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NTR Wetenschap published on social media a knowledge clip about a recent article in , showing that in the UK, certain dog breeds and designer-breeds visit the vet with diarrhoea more often than other dogs. In the clip, Dr Hille Fieten of the Veterinary Genetics Expertise Centre says that she recognises this tendency in the Netherlands too.

Fieten works as a geneticist and specialist in gastrointestinal diseases at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of Utrecht ľ�ϸ���Ӱ�� in the Netherlands. She recognises that diarrhoea is more common and often more severe in certain (designer) breed populations. The national diagnosis-registration system PetScan of the expertise centre also shows that in (first-line) veterinary practices in the country, gastrointestinal disorders form a large share of the diagnoses registered in the Netherlands, in addition to skin disorders, which are also common and may be related.

Hereditary disorders

Hereditary conditions may underlie chronic diarrhoea. A well-known example is the gluten allergy common in Irish Setters. In Rottweilers and Yorkshire Terriers, severe forms of intestinal inflammation are recognised, which can lead to protein loss through the intestinal wall. Diseases of the pancreas can also lead to diarrhoea, such as exocrine pancreatic insufficiency, for which German Shepherds may have a hereditary predisposition.

Food allergy

However, the most common cause of chronic diarrhoea symptoms, besides infectious diseases or food indiscretion, is food allergy. This can manifest itself in diarrhoea, but also in skinproblems, like pruritis (itch) or otitis externa (inflammation of the ears). With food allergy, it is important to get a correct diagnosis. This can be done by first investigating whether other causes can be ruled out, such as parasitic infections, and then applying an elimination diet. This involves feeding the dog a protein source that has never been fed before and to which the dog therefore cannot be allergic .

Fieten explains, "When strictly applying the elimination diet, we often see a spectacular improvement of the symptoms. And then when we go back to the old diet, the symptoms quickly reappear. In this way we can confirm a diagnosis of food allergy. Usually, we can treat the dogs effectively by prescribing a correct diet."

Breeding healthy puppies

Fieten, with the Veterinary Genetics Expertise Centre, has been committed to healthier breeding of dogs and cats based on scientific knowledge for years. Fieten: ‘It is important not to breed dogs with food allergies, because there is a hereditary factor involved, which can be passed on to the puppies.’

Chronic diarrhoea in dogs is not “normal” and can indicate serious underlying health issues. It is therefore important to take a dog with these symptoms to the vet, who can thoroughly investigate the underlying cause. If necessary, the vet can refer the dog to the gastroenterology specialists at the ľ�ϸ���Ӱ�� Veterinary Hospital.