Authors : Joseph CyrusParambeth, S. Yathiraj and C. Ansar Kamran
Abstract: Chronic gastrointestinal disorders are difficult to manage because of the vagueness in clinical signs, history and limitations of the diagnostic procedures and the multiplicity of possible causes. They are also among the most common presentations in general practice. This study explored the epidemiology of gastrointestinal manifestations in dogs and ascertained by a separate prospective study if these gastrointestinal manifestations were due to primary gastrointestinal disease processes. Medical records of dogs presented to the Bangalore Veterinary College (January to December 2008) were analyzed retrospectively. A prospective study included 81 dogs who were presented with gastrointestinal manifestations and were worked up to arrive at a diagnosis which was further classified as a primary gastrointestinal disease or a systemic disease. The overall prevalence of gastrointestinal manifestations was 20.45%. Among the 1746 dogs presented with gastrointestinal manifestations, mongrels (26.35%), age groups between 1-4 years (23.60%) and males (55.04%) predominated. Most common manifestations were vomiting (55.7%), diarrhoea (29.2%) and anorexia (26.9%). Of these 81 dogs, 54.32% had systemic diseases not related to the gastrointestinal tract based on laboratory investigations (hematology, biochemistry, urinanalysis and fecal assessment), physical examination and other diagnostics procedures. Gastrointestinal signs warrant a thorough diagnostic research up in canines.
Joseph CyrusParambeth, S. Yathiraj and C. Ansar Kamran, 2013. Gastrointestinal Manifestations in Dogs: Epidemiology and Presence of Systemic Diseases. Research Journal of Animal Sciences, 7: 53-58.