Diet and drugs: The keys to managing feline colonic disease

Feline colonic diseases are less common than diseases of the small bowel but are nevertheless diagnostic and therapeutic challenges. One aspect of developing a rational approach to diagnosing and treating colonic disease is to understand the colon's unique physiologic and functional differences. Large bowel diarrhea can be acute (present for less than 3 weeks) or chronic. Acute diarrhea is often associated with dietary disturbances (e.g., dietary indiscretion, food intolerance) or infectious/inflammatory diseases, including parasitic or protozoal infestations. Empiric therapy with antibiotics or anthelmintics or dietary changes often correct the problem. However, many chronic colonic diseases (e.g., inflammatory bowel disease, neoplasia) require lifelong pharmacologic and/or dietary intervention.

Diet and drugs: The keys to managing feline colonic disease Academic Article