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. 2014 May-Jun;28(3):809-17.
doi: 10.1111/jvim.12327. Epub 2014 Mar 27.

The clinical efficacy of dietary fat restriction in treatment of dogs with intestinal lymphangiectasia

H Okanishi  1 , R Yoshioka, Y Kagawa, T Watari
Affiliations

The clinical efficacy of dietary fat restriction in treatment of dogs with intestinal lymphangiectasia

H Okanishi et al. J Vet Intern Med. 2014 May-Jun.

Abstract

Background: 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.

Hypothesis/objectives: 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.

Animals: Twenty-four dogs with IL.

Methods: 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.

Results: 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.

Conclusions and clinical importance: 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.

Keywords: Canine; Inflammatory bowel disease; Protein-losing enteropathy.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
The changes of clinical score and laboratory findings from pretreatment to posttreatment in IL dogs with dietary fat restriction. Data are shown as the median with range for each finding. Significant differences between pretreatment and posttreatment (1 and 2 months posttreatment) are indicated as *P < .05; **P < .01; and ***P < .001. 0d, day of the definitive diagnosis; Pre, just before starting dietary fat restriction; 1m, 1 month after dietary fat restriction; 2m, 2 months after dietary fat restriction.
Figure 2
Figure 2
The changes in ALB and TP concentrations from day 0 to 2 months posttreatment in the ULF and ULF + LF groups. Data are shown as the median with range for each finding. Significant differences between groups are indicated as *P < .05. 0d, day of the definitive diagnosis; Pre, just before starting dietary fat restriction; 1m, 1 month after dietary fat restriction; 2m, 2 months after dietary fat restriction.
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References

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