In Practice 27:293-301 (2005)
© 2005 British Veterinary Association
COMPANION ANIMAL PRACTICE
Diagnosis and management of idiopathic inflammatory bowel disease in dogs and cats
Kit Sturgess
INFLAMMATORY bowel disease is a common cause of gastrointestinal (GI) signs
in dogs and cats. Weight loss, despite an often normal to increased appetite,
is a prominent feature. Inflammatory bowel disease is not a specific diagnosis
but describes a pathological change that primarily affects the lamina propria
(mucosal surface) of the intestinal tract. In approximately 75 per cent of
cases no underlying cause of the intestinal inflammation is evident. These
animals are deemed to have idiopathic inflammatory bowel disease (IIBD) that
is thought to be associated with a loss of tolerance to luminal antigens (food
and/or bacteria). The inflammatory infiltrate is usually lymphoplasmacytic,
but eosinophilic, granulomatous and suppurative forms are described. This
article sets out a diagnostic route for dogs and cats presenting with
historical signs suggestive of IIBD, and reviews various protocols that are
available for the management of the condition.
Kit Sturgess graduated from Cambridge in 1986 and spent six years in
general practice. In 1992, he became the Duphar Feline Fellow at Bristol and,
in 1997, was awarded a PhD for his work on the mucosal immune response to
feline immunodeficiency virus. He has held lectureship positions in small
animal internal medicine at both the Royal Veterinary College and Bristol
university, and is currently working in small animal referral practice. He
holds RCVS certificates in radiology and cardiology, and the RCVS diploma in
small animal internal medicine.
Copyright © 2005 British Veterinary Association
