Managing canine IBD — chronic gastrointestinal disease requiring sustained treatment for welfare.
Canine IBD causes chronic welfare impairment through gastrointestinal inflammation and its consequences. Dogs with active IBD experience nausea, abdominal discomfort, chronic diarrhoea, and progressive weight loss from malabsorption. The systemic effects of chronic protein-losing enteropathy — hypoalbuminaemia causing oedema, ascites, and pleural effusion — represent severe welfare impairment in advanced cases.
The diagnosis and treatment journey is stressful. Multiple dietary trials, diagnostic investigations including biopsies under anaesthesia, and prolonged medication adjustments place demands on affected dogs and their owners. The chronic, relapsing nature of IBD means ongoing vigilance and management is required indefinitely.
Treatment response guides welfare outcomes. Many dogs achieve excellent disease control with dietary management (novel protein or hydrolysed protein diets) alone. Others require immunosuppressive medications (prednisolone, ciclosporin, azathioprine). Protein-losing enteropathy requires intensive management — high-dose prednisolone, dietary protein support, and potentially plasma transfusion in severe cases.