
Most animals are alert, active, and have normal appetites in spite of having
colitis. Occasionally, they have diseases affecting both the small intestine
and colon, which may cause vomiting, alterations in appetite, and/or weight
loss.
Diagnosis of colitis is based on the patient's history and findings of the
physical examination by your veterinarian and selected diagnostic tests.
Puppies and kittens are particu-larly prone to acute colitis caused by dietary
indiscretion (eating garbage), parasites, and bacterial infections, which
may be spread from animal to animal. Most of these disor-ders cause abrupt
symptoms prompting veterinary attention. Parasites are easily diagnosed by
your veterinarian, who can do so by examining fecal material under a microscope.
Rectal swabs for cytologic examination or bacterial fecal cultures may also
be recommended. Other diseases, such as fungal infections (e.g., histoplasmosis),
inflammatory bowel disease, and neopla-sia, occur mostly in adult animals
and are characterized by symptoms that have been present for several weeks
to months. These animals usually require hospitalization and a more in- depth
diagnostic evaluation to confirm a diagnosis. Careful rectal examination
is performed in all animals and may provide important clues to the cause
of inflammation.
Therapeutic trials in animals suspected of having parasitic or dietary causes
of colitis are reasonable. Some parasites (such as whipworm infestation in
dogs) are difficult to detect. Your veterinarian may treat your pet with
medication to kill this or other suspected parasites. If bacterial infection
caused by Clostridium perfringens is suspected, treatment with an antibiotic
is often useful. Pets that have dietary causes of colitis usually respond
favorably to being fed "bland" or hypoallergenic diets. These nutritionally
complete diets are highly digestible and reduce the workload of the gut.
Fiber supplementation is also beneficial in promoting healing and repair
of colonic tissue. A variety of prescription foods or recipes for homemade
diets that are appropriate for your pet are available from your veterinarian.
Animals that fail to respond to symptomatic therapy and those having chronic
symptoms require additional diagnostic testing. These tests may include blood
work, urinalysis, radiographic imaging procedures, and tissue biopsy. Endoscopic
examination of the colon (e.g., colonoscopy, which is an examination of the
inside of the colon with a scope and light) with mucosal biopsy provides
the most definitive diagnosis in most cases. Your pet may require hospitalization
before the procedure for bowel cleansing. The colonoscopy is performed while
your pet is anesthetized or sedated. The results of endoscopic biopsy will
guide treatment recommen-dations by your veterinarian and provide useful
information about the likelihood of cure or recurrence. Regardless of the
cause, dietary modification with a hypoallergenic diet and fiber supplementation
are beneficial for most dogs and cats with chronic colitis.
The above information is simply informational.
It's intent is not to replace the advice of a veterinarian nor to assist you
in making a diagnosis of your pet. Please consult with your own veterinarian
for confirmation of any diagnosis. Your pets life may depend on it.
