The Clinical Efficacy of Dietary Fat Restriction in Treatment of Dogs with Intestinal Lymphangiectasia. (27th March 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Okanishi, H.; Yoshioka, R.; Kagawa, Y.; Watari, T.
• Is Part Of: Journal of veterinary internal medicine. Volume 28:Number 3(2014:May/Jun.)
• Page Start: 809
• Page End: 817
• Publication Date: 2014-03-27
• Subjects: Veterinary medicine -- Periodicals; 636.0896
• DOI: 10.1111/jvim.12327
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0891-6640

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" id="jvim12327-abs-0001"> <title> <x xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <sec id="jvim12327-sec-0001" sec-type="section"> <title>Background</title> <p>Intestinal lymphangiectasia (IL), a type of protein‐losing enteropathy (PLE), is a dilatation of lymphatic vessels within the gastrointestinal tract. Dietary fat restriction previously has been proposed as an effective treatment for dogs with PLE, but limited objective clinical data are available on the efficacy of this treatment.</p> </sec> <sec id="jvim12327-sec-0002" sec-type="section"> <title>Hypothesis/Objectives</title> <p>To investigate the clinical efficacy of dietary fat restriction in dogs with IL that were unresponsive to prednisolone treatment or showed relapse of clinical signs and hypoalbuminemia when the prednisolone dosage was decreased.</p> </sec> <sec id="jvim12327-sec-0003" sec-type="section"> <title>Animals</title> <p>Twenty‐four dogs with IL.</p> </sec> <sec id="jvim12327-sec-0004" sec-type="section"> <title>Methods</title> <p>Retrospective study. Body weight, clinical activity score, and hematologic and biochemical variables were compared before and 1 and 2 months after treatment. Furthermore, the data were compared between the group fed only an ultra low‐fat (ULF) diet and the group fed ULF and a low‐fat (LF) diet.</p> </sec> <sec id="jvim12327-sec-0005" sec-type="section"> <title>Results</title> <p>Nineteen of 24 (79%) dogs responded satisfactorily to dietary fat restriction, and the prednisolone dosage could be decreased. Clinical activity score was significantly decreased after dietary treatment compared with before treatment. In addition, albumin (ALB), total protein (TP), and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) concentration were significantly increased after dietary fat restriction. At 2 months posttreatment, the ALB concentrations in the ULF group were significantly higher than that of the ULF + LF group.</p> </sec> <sec id="jvim12327-sec-0006" sec-type="section"> <title>Conclusions and Clinical Importance</title> <p>Dietary fat restriction appears to be an effective treatment in dogs with IL that are unresponsive to prednisolone treatment or that have recurrent clinical signs and hypoalbuminemia when the dosage of prednisolone is decreased.</p> </sec> </abstract>