Treatment assessment and disease evolution of 27 dogs suffering of gastrointestinal disorders – retrospective study

Abstract

Gastrointestinal disorders are the main cause for dog owners to present to clinicians given the variety of symptoms expressed by the patients and also the discomfort caused to the animal. The study tried to assess the treatment and evolution of the disease over the course of 3 different revisits, each revisit taking place after four to six weeks from the previous visit. The study was conducted over a period of 3 years, between 2011-2014, on 27 dogs of different ages and breeds, all suffering of gastrointestinal disorders. To reach the goals of the research, all the patients were given drugs that fall into the following categories: corticosteroids, non-steroidal drugs, protective, H2 antagonists, antibiotics, anti-parasitic and other drugs (vitamins, electrolytes, glucose, etc.), while the evolution of the disease appreciated if the patients have completely (no disease symptoms) or partially (not all initial symptoms expressed) recovered, or the treatment was ineffective and the dogs did not recover at all. The results showed that most of the patients responded to treatment after the second revisit (85%), while after the third revisit, just one patient did not improve its health condition (3,7%). At the beginning of the study, serum total protein, albumin and globulin have been determined. In the present research work, we assessed the treatment of gastrointestinal disorders and the disease outcome that depends on the establishment of an appropriate treatment scheme.