MANAGEMENT OF CANINE INFLAMMATORY BOWEL-DISEASE

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), the most common cause of chronic vom iting and diarrhea in dogs, involves a group of idiopathic gastrointes tinal disorders that are characterized by histologic infiltration of i nflammatory cells in the lamina propria of the small or large intestin e. Hypersensitivity to luminal dietary or microbial antigens plays and important role in the cause of IBD. Nutritional and pharmacologic the rapy of IBD is aimed at removing antigenic sources of inflammation and suppressing the cell-mediated inflammatory response in the gastrointe stinal tract. Commercially available hypoallergenic diets or homemade diets can be selected based on dietary history. The ideal diet for dog s with IBD is based on a highly digestible single protein and carbohyd rate source that is free of gluten and moderately fat-restricted. Phar macologic therapy with corticosteroids and metronidazole is recommende d for dogs with moderate to severe enteritis; sulfasalazine is more ef fective for managing colitis that is refractory to dietary modificatio n. Azathioprine is a useful adjunctive therapy in severe or refractory cases of IBD. In most dogs, the prognosis for IBD is favorable with j udicious dietary and pharmacologic therapy.