GI Disorders

GI disorders impair a pets ability to digest and absorb nutrients. Factors may include:

•Abrupt change in diet• Dietary indiscretion• Malabsorption• Maldigestion• Allergies• Cancer• Parasites• Infectious agents• Toxins• Reactions to medications

Acute gastritis is usually self limiting. It is characterized by vomiting which resolves in 24 to 48 hours. Possible causes include dietary indiscretion or foreign objects.

Chronic gastritis has intermittent vomiting over a period of weeks to months. Cause is seldom determined. The inflammatory response stimulates acid secretion and damages normal mucosal barriers.

Small bowel disease refers to any condition that affects the small intestine including inflammation and infection. Small bowel diarrhea is characterized by large amounts of stool passed 3 – 5 times per day without straining.

Colitis (large bowel disease) may be caused by food sensitivity, parasites, infection or pancreatitis.

Management is targeted at correcting the underlying disease. Dietary changes depends on which part of the GI tract is affected.

Color Likely Cause Likely LocationYellowish or greenishRapid transit Small bowel

Black, tarry Upper GI bleeding Stomach or small bowel

Red blood or clots Lower GI bleeding Colon clots

Pasty, light Lack of bile Liver

Large, gray, rancid Inadequate digestion Small bowel or absorption

Consistency Likely Cause Likely Location

Watery Rapid transit Small bowel

Foamy Bacterial infection Small bowel

Greasy, often with oily hair around the anus

Malabsorption Small bowel, pancreas

Glistening or jellylike Constains mucus Colon

The presence of food can have a positive effect, triggering a variety of signals that facilitate digestion and metabolism:

•Secretion of digestive enzymes• Optimize blood flow to the small intestine• Delivery of nutrients to cells• GI cell proliferation

Food can also have a negative effect:

•Undigested food can trigger inflammatory responses• Alter GI mobility• Alter microflora populations

Small bowel disorders:

•Diet should be highly digestible, low in fat and fiber• High digestibility facilitates nutrient absorption and reduces the potential for diarrhea as large quantities of undigested food in the gut can cause water retention and trigger renewed diarrhea.

Protein turnover may be increased so it is important to maximize absorption. The protein should contain a sufficient amount of the amino acid, glutamine, as it is one of the main fuels for enterocytes

Restricting fat is recommended. Although fat is easily digestible, the metabolism requires several steps. Undigested fat that reaches the colon can be altered by bacteria to produce toxins that increase mucosal permeability and alter mobility.

Large bowel disorders:

Patients may benefit for moderate amounts of soluble and insoluble fiber.

Dietary fiber helps:

•Restore normal intestinal motility• Dilute concentration of potential toxins• Bind to excess water• reestablish normal microflora populations• provide energy for colonocytes

Pancreatitis: Dietary fat stimulates the pancreas to secrete lipase. These digestive enzymes may leak into the bloodstream causing pain and tissue damage.

Clinical signs include:Pyrexia (fever), Cardiac arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat), Liver damage, Kidney damage, Sepsis (infection in the blood), Peritonitis (inflammation of the lining of the abdominal cavity).

Vomiting (emesis; usually profuse)Lack of appetite (inappetence; anorexia; refusal to eat)Lack of thirst (refusal to drink)Weight lossWeaknessDepressionLethargyDiarrheaDehydrationAbdominal pain (usually severe and sudden in onset)Tucked-up belly (“prayer position”)

Owners may notice the following clinical signs:

Prayer Position

Enteral Nutrition: introducing nutrients to the gut to be broken down and utilized for energy

Parenteral Nutrition: introducing nutrition to the body, bypassing the gut. ie. Intraveneous

Fluid therapy will help to combat dehydration and restore electrolyte imbalances.

Experts recommend enteral nutritional support in all patients with pancreatitis. EN stabilizes the gut barrier, improves enterocyte health and immune function, improves GI motility and prevents catabolism.

Enteral nutrition can be provided by a variety of feeding tubes, including nasogastric (NG) or nasoesophogeal (NE) tubes, esophogostomy tubes, gastrostomy tubes or jejunostomy tubes. Jejunostomy tubes bypass the pancreas and can be used in patients when vomiting cannot be controlled.

The Gis main function is to digest and absorb nutrients. It also has a role in defending the body. The GI represents a first line of defence against potential pathogens, toxins and allergens. The GI is the bodys largest immune system. About 70% of the body’s immune system is located in the GI tract

The bacteria population is organized into a complex ecosystem that balances beneficial and harmful bacteria. The function of the bacteria is to aid in digestion and absorption of nutrients, and to prevent infection. Factors that can upset the balance between beneficial and harmful bacteria include:

Disease

Aging

Stress

Drugs

Probiotics: micro-organisms that are introduced into the gut to ensure healthy bacterial population

Prebiotics: food ingredients that act as nutrition for existing gut bacteria, promoting healthy bacteria flora.

Beet pulp, soy beans, fructo-oligosaccharide (FOS)