Chronic enteropathy successfully treated by DIGEST team

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).

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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.