A Roadmap to Diagnosing and Managing Chronic Diarrhea in Dogs

Diarrhea is generally regarded as the most consistent clinical sign of intestinal disease in the dog and cat and is one of the most frustrating maladies for many veterinarians to diagnose and manage. Incomplete resolution of the problem can result in frustration and dissatisfaction for the owner and potential suffering for the animal. Antibiotics are commonly administered injudiciously to diarrheic animals, with resolution of clinical signs often wrongly attributed to eradication of a putative infectious pathogen.

Chronic diarrhea is persistent or relapsing over a period of 3 to 4 weeks or longer. In contrast to acute diarrhea that is often self-limiting and does not typically require a comprehensive workup, chronic cases warrant a step-by-step approach to obtain a diagnosis and formulate an optimal therapeutic plan. The history and physical examination are paramount for determining whether the diarrhea is caused by primary disease of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract or secondary to extraintestinal diseases such as hyperthyroidism (Table 1).  […]