Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Association of Diet With Treatment Response in Dogs With Chronic Enteropathy: A Retrospective Multicenter Study.
- Journal:
- Journal of veterinary internal medicine
- Year:
- 2025
- Authors:
- Rodrigues, Sofia D et al.
- Affiliation:
- Veterinary Teaching Hospital
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
This study looked at how changing diets affects dogs with chronic enteropathy (a digestive issue) that haven't been treated before, as well as those whose treatment hasn't worked. Researchers reviewed the medical records of 81 dogs with the first type and 23 dogs with the second type, focusing on their responses to new diets over four weeks. For the first group, 20% of the dogs switched to a hydrolyzed protein diet, and 88% of those had better stool consistency. In the second group, 70% switched to a different diet, and 69% showed improvement in their overall health scores. The findings suggest that feeding a hydrolyzed diet is helpful for dogs with the first type of chronic enteropathy, while trying a different diet can benefit those whose previous treatments didn't work.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Hydrolyzed protein diets are commonly used in the first-line approach to the treatment of dogs with naïve-chronic enteropathy (naïve-CE). OBJECTIVES: To characterize the responses of naïve-CE dogs transitioned to a hydrolyzed diet and to assess the efficacy of an additional dietary trial in dogs with NRE. ANIMALS: Eighty-one dogs with naïve-CE and 23 dogs with NRE. METHODS: Retrospective multicenter cohort study including dogs with CE presented to three referral centers from April 2018 to December 2021. Naïve-CE and NRE cases transitioned to hydrolyzed and alternative diets, respectively, were selected, and medical records were reviewed. Clinical response before and 4 weeks after dietary transitions (with or without concurrent therapeutic adjustments) was assessed based on stool-consistency score or Canine Inflammatory Bowel Disease Activity Index (CIBDAI) total score in naïve and NRE cases, respectively. RESULTS: The transition into a hydrolyzed diet was the only therapeutic change in 20% (16/81). Of these, 88% (14/16) had a decreased stool-consistency score (p < 0.001). From the 23 NRE cases, the transition to an alternative diet was the sole therapeutic adjustment in 70% (16/23). Of these, the total CIBDAI score declined in 69% (11/23; p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: This study supports the need to feed a hydrolyzed diet in naïve CE cases. In cases classified as NRE, an additional transition into an alternative dietary trial seems beneficial.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40326642/