Keeping the 'bugs' in balance: GI microbiome health mattersNovember 3, 2023Given the microbiota in the gut help support overall health, maintaining a balance between beneficial and potentially pathogenic bacteria is important.
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Canine respiratory, digestive disease 'strongly linked,' study saysAugust 28, 2023Dogs with respiratory disease are at higher risk of digestive system abnormalities, according to new research published by the University of Missouri (MU) College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM).
FIP guidelines offer hope for quick diagnosisSeptember 30, 2022The 2022 AAFP/EveryCat Feline Infectious Peritonitis Diagnosis Guidelines detail characteristics and pathogenesis of feline infectious peritonitis (FIP), a fatal but difficult-to-detect disease caused by feline coronavirus (FCoV).
Tummy troubles: Empirical treatment of acute vomitingSeptember 20, 2021Some of the most common clinical presentations seen in general practice are gastrointestinal symptoms, such as vomiting and diarrhea.
Is an FIP treatment close at hand?March 5, 2020Considered fatal, feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) is now being called “treatable” by Niels Pedersen, DVM, PhD, who has studied the disease for nearly the entirety of his career.
Nutrition and GI disease: Assessing ingredients in complete and balanced dietsJanuary 2, 2020In both companion animal and human nutrition, the concept of gut health is a point of major focus in foods and supplements. Veterinarians are often faced with the challenge of prescribing the right diets that fit both the pet’s needs and its owner’s resources.
FIP treatment in the worksDecember 2, 2019A vaccine that could save the lives of countless domestic cats is being developed at Colorado State University (CSU).
Before you change the diet…February 7, 2019Naughty Girl is a healthy six-month old terrier puppy who is being fed a complete and balanced commercial growth food. She lives with Bad Boy, a four-year old beagle-spaniel cross who is fed an adult maintenance dog food. Bad Boy is brought to your clinic for a two-day history of vomiting and acting sluggish (or punky). Your physical exam reveals some pain on abdominal palpation and a lab test for canine pancreas-specific lipase is "abnormal," suggesting an elevated lipase level. Your suspicion of pancreatitis is high and, after rehydrating the dog with fluids, you send him home on a fat-restricted therapeutic diet. Is a diet change warranted in this situation? Nutrition textbooks and veterinary nutritionists refer to dietary fat as a "nutrient of concern" or "key nutritional factor" when talking about nutritional management for patients with pancreatitis. However, before automatically switching a patient's diet, conduct a thorough nutritional assessment to get the whole picture of what's happening in the home environment. Performing a nutritional assessment involves collecting information about the patient, the diet, and feeding management (Baldwin, et. al. 2010). This is not a process that involves extra time or work—a nutritional assessment begins with routine information collected about …
GI issues tricky to diagnose, treatFebruary 6, 2019From intestinal parasites to irritable bowel disease (IBD), dietary indiscretion to food allergies, gastrointestinal issues are among the most common problems veterinarians see. While they might seem straightforward, they can be difficult to diagnose and treat for a number of reasons. Chronic diarrhea and vomiting may not be brought to your attention until it has been going on for a while without improving or begins to worsen in severity. And, of course, diarrhea and vomiting can be seen with diseases unrelated to the GI tract. Once the GI tract is pinpointed as the source of the problem, the signs can still have many potential causes. Radiographs show only faint shadows of the intestines, making interpretation difficult. Gastrointestinal problems can resolve on their own in three to five days, but when they don't, additional diagnostics, therapeutic trials, and medication can be the next step. Fortunately for pets, owners, and veterinarians, more companies are beginning to develop drugs and run clinical trials specifically for cats and dogs with GI disease, says M. Katherine Tolbert, DVM, PhD, DACVIM, clinical associate professor of medicine at Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences. "There are a lot of new drugs that …
Data reveals highest cost drivers for cats and dogsJanuary 22, 2019Vomiting and/or diarrhea and the ingestion of foreign objects are among the top cost drivers of veterinary care for dogs and cats.
