Chronic enteropathy successfully treated by DIGEST team
Canine chronic enteropathy clinical activity index (CCECAI) score drops from 15 to zero following treatment
Jude, an 8 year-old rescue dog, was referred to our Hospital due to her persistent vomiting, diarrhoea and hyporexia. She had lost significant weight, had extreme lethargy and was in considerable pain, scoring 15 on the canine chronic enteropathy clinical activity index (CCECAI).
Our DIGEST team conducted a thorough series of tests on Jude including an abdominal ultrasound and endoscopy, with biopsies, which showed mild to moderate “typical” inflammation of her small intestine, but no cancer. Blood tests also showed that Jude was borderline low in vitamin B12.
In consultation with the owners, the DIGEST team recommended that Jude move to a strict elimination diet and nutrition plan to help her gut recover, and prescribed some strong anti-nausea medications and cobalamin to boost her B12 levels.
Jude was discharged to her owners with a feeding tube in her neck so that her owners could feed her at home, as her appetite was supressed. Jude was monitored closely over the following weeks and attended regular check-ups at our nurse-led Nutrition clinic.
One month later, Jude had the feeding tube removed and, whilst still on a strict prescription diet, is now eating normally with no vomiting or diarrhoea. She has gained weight, her energy is back to normal and she has a CCECAI of zero.
About the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies
The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies is a one-of-a-kind centre of excellence in clinical activity, teaching and research. Our purpose-built campus, set against the backdrop of the beautiful Pentland Hills Regional Park, is home to more than eight hundred staff and almost fourteen hundred students, all of whom contribute to our exceptional community ethos.
The School comprises:
The Global Academy of Agriculture and Food Systems
The Hospital for Small Animals
The Jeanne Marchig International Centre for Animal Welfare Education
We represent the largest concentration of animal science-related expertise in Europe, impacting local, regional, national and international communities in terms of economic growth, the provision of clinical services and the advancement of scientific knowledge.