Clinical characteristics of dogs with food-responsive protein-losing enteropathy

Abstract

Background: In dogs with protein-losing enteropathy (PLE), data on the clinical characteristics of food-responsive PLE (FR-PLE) remain scarce. Objective: To determine the clinical characteristics of FR-PLE in dogs responsive to ultralow-fat diet (ULFD) management. Animals: Thirty-three dogs diagnosed with PLE based on standard diagnostic criteria. Methods: Retrospective review of medical records. Clinical findings were compared between dogs with FR-PLE (FR-PLE group) and those with immunosuppressant-responsive PLE (IR-PLE) or nonresponsive PLE (NR-PLE) (IR/NR-PLE group). The area under the curve (AUC) of a receiver operating characteristic curve was used to evaluate the ability of factors to differentiate the FR-PLE and IR/NR-PLE groups. Survival time was compared between the FR-PLE and IR/NR-PLE groups. Results: Twenty-three dogs responded to ULFD management and were diagnosed with FR-PLE. The canine chronic enteropathy clinical activity index (CCECAI) was significantly lower in the FR-PLE group than in the IR/NR-PLE group (P