Biology Reference
In-Depth Information
23.3 Results
The median age of dogs was 5.2 years (range: 4 months-14 years) for nine males
and 10 females. Sixteen dogs were purebreds; three were mixed breed. The median
duration of clinical signs prior to diagnosis was 7.7 weeks (range: 3-12 weeks). The
median score of CCECAI was 6.8. Five dogs were affected by IBD classified as
mild (score 4-5), nine by moderate (6-8), four by severe (9-11), and one by very
serious IBD (
12). Hematological abnormalities were present
in 10/19 dogs
(52.6%),
including regenerative anemia in two (10.5%; media PCV
19%,
¼
reticulocytes
8.2%), leukocytosis in seven (36.8%), neutrophilia (media 20.78
¼
cells/
l)
in six (31.5%), neutropenia (media 2.8 cells/
l)
in two (10.5%),
m
m
thrombocytosis (media 570 cells/
l) in two (10.5%), and thrombocytopenia
m
(media 145 cells/
l) in three (15.7%). Serum biochemical abnormalities were
observed in 13/19 cases (68.4%). Alanine aminotransferase was elevated in eight
dogs (42.1%), alkaline phosphatase in three (15.7%), and gamma glutamyl trans-
ferase in one (5.2%). Hypotriglyceridemia was present in three subjects (15.7%),
hypocholesterolemia in two (10.5%), hypoalbuminemia (range 0.9-1.5 g/dl; v.n.
2.5-4.4 g/dl) in six (31.5%). Folate levels were elevated in one dog (32 ng/ml; v.n.
7-17 ng/ml); in two dogs, folate and cobalamine levels were decreased (mean
135 pg/ml; range: 225-860 pg/ml). The endoscopic examination revealed mucosal
lesions in 14 dogs. The endoscopic mean score was 6; two dogs showed mild
lesions, six moderate, and six severe. The diagnosis was lymphocytic duodenitis in
14 dogs, lymphocytic colitis in two, histiocytic ulcerative colitis in three, and
eosinophilic in two. In only one case of lymphocytic enteritis, a secondary
lymphangectasia, with an endoscopic mean score of 1.8, was observed. The
CCECAI index was significantly related with the endoscopic score (
P
m
0.012).
¼
No connection was
found between CCECAI and histopathological
score
(
P
0.20). Endoscopic and histopathological scores were very significant
¼
(
P
0.007). No significant scores of clinical signs were found between
hypoalbuminemic and normoalbuminemic dogs with disorders of the small intes-
tine (
P
¼
0.11); in those animals, no connection was present between endoscopic
¼
(
P
0.22) assessment. Treatment with predni-
sone (1-2 mg/kg/BID for 2-3 months at dose scale) was performed in 18/19 dogs.
In all cases, it was associated with metronidazole (20-30 mg/kg/BID) and, in dogs
with the colon involved, with enrofloxacin (5 mg/kg/SID) and sulfasalazine
(10-20 mg/BID). In one case, with serious hypoalbuminemia, lymphangectasia,
and failure response at steroid treatment, cyclosporine (5 mg/kg/SID orally) was
given for 45 days. Following failure response to cyclosporine, methotrexate
(0.6 mg/kg/week) was given by i.m. in three administrations. In one dog with
histiocytic ulcerative colitis (HUC) and ehrlichiosis, treatment with doxycycline
(10 mg/kg/SID for 30 days) was carried out with prednisone and sulfasalazine;
clinical signs fully resolved but had only partially been controlled previously. A low
concentration of serum albumin was found in dogs with a slower disappearance of
clinical signs and,
0.10) and histopathological (
P
¼
¼
therefore,
these animals needed a longer treatment period.