The use of soluble fibre for the management of chronic idiopathic large-bowel diarrhoea in police working dogs

Abstract

Background Chronic intermittent or persistent diarrhoea is a common condition in dogs and may be a reflex of gastrointestinal or non-gastrointestinal disorders. Besides diarrhoea, many athletes experience other gastrointestinal symptoms. Dietary fiber can help normalize colonic motility and transit time, support normal gastrointestinal microflora growth and provide fuel for colonocytes. This study aimed to evaluate dietary supplementation effectiveness with psyllium husk in police working dogs with chronic large-bowel diarrhoea. Twenty-two animals were selected. Concurrent conditions were ruled out through complete blood count and serum biochemistry. Fecal Clostridium and Salmonella were also screened. A soluble fiber, psyllium husk, was added to the diet at the dose of 4 tablespoons/day for 1 month. A daily log of fecal characteristics (type, frequency, and color) was maintained during the supplementation month and for an additional month, without supplementation. Results Response to treatment was classified as “very good” in 50% of animals, “good” in 40% of animals, and “poor” in 10% of cases. During the month of psyllium husk supplementation, defecation frequency decreased from 3.5 to 2.9 times a day, with 90% of animals showing consistent stools regularly and registering a mean increase of 2 kg in body weight. Beneficial effects were still observed during the second month, without psyllium husk supplementation. Conclusion Psyllium husk can be useful in the management of chronic large-bowel diarrhoea in working dogs, which exhibited lower defecation frequency, improved stool consistency, and gained weight. Effects were felt beyond the supplementation period. Alternative approaches for non-responsive cases need to be evaluated.

A survey on the prevalence of diarrhea in a Portuguese population of police working dogs

“…This high prevalence was led researchers to investigate the etiology, with limited results [ 14 ]. It is known that stress and exercise can induce episodes of diarrhea [ 6 ]. Stress is defined as an external disturbance or threat from the environment that disturbs homeostasis, and in rodent models, chronic stress induces abnormalities in small and large intestines [ 8 ].…”

“…Diarrhea, defined as an increase in fecal water content usually leading to changes in fecal volume, fluidity, and frequency of defecation [ 2 , 3 ], is a common clinical sign of chronic inflammatory enteropathies, considered the most common cause of chronic gastrointestinal disease in dogs [ 4 ]. Diarrhea affects a considerable portion of working and sporting dogs [ 5 , 6 ], with a reported prevalence of 7.5–36% in long-distance racing sled dogs. However, it is thought to occur with much greater frequency, representing a leading cause of morbidity in racing sled dogs, causing some performance loss [ 5 ].…”

Present and Future Therapeutic Approaches to Barrier Dysfunction

“…In other models, particularly in interleukin (IL)-10 knockout mice with IBD, dietary pectin and cornstarch diets downregulated the inflammatory response in colon, but its relation with the regulation of intestinal permeability was not established (18,19). DF, such as Psyllium husk, was able to decrease bowel movements, and improve stool consistency and weight gain in dogs (27). Moreover, Plantago ovata showed effectiveness in increasing body weight and small intestine length as well as in reducing intestinal E. Coli in broiler chickens (23).…”

Editorial: Working Dogs: Form and Function, Volume II

“…Heat from muscle activity or the environment can lead to physiological stress and cellular injury. The gastrointestinal tract is affected by both physical stress (exercise, heat) ( 2 ) and mental stress ( 3 ). Many working dogs have diarrhea during or after intense exercise, which could be influenced by diet or physical conditioning.…”