Pathophysiology and management of canine colonic diseases

Diet and infectious/parasitic agents are the most common causes of large bowel diarrhea in dogs. A diagnosis of lymphocytic-plasmacytic colitis (the most common form of colonic inflammatory bowel disease) should be reserved for patients in which an etiologic agent or dietary cause cannot be found. The cause of constipation should be established and aggressively corrected or controlled to prevent progression to megacolon. This article discusses the basics of colonic physiology, reviews the diseases most commonly associated with colonic disease in dogs, and presents an approach to the management of these disorders.

Pathophysiology and management of canine colonic diseases Academic Article