Effect of triple therapy on eradication of canine gastric helicobacters and gastric disease

Nine helicobacter-positive pet dogs with upper gastrointestinal signs were studied to evaluate the effect of a triple therapy, normally applied to hum ans for the eradication of gastric helicobacters, on clinical signs and gas tric histology, as well as the recurrence of helicobacters after eradicatio n in an extended follow-up in four dogs, Endoscopy was performed at entry t o the study and repeated after eradication therapies and additional treatme nts. If the triple therapy (amoxycillin, metronidazole and bismuth subcitra te) failed, tetracycline and omeprazole were prescribed. Additional therapi es were instituted if clinical signs persisted after eradication therapies. Helicobacter status was verified from gastric biopsy specimens by the urea se test and histological examination, and in a few dogs also by brush cytol ogy, Triple therapy eradicated gastric helicobacters in 7/9 dogs; gastric h elicobacters were also eradicated in one dog treated with tetracycline and omeprazole, Eradication of helicobacters resulted in significant improvemen t, but not total resolution, of clinical signs. Subsequent additional thera pies resulted in further alleviation of clinical signs. Neither triple ther apy nor additional therapies had a significant effect on gastric histologic al changes. Gastric helicobacters recurred in 4/4 dogs within three years o f the eradication treatment. Because canine gastric helicobacters alone wer e not definitively shown to induce clinical signs, routine eradication ther apy seems not to be warranted at present.