Tierarztl Prax Ausg K Kleintiere Heimtiere 2023; 51(01): 5
DOI: 10.1055/s-0043-1760804
Abstracts | DVG

Evaluation of the efficacy of an ultra-hydrolyzed diet in the management of chronic diarrhea in dogs

Authors

  • K Kuzek

    1   Clinic of Small Animal Medicine, Centre for Clinical Veterinary Medicine, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany

  • A Ziese

    1   Clinic of Small Animal Medicine, Centre for Clinical Veterinary Medicine, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany

  • S J Suchodolski

    2   Gastrointestinal Laboratory, Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA

  • S Unterer

    3   Clinic for Small Animal Internal Medicine, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland

  • A Fischer

    1   Clinic of Small Animal Medicine, Centre for Clinical Veterinary Medicine, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany

  • K Busch

    1   Clinic of Small Animal Medicine, Centre for Clinical Veterinary Medicine, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
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Background Food responsive enteropathy (FRE) represents the most important cause for chronic diarrhea (CD) in dogs. Elimination diets and rechallenge are considered the gold standard to diagnose FRE. Treatment trials with commercial hydrolyzed diets are frequently performed in dogs with CD, but few studies have evaluated their efficacy.

Objective The aim of this retrospective study was to assess the efficacy of exclusively feeding an ultra-hydrolyzed diet as a treatment for CD in dogs.

Animals Eighty dogs presenting with CD were enrolled retrospectively. Of these dogs, 60% had already finished one or more diet trials and 26% have been on medical treatment for longer than 3 weeks before presentation.

Methods The dogs underwent a standard diagnostic evaluation and in all dogs the ultra-hydrolyzed diet was initiated as a monotherapy for at least 2 weeks. The efficacy of the ultra-hydrolyzed diet was assessed by comparing the Canine Chronic Enteropathy Clinical Activity Index (CCECAI) before and after the introduction of the dietetic food. The CCECAI scores were compared by using the Wilcoxon matched-pairs signed rank test.

Results The acceptance of the diet was high in 79%, moderate in 7% and poor in 14% of dogs. In 11 dogs (14%) the diet trial was aborted, because of the refusal to eat the diet (n=9) or due to vomiting (n=3). In the remaining 69 dogs (86%), the CCECAI significantly decreased following the introduction of the ultra-hydrolyzed diet (median CCECAI score pre-treatment 8 (range 3 – 11), post-treatment 1.7 (range 0 – 10); P<0.0001). Newly developed clinical signs after the initiation of the diet were licking (n=9), vomiting (n=4), obstipation (n=4) and worsening of diarrhea (n=1).

Conclusions This study demonstrates that an ultra-hydrolyzed diet can be used to successfully manage CD in most dogs, although a few dogs develop unwanted side effects.



Publikationsverlauf

Artikel online veröffentlicht:
14. März 2023

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