Gastrointestinal problems

Gastrointestinal disorders in dogs

Gastrointestinal disorders are common causes for veterinary visits. According to different surveys, approximately 30% of all veterinary visits are due to gastrointestinal disorders. Inflammatory conditions of the digestive tract are called gastroenteritis. Common symptoms in dogs include diarrhoea (either sudden or chronic), vomiting, flatulence, abdominal upset, reflux, and changes in appetite or defecation frequency. There can be many causes of gastrointestinal problems. The most common gastrointestinal disorder is acute gastroenteritis caused by dietary mistakes (overfeeding, feeding of spoiled or inappropriate food). Food allergies and food intolerance are another cause that negatively affect (e.g., AFR or atopy) the healthy digestive function. In many cases, the diet may need to be changed several times before a suitable one is found. Other causes may be viral or bacterial infections, parasites, stress, gastritis, colitis, digestive tract structural abnormality, or dysfunction of the pancreas, liver, or kidneys. Often, blood samples and sometimes faecal samples are taken to determine the cause of gastrointestinal disorders. The dog’s stomach or intestines can be examined by means of gastroscopy or colonoscopy. In this case, it is also possible to see whether there are ulcers, tumours, or foreign objects in the stomach.

Diarrhoea

Acute diarrhoea is a primary bowel defence reflex after eating harmful items. The primary response of the bowel is to expel harmful substances and decrease absorption capacity to minimise the risk of intoxication. There can be several causes of diarrhoea. Faecal quality and frequency of defecation may give an indication of the cause of diarrhoea. Diarrhoea may be very fluid, mucous, and loose. There may be blood (either fresh or darkened), or the stool may be grey or greasy in appearance. In acute diarrhoea, the cause is often an infection (bacterial or viral) and a dietary mistake. The dog may, for example, get viruses and bacteria after eating something inappropriate. Acute diarrhoea often passes within a few days, and if the dog drinks and eats well, it is often managed with symptomatic treatment. If the dog’s condition does not improve in 3 to 4 days despite a supportive gastrointestinal diet, the dog should be taken to the veterinarian. In case of acute diarrhoea, the dog may also exhibit vomiting. Giardia protozoa can also cause diarrhoea, which can last for quite a long time if untreated. Chronic diarrhoea is an inappropriate reaction of the bowel immunity system and is usually caused by an unsuitable food. A dog (especially a puppy) may become dehydrated after several days of diarrhoea. A lot of fresh blood in the diarrhoea stool can indicate a condition called haemorrhagic gastroenteritis (HGE), which is always an acute situation and can be life threatening. HGE requires immediate veterinary treatment.

Fatty, grey, or yellowish stools may indicate pancreatic dysfunction. In pancreatic insufficiency, the pancreas does not produce the required number of digestive enzymes, so they must be added to the dog’s food. The dog also usually needs a high-fibre, low-fat diet.

Vomiting

The cause of acute vomiting may not be elucidated if the vomiting ceases on its own. Common causes of vomiting are foreign body, viruses, bacteria, internal parasites, intoxication, or the fact that the dog has eaten something unsuitable or eaten its food too quickly. A life-threatening condition presented with vomiting is gastric dilatation and volvulus (GDV) and bowel volvulus. Another reason for vomiting is any systemic disorder such as fever, sepsis, pancreatitis, hepatitis, kidney failure, encephalitis, and oncological disorders. In any case of acute vomiting, it is necessary to seek out veterinary care due to the risk of life-threatening conditions or the fast development of dehydration and disruption of the acid-base balance. If poisoning is suspected (e.g. xylitol or chocolate), the dog should be taken to the veterinarian. Eating a foreign object can cause vomiting even a long time after swallowing the object – it can linger in the stomach for long periods of time. The foreign object can also progress to the gut and cause an intestinal obstruction.

Other gastrointestinal disorders:

IBD (inflammatory bowel disease)

Sometimes diarrhoea, vomiting, and weight loss can be caused by IBD. It causes chronic inflammation in the intestinal wall due to an imbalance in the production of neurotransmitters that control the immune response. In IBD, the white blood cells accumulate in the intestinal walls and produce inflammatory neurotransmitters when the number of neurotransmitters that reduce inflammation at the same time is too low. There can be many reasons for this process, such as genetic factors, viruses and bacteria, diet, or parasites. IBD is often suspected if symptoms such as weight loss, vomiting, and diarrhoea have persisted for a long time, the causes of the symptoms have not been found, and food allergies have been ruled out. A specimen taken from the intestine of such a dog often contains inflammatory cells that confirm the diagnosis. The dog often needs to be treated with glucocorticoids, an intestinal antibiotic, and a special diet. IBD is not curable, but its symptoms can often be controlled quite well.

Reflux

Reflux occurs when the acidic contents of the stomach, or acid gases, rise from the stomach to the oesophagus. The oesophagus does not have an acid-protective mucosa like the stomach. The reflux causes a burning sting in the oesophagus, larynx, and mouth. Reflux can occur especially when the stomach is empty. Sometimes reflux is due to a structural defect in the gastric cardia. The gastric cardia should prevent the contents of the abdomen from refluxing into the oesophagus, but it might be too loose, for example congenitally. In this case, it does not close properly to prevent acid from rising into the oesophagus. An endoscopy reveals whether the stomach acid has caused ulcers in the oesophagus or stomach. Reflux causes discomfort and pain to the dog. The dog may vomit, eat an unusual amount of grass, lick the floor, or lick his lips more than usual. Often there is a food allergy or hypersensitivity causing the reflux. The dog will sometimes need to be treated with reflux-medication such as a PP-inhibitors. The cause of reflux should be determined by a veterinarian.

Brit VD Gastrointestinal

Following the onset of gastroenteritis, the bowel loses digestion and absorption capacity due to the decreasing surface of intestinal mucosa. Intestinal mucosa requires 2–3 weeks to obtain its previous capacity. For this reason it is necessary to feed a gastrointestinal diet for a minimum of two weeks after the onset of gastroenteritis. An ideal diet for dogs with gastroenteritis provides easy digestibility, is made from ingredients with a low risk of food allergy, promotes the gastrointestinal function, and has a beneficial effect on the gastrointestinal microbiome.

Brit VD Gastrointestinal is a diet for acute and chronic gastroenteritis as part of therapeutic treatment. It can also be used for dogs with gastroenteritis with skin symptoms and other stomach problems, such as flatulence or loose stools. Brit VD Gastrointestinal is composed from ingredients with a minimum risk of food allergy and contains no chicken meat, grains, or gluten. The source of protein is herring and hydrolysed salmon protein with high bioavailability and good digestibility. Added live probiotic E. faecium promotes a healthy intestinal bacterial flora. Brit Gastrointestinal VD contains plenty of prebiotic fibre (e.g., mannan-oligosaccharides and fructo-oligosaccharides, beta-glucans, psyllium) that promotes the integrity of the intestinal wall and intestinal motility. Added minerals and vitamins compensate for losses due to diarrhoea and vomiting.

Brit VD Gastrointestinal has been proven to be an effective diet for acute diarrhoea. The Brit VD Gastrointestinal diet is also suitable for dogs with exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI) when the dog is receiving a digestive enzyme supplement in the form of a tablet or powder. In EPI, the secretion of digestive enzymes secreted by the exocrine part of the pancreas is either impaired or completely abolished. Brit VD Gastrointestinal food can be used for short regimens, or permanently in chronic situations.