Accute Diarrhoea - Causes and Management

Causes of acute gastroenteritis
Acute gastroenteritis is a general sign describing cases presenting with acute signs of vomiting and/or diarrhea. It is very common and is usually self-limiting. A number of categories exist:

• Non-fatal, self-limiting acute gastroenteritis e.g.
  • Uncomplicated parasitism
  • Dietary indiscretion, dietary sensitivity, food poisoning or scavenging
• Secondary to extra-intestinal / systemic disease e.g.
  • Systemic infections e.g. canine distemper, leptospirosis
  • Metabolic disorders e.g. uraemia, hypoadrenocorticism
• Severe, potentially, life-threatening acute gastroenteritis e.g.
  • Enteric infections such as enteroviruses (i.e. canine enteric coronavirus), salmonellosis
  • Haemorrhagic gastroenteritis (HGE)
  • Intestinal obstruction; vomiting is usually the major sign, but diarrhoea may occur. Examples include foreign body, intussusception, volvulus.

Decision making
The first-opinion practitioner is often presented with a dog or cat with signs of acute gastroenteritis. Within the space of this initial (short!) consultation, a number of decisions must be made:

• Is intensive emergency treatment needed?
  ​​​​​​​Emergency treatment may be required if there is evidence of:
  • Dehydration
  • Electrolyte and/or acid/base disturbances
  • Shock
• Is there an underlying non-enteric cause of gastroenteritis?
• Is surgical management needed?
• Is hospitalisation needed?
• Is an infectious cause likely and isolation needed?
• Are the clinical signs non-specific, and therefore will
• symptomatic treatment be sufficient?  [...]