Dog colitis

Colitis in dogs, or in another way, an inflammatory process in the walls colon or rectum, proceeds almost the same as in people, causing a complex of unpleasant symptoms. There are many reasons that can cause this disease, which causes it prevalence. Medicine offers an effective way to treatment. The owner is required to pay attention to health pet and timely visit a veterinary clinic with him.

Content

• 1. Causes of inflammation
• 2. Symptoms of colitis
• 3. Diagnostics
• 4. Treatment of colitis in dogs
• 5. Prevention

Causes of inflammation

Specialists distinguish between different types of disease. One of the classifications based on the cause of the inflammatory process:

1. Lymphocytic-plasmacytic form – a common type colitis in dogs with an etiology not yet fully understood. At his development in the mucosa increases the level of plasma cells and lymphocytes. Doctors associate its development with a pathological reaction the immune system.
2. Histiocytic form – pathology of young boxers, specialists suggest that this form has an autoimmune origin.
3. Granulomatous form – a serious pathological condition, which is similar to Crohn’s syndrome in humans. With this diseases in the colon, certain cells appear, provoking inflammation.
4. Eosinophilic form – in the focus of the inflammatory process eosinophils appear that occur against the background of infection parasites or allergic manifestations.

Quite often, colitis in dogs is infectious, in most cases, the following pathogens are pathogens microorganisms:

• bacteria – clostridia, salmonella, E. coli, campylobacter, etc .;
• viruses – coronaviruses, parvoviruses;
• histoplasmosis-causing fungus;
• parasites from the genus of nematodes;
• protozoa – trichomonas, amoeba, balantidia, lamblia.

Often, intestinal inflammation develops against the background of food intolerance or allergic reaction. Animal organism can negatively respond to excess fat, nutritional supplements, specific proteins or lactose.

Another common cause of colitis is malnutrition. A dog can earn a disease by overeating, eating poor-quality food, and sometimes inedible items. Also pathology provoke fatty, spicy or smoked dishes. In this case the disease develops in an acute form and lasts a short time.

Symptoms of Colitis

If your four-legged pet is regularly upset stomach, then the owner should worry, maybe his dog is sick colitis. In addition to diarrhea, the animal appears mucous and bloody admixture in feces, this is a sign exacerbations of the disease.

In a dog suffering from colitis, an act of defecation is accompanied extreme tension. In addition, pathological status:

• soreness in the stomach;
• frequent, profuse burps;
• loud rumbling in the stomach and intestines;
• periodically occurring vomiting;
• the tongue is covered with a grayish coating;
• subfebrile temperature keeps for a long time more than 2-3 ° C;
• heart rate increases;
• an unpleasant odor emanates from the oral cavity;
• increased gas formation, bloating;
• the dog refuses the usual food while walking begins to chew grass actively;
• the body weight of the animal is markedly reduced.

Experts note that with chronic colitis, symptoms can vary, depending on various factors. Colitis more often total accompanied by vivid symptoms, but they can also be signs of a more serious illness, such as a colon tumor or invagination, therefore it is not recommended to treat the pet by yourself.

Often due to untimely treatment or incorrect diagnosis inflammation is significantly complicated – on the surface of the intestine ulceration, perforated areas, erosion appear. In this case, an acute form of pathology becomes chronic.

Diagnostics

Therapy, first of all, depends on the form of the disease. During a specialist should not only detect the presence of inflammation intestines, but also determine its type. If in feces mucous or bloody-mucous inclusions are detected, then the pathological process was localized in the thick intestines.

Palpation may reveal tenderness, but not always with colitis. pain is present. If colitis has developed against the background of another systemic disease, the results of blood and urine tests give comprehensive information. In other cases, they are only confirm the presence of inflammation in the body.

The veterinarian may prescribe a feces for laboratory research. The analysis reveals microscopic pathogenic fungi and parasites that live in the gastrointestinal tract. Under certain factors, bacterial culture is recommended using which can identify the causative agent of infectious colitis and choose the right antibacterial agent.

Using a radiograph of the peritoneum and ultrasound this area manages to identify most of the possible violations:

• the presence of foreign objects in the lumen of the colon;
• squeezing feces;
• thickening and densification of the intestinal wall;
• volvulus;
• an increase in the size of lymph nodes, etc.

It is noted that ultrasound examination is far from always allows you to evaluate the complete clinical picture, interfere with the study there may be increased flatulence in the intestines.

If during the initial diagnosis, the specialist identifies seals, neoplasms, or excessively enlarged lymph nodes, then in further more specific diagnostic events, such as colonoscopy.

This technique allows a more detailed and thorough examine the area of the colon. The pet is given the drug strong laxative to maximize empty the intestines completely, after the probe is inserted into the anus, equipped with a camcorder at the end for better visualization.

The image of the internal organ is displayed on the monitor and allows it is better to consider the damaged mucosa and at the same time do localization of the active inflammatory focus. The probe also has special device that allows during the procedure make a biomaterial biopsy fence, that is, get a small tissue sample or tumor, if any is available.

In addition, specialists can prescribe a minimally invasive procedure. – laparoscopy, in which the endoscope is inserted through the wall of the peritoneum. This is the most informative technique.

Dog colitis treatment

Therapeutic measures depend on the form of the disease. At acute inflammation to a pet, first of all, treatment is recommended fasting, lasting up to 2 days. It allows you to quickly rid the dog of diarrhea.

After a diet is prescribed – food is included in the diet, rich in fiber, and clean foods that are high in fat. Fatty meat and butter are excluded from the menu, add to food preferably vegetable oils. Best for feeding a patient suitable dietary types of meat – rabbit meat, chicken and turkey.

You can’t feed a dog of poor quality during this period production feeds, which include artificial flavors, dyes and other harmful additives. Similar components often cause inflammatory process in the gastrointestinal tract.

The treatment also includes drug therapy:

• a solution of potassium chloride is introduced to the animal – liquid restores water-electrolyte balance;
• Loperamide is prescribed – a drug that improves mobility colon
• medications tylosin or metronidazole recommended for treatment disease caused by clostridia.

Chronic colitis requires a slightly different approach, four-legged the patient is given enemas. The following medicinal products may be prescribed Means: Sulfasalazine, Mesalazine, Prednisolone, etc.

The most difficult to treat is an ulcerative form of the disease, since most anti-inflammatory drugs in this case turn out to be useless. A quick improvement can be achieved thanks to taking a rare antibacterial drug Enrofloxacin.

If the development of inflammation is associated with malnutrition or allergies, it is important to rid the pet of the irritating factor. Feed the dog will have to according to the prescribed diet, and this causes a number extra hassle.

When the aggravation subsides, the pet can be transferred to specialized medicinal feeds, allowing to restore inflamed intestinal mucosa and providing the body with all necessary substances.

Similar diets are in the assortment of many manufacturers, but it is better to give preference to products that have already won trust veterinarians and experienced breeders. Showed themselves well feed brands Eucanuba, Hills, Pro Plan, Royal Canin and others. In addition, they are indicated for dogs that have worsened due to disease appetite.

Prevention

Since the cause of colitis is often an infection of the animal intestinal parasites should be carried out in a timely manner deworming using special anthelmintic drugs. If there are other pets in the house, then they should be glistened in one time.

An excellent prevention is to ensure that the pet is correct, healthy eating. In the case of dry feed, the product must be high quality. With natural feeding, there are many restrictions to consider. Dogs often eat trash on the street, and if the pet suffers from this bad habit, the owner must be on the alert.

If the pet is prone to intestinal pathologies, then it costs more take any manifestation of a violation seriously. At risk The following breeds are included: boxer, sharpei, french and english Bulldogs, German Shepherd.

Like most other diseases of the digestive tract, inflammation The colon is best treated at the initial stage. Therefore, it is important to send your pet as soon as possible for diagnosis and save him from painful pathological manifestations.