Description
This webinar is free to access thanks to the generous sponsorship of Nestlé Purina
Nutrition plays a key role in the management of gastrointestinal (GI) disorders, and many cases may be managed by dietary therapy alone. Dietary ingredients can have negative or positive effect on the bowel. The diet may contain toxins, allergens, toxic dietary excesses or nutritional deficiencies. The diet also has a direct effect on the intestinal physiology, affecting motility, cell renewal rate, gut microbiota (bacteria and other flora), enzyme production, ammonia production, and volatile fatty acid content. A good dietary history is mandatory to determine appropriate dietary management, especially when a dietary elimination trial is being considered. Diarrhoea can occur acutely due to dietary indiscretion. Chronic diarrhoea which is small intestinal in origin (chronic enteropathy) is often due to idiopathic or inflammatory causes. About two thirds of the cases of chronic enteropathy are food responsive and respond to a dietary elimination trial with a hydrolysed protein or novel protein diet. Colitis often responds to dietary management as well, often benefitting from increased fermentable fibre sources. Several types of diets have been developed for gastrointestinal disorders, including hydrolysed protein, novel protein, highly digestible, high fibre diets, and low-fat diets, which all have a place in different disorders. Specific nutrients, such as cobalamin, may need to be supplemented in many chronic cases of diarrhoea. There has been much interest in the use of prebiotics and probiotics for small animal gastrointestinal disorders.
