Background: Protein-losing enteropathy (PLE) because of chronic inflammatory enteropathy (CIE) in dogs is often treated with a combination of glucocorticoids and second-line immunosuppressant (SLI). This combined approach might not be necessary in all dogs.
Hypothesis/objectives: To describe diagnostic features and outcomes of dogs with PLE treated with glucocorticoids alone (group P) or with glucocorticoids and SLI (group S).
Animals: Thirty-one dogs with PLE.
Material and methods: Retrospective analysis of signalment data from diagnostic procedures, treatment, and outcome of dogs with CIE/PLE (from 2015 to 2017), using the hospital's digital case database. Dogs with hypoalbuminemia and CIE were included. Because of a stepwise treatment algorithm, dogs were allocated to group P or S. Time to serum albumin concentrations ≥20 g/L and survival data were collected. Dogs were additionally categorized by their albumin and cobalamin serum concentrations. Multivariate and univariate analysis as well as Pearson's correlation and Kaplan-Maier survival analysis were performed.
Results: Seventeen dogs were included in group P and 14 in group S. World Small Animal Veterinary Association score of the duodenum was different between groups (P = .05), but none of the other examined data. Median time until serum albumin reached >20 g/L was 13 days. Median survival time after start of treatment was 85 days (range, 13-463 days) in group P and 166 days (range, 8-390 days) in group S.
Conclusion and clinical importance: No routine diagnostic test was predictive of clinical response, treatment group, or outcome. Glucocorticoid treatment alone can be appropriate in dogs with PLE.
Keywords: chronic enteropathy; cobalamin; hypoalbuminemia; inflammatory bowel disease; prognosis.
© 2019 The Authors. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine.