Abstract
BACKGROUND: Chronic intestinal inflammation in dogs is common worldwide; however, it can be very difficult to manage and predict clinical response to different treatment protocols. AIM: This retrospective analysis included 148 dogs with chronic intestinal inflammation with the aim of describing different treatment protocols and their impact on clinical response and identifying potential predictors of treatment failure. METHODS: Of the 148 dogs, 53 were classified as having presumptive inflammatory protein-losing enteropathy (IRE-PLE). The factors associated with treatment failure were also analyzed. Clinical severity (CCECAI), serum albumin concentration, type of immunosuppressive therapy (prednisolone vs prednisolone in combination with cyclosporine or chlorambucil), type of diet (hydrolyzed protein, restricted antigen, highly digestible, restricted fat), and cobalamin supplementation were evaluated at diagnosis (T0) and after 1 (T1) and 6 (T6) months. CCECAI at T1 and T6 were used to evaluate the short- and medium-term response, respectively. RESULTS: A total of 113 dogs (33.6% IRE-PLE) received prednisolone. Twenty-one dogs (28.6% IRE-PLE) received prednisolone and cyclosporine, whereas 14 dogs (64.3% IRE-PLE) received prednisolone and chlorambucil. Ninety-five (41% IRE-PLE) received cobalamin supplementation. Hydrolyzed protein and restricted antigen diets were most commonly prescribed. At T1 and T6, 79% and 59.5% of dogs were responders (24.8% and 15.9% IRE-PLE), and 21% and 27% (79.3% and 72.5% IRE-PLE) were nonresponders, respectively. The median CCECAI scores were 2 (IQR 4) and 0 (IQR 2) at T1 and T6, respectively. CONCLUSION: Most dogs showed favorable clinical outcomes, although a subset did not respond to treatment at short- and medium-term follow-up. Most deaths or euthanasia occurred within 1 month of diagnosis. The therapeutic response was not influenced by the type of immunosuppressive protocol, but rather by the presence of hypoalbuminemia, hypocobalaminemia, and the need for a home-cooked restricted-fat diet.