Gut Check: A Fresh Look at Managing Chronic Enteropathy in Dogs
1.0 CE Credit Hour / Laura Gaylord, DVM, DACVIM (Nutrition)
Laura Gaylord, DVM, DACVIM (Nutrition)
Laura B. Gaylord is a Board Certified Veterinary Nutritionist® and Diplomat of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (subspecialty Nutrition). She is an independent consultant and the owner/founder of Whole Pet Provisions, PLLC, a nutrition consulting company established in 2016. She has been a general practitioner in North Carolina for over 24 years working in integrative and physical rehabilitation practices. Through her company, she offers homemade diet recipe formulation and commercial diet consultations for pet parents and their veterinary team, as well as consulting services for pet food and pet supplement companies. Combining her years of clinical experience with passion for nutrition, Dr. Gaylord seeks to promote optimal wellness and integrative veterinary care for companion animals and the pet vested industry.
Overview:
Gastrointestinal disorders are among the most common issues encountered in veterinary practice, affecting nearly 18% of our sick patients. In this presentation, we will explore the diagnosis and management of these conditions in dogs, focusing on patient assessment, diagnostic strategies, and effective localization of the problem. We will review dietary approaches for managing various forms of chronic enteropathy, as well as pancreatitis, which often coexists with these disorders. The presentation will also emphasize the vital role of microbiome health, examining the impact of antibiotics on microbial diversity and offering alternative strategies to support a balanced gut flora. Finally, practical nutritional recommendations will be provided, including the use of highly digestible or fresh food diets, prebiotics, probiotics, and other beneficial supplements to optimize gut health and improve overall patient outcomes.
Learning Objectives:
- Review common gastrointestinal disorders in dogs and review patient assessment including history taking (clinical signs, diet history), physical exam, and relevant laboratory testing and other diagnostics.
- Review how to localize the area of concern within the gastrointestinal tract (small bowel vs. large bowel diarrhea), assess severity and then decide of form of chronic enteropathy (food responsive, fiber responsive, dysbiosis associated, inflammatory bowel disease and idiopathic/ non-responsive).
- Review diagnosis of and dietary strategies for management of acute and chronic pancreatitis which often accompanies chronic enteropathies.
- Learn about the importance of maintaining microbiome health and the impact of antibiotics on microbial diversity. Alternative strategies for supporting the microbiome besides antibiotics will be reviewed.
- Review how to apply nutritional strategies for gastrointestinal conditions with diet selection and use of supplements including prebiotics, probiotics and other supplements.
This course is RACE-approved for 1.0 continuing education credits hours in jurisdictions that accept RACE-approval.
