The
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a
chronic inflammatory condition of the gut that can cause vomiting, diarrhoea, bloody
stools, sometimes with mucus, weight loss, and in severe cases can lead to
wasting due to chronic protein loss. It is the most common cause of these
clinical signs in dogs and several breeds seem to be at a higher risk of
developing the disease. Unfortunately, the German Shepherd Dog is one of them;
and the susceptibility of this breed to develop the disease is very likely
influenced by genetic as well as environmental factors.
It is well known that the diagnosis and
management of IBD in dogs can be difficult and frustrating. Also, up to now the
relationship between “true” IBD and other diseases like for example food
“allergy” (otherwise known as food-responsive chronic enteropathy or food
hypersensitivity) and antibiotic-responsive conditions (formerly known as small
intestinal bacterial overgrowth) is unknown and it is very well possible that
these diseases have a common or similar cause.
Hence we need to understand the condition
better in order to find optimal treatment strategies for every patient. We
would like to call attention to new and ongoing research into canine IBD at the
Our group is interested in both the genetic
background and environmental triggers of IBD with a focus on the innate and
adaptive immune mechanisms and intestinal bacteria involved. Several projects
are investigating mutations in genes involved in specific immune functions in
German Shepherd Dogs with (and without) IBD.
We are also currently conducting three
different clinical trials at the
We would therefore like to encourage owners
and vets to consider referring dogs with chronic symptoms of the stomach, the
small or large intestine to the
We will be happy to discuss cases and their
potential suitability for the different ongoing clinical trials. Patients will
be managed by clinicians board-certified in Internal Medicine and specially
trained nurses in the college’s Clinical Investigation Centre. Financial
support is available for some of the diagnostic and management costs for
patients suitable for inclusion in a clinical trial.
If you are interested in these trials or
would like to discuss a possible case of IBD in a dog, please contact the
Clinical Investigation Centre on 01707 666605 or cic@rvc.ac.uk.
Your support is very much appreciated!
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Karin
Allenspach, Dr.med.vet. PhD Dipl ECVIM-CA MRCVS
Silke Schmitz, Dr. med.vet. MRCVS
Veterinary
Clinical Sciences,