It is widely accepted that colitis and other inflammatory bowel diseases result from a complex interplay among the intestinal microenvironment (primarily bacteria and dietary constituents), the immune system, environmental triggers, and host genetics. Chronic inflammatory enteropathy, including colitis, is considered the most common cause of chronic gastrointestinal disease in dogs, affecting up to 90% of those with chronic diarrhea of at least 3 weeks in duration. Therapeutic foods supplemented with fiber sources rich in antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds contribute to rapid resolution of chronic diarrhea without recurrence and may contribute to long term health.Ĭhronic diarrhea is common in dogs and is frequently seen in patients with chronic enteropathy. In dogs with chronic large bowel diarrhea, the therapeutic food rapidly improved stool consistency, resolved clinical signs, and improved stooling behaviors and QoL. The therapeutic food was safe and well tolerated. Significant improvements in nausea/vomiting, stooling behaviors, and quality of life (QoL) were reported by dog owners after 28 days and were sustained through day 56 ( P < 0.05). Veterinarians also reported improvement in stool consistency ( P < 0.001) and reductions of blood and mucus in stool ( P < 0.001). Veterinarians reported that 68% of dogs had complete resolution of their clinical signs by Day 56 and the remaining 32% experienced improvement ( P < 0.05), with no cases of recurrence. ResultsĪssessments of overall clinical response and stool parameters indicated that diarrhea improved significantly within 1 day of initiating the therapeutic food. Statistical analysis was performed using a mixed-effects model with Day as a fixed-effect.
Dog owners evaluated stool consistency daily and nausea/vomiting, quality of life (QoL), and stooling behaviors at Days 1, 14, 28, and 56. Veterinarians evaluated changes from baseline in overall clinical signs, recurrence of clinical signs, and stool parameters at Days 2, 3, 4, 28, and 56. Enrolled dogs were switched to a complete and balanced dry therapeutic food containing whole grains and polyphenol-containing fiber sources for 56 days. MethodsĪ prospective clinical study was conducted in 31 adult dogs currently experiencing chronic diarrhea from private veterinary practices in the United States. We evaluated the safety and efficacy of a therapeutic food with select dietary plant fibers known to contain antioxidant and polyphenol compounds on clinical signs in dogs with chronic diarrhea. Chronic large bowel diarrhea is common in dogs and can have a significant impact on their overall health and well being.