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Veterinary Sciences
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Small Animal Gastrointestinal Diseases: Challenges and Advances
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Small Animal Gastrointestinal Diseases: Challenges and Advances

A special issue of Veterinary Sciences (ISSN 2306-7381). This special issue belongs to the section "Veterinary Internal Medicine".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 August 2025 | Viewed by 16107

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Veronica Marchetti

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Veterinary Clinical Medicine Department, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
Interests: small animal gastroenterology; oncology; internal medicine; clinical pathology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Over the past 10 years, research in gastroenterology and hepatology has made much progress. It also has highlighted research aspects that changed how we approach both the diagnostic and therapeutical processes of liver and intestinal diseases, especially those associated with microbiota and metabolomics. In addition, some studies have shown important pathogenetic associations between the organs of the digestive system and other organs, such as the kidneys, pancreas, and endocrine glands.

This Special Issue aims to provide an update on the new knowledge for the clinical management of the digestive diseases of dogs and cats.

Original research articles, reviews, and communications are welcome. Research areas may include acute and chronic enteropathies, acute and chronic pancreatitis, hepatitis, and biliary tract disease in all aspects of diagnostics and therapeutics. Studies on innovative diagnostic techniques and biomarkers will be particularly appreciated. Hopefully, this Special Issue will further stimulate collaboration between scientists engaged in all aspects of this field of research.

Dr. Veronica Marchetti
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Veterinary Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2100 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • pancreatitis
  • enteropathy
  • hepatitis
  • cholecystitis
  • microbiota
  • metabolomic
  • biomarkers

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Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

10 pages, 1724 KiB  
Article
Effects of Dietary Supplementation with Yeast Hydrolysate on Immune Function, Fecal Short Chain Fatty Acids, and Intestinal Health in Cats
by Jintao Sun, Shukun Liang, Xinshu Gu, Jie Xu, Xiumin Wang, Zhenlong Wang, Hui Tao, Jinquan Wang and Bing Han
Vet. Sci. 2025, 12(3), 239; https://doi.org/10.3390/vetsci12030239 - 3 Mar 2025
Viewed by 759
Abstract
Yeast hydrolysate (YH) is rich in amino acids and other nutrients, and as a nutritional supplement it has been widely used in daily nutritional supplements for livestock. However, the role of YH in domestic pets, especially cats, has not yet been determined. The [...] Read more.
Yeast hydrolysate (YH) is rich in amino acids and other nutrients, and as a nutritional supplement it has been widely used in daily nutritional supplements for livestock. However, the role of YH in domestic pets, especially cats, has not yet been determined. The objective of this research was to study the effects of different concentrations of YH on the healthy cats. All cats were randomly divided into four treatments: the control group (T0, n = 6, without YH), treatment 1 (T1, the low concentration group, 0.8% of YH, n = 6), treatment 2 (T2, the middle concentration group, 1.5% of YH, n = 6), and treatment 3 (T3, the high concentration group, 4% of YH, n = 6), and the blood biochemistry, immune indexes and odorous substances in the feces, and microbiome of cats were determined on day 28. Our results showed that YH could increase the immunoglobulin G (IgG) level in the serum (p < 0.01) and reduce 3-methylindole content in the feces (p < 0.01). The acetic acid in the feces of T2 treatment (1.5%YH) was apparently increased compared to the control treatment (p < 0.05). The blood biochemistry indexes were not affected by the YH. Compared to the control group, there was no significant difference in the abundance at the phylum level. On the genus level, the abundance of g_Ruminocococcaceae and g_Lachnospiraceae, the beneficial bacteria in the gut, were decreased in the treatment T3 compared to treatment T1 (p < 0.05), but there was no significance between T1 and T2, which suggested that a high concentration of YH may be negative for gut health. So, the research showed that 1.5% of YH could be the best concentration for the improvement of immunity and gut health for cats. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Small Animal Gastrointestinal Diseases: Challenges and Advances)
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11 pages, 7711 KiB  
Article
Evaluation of Liver Parenchyma in Dogs with Hyperlipidemia Using Ultrasound Attenuation Imaging (ATI)
by Tina Pelligra, Simonetta Citi, Veronica Marchetti, Verena Habermaass, Sara Tinalli and Caterina Puccinelli
Vet. Sci. 2024, 11(10), 454; https://doi.org/10.3390/vetsci11100454 - 25 Sep 2024
Viewed by 1786
Abstract
(1) Background: Ultrasound attenuation imaging (ATI) is an innovative technique that allows for the evaluation of the degree of lipid infiltration of the liver parenchyma in a simple and non-invasive way. The objective of this study was to verify the applicability of the [...] Read more.
(1) Background: Ultrasound attenuation imaging (ATI) is an innovative technique that allows for the evaluation of the degree of lipid infiltration of the liver parenchyma in a simple and non-invasive way. The objective of this study was to verify the applicability of the ATI method in the evaluation of hyperlipidemia. (2) Methods: This study included 53 dogs between January 2021 and December 2022, of which 21 were healthy (A) and 32 had hyperlipidemia (B). The dogs of Group B were divided into mild hyperlipidemic (B1; n = 15) and moderate/severe hyperlipidemic (B2; n = 17). Each dog underwent biochemical examination, B-mode ultrasound and ATI investigation at the liver level via a right intercostal approach. (3) Results: The mean AC value was significantly higher in Group B (0.95 ± 0.23 dB/cm/MHz) compared to Group A (0.81 ± 0.10 dB/cm/MHz). No statistically significant differences were highlighted regarding the ATI values between the subjects with mild and moderate/severe hyperlipidemia. (4) Conclusion: ATI could be a promising method for the non-invasive evaluation of hepatic steatosis in veterinary medicine. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Small Animal Gastrointestinal Diseases: Challenges and Advances)
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26 pages, 5003 KiB  
Article
Oral Fecal Microbiota Transplantation in Dogs with Tylosin-Responsive Enteropathy—A Proof-of-Concept Study
by Mohsen Hanifeh, Elisa Scarsella, Connie A. Rojas, Holly H. Ganz, Mirja Huhtinen, Tarmo Laine and Thomas Spillmann
Vet. Sci. 2024, 11(9), 439; https://doi.org/10.3390/vetsci11090439 - 18 Sep 2024
Viewed by 3617
Abstract
A clinical trial was conducted to evaluate the effect of fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) on the canine chronic enteropathy clinical activity index (CCECAI), fecal consistency, and microbiome of dogs with tylosin-responsive enteropathy (TRE). The trial consisted of four phases: (1) screening with discontinuation [...] Read more.
A clinical trial was conducted to evaluate the effect of fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) on the canine chronic enteropathy clinical activity index (CCECAI), fecal consistency, and microbiome of dogs with tylosin-responsive enteropathy (TRE). The trial consisted of four phases: (1) screening with discontinuation of tylosin for 4 weeks, (2) inclusion with re-introduction of tylosin for 3–7 days, (3) treatment with FMT/placebo for 4 weeks, and (4) post-treatment with follow-up for 4 weeks after treatment cessation. The study found that the treatment efficacy of FMT (71.4%) was slightly higher than that of placebo (50%), but this difference was not statistically significant due to underpowering. The most abundant bacterial species detected in the fecal microbiomes of dogs with TRE before FMT or placebo treatment were Blautia hansenii, Ruminococcus gnavus, Escherichia coli, Clostridium dakarense, Clostridium perfringens, Bacteroides vulgatus, and Faecalimonas umbilicata. After FMT, the microbiomes exhibited increases in Clostridium dakarense, Clostridium paraputrificum, and Butyricicoccus pullicaecorum. The microbiome alpha diversity of TRE dogs was lower when on tylosin treatment compared to healthy dogs, but it increased after treatment in both the FMT and placebo groups. Comparisons with the stool donor showed that, on average, 30.4% of donor strains were engrafted in FMT recipients, with the most common strains being several Blautia sp., Ruminococcus gnavus, unclassified Lachnoclostridium, Collinsella intestinalis, and Fournierella massiliensis. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Small Animal Gastrointestinal Diseases: Challenges and Advances)
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16 pages, 1686 KiB  
Article
Effects of Synbiotic Administration on Gut Microbiome and Fecal Bile Acids in Dogs with Chronic Hepatobiliary Disease: A Randomized Case–Control Study
by Verena Habermaass, Corrado Biolatti, Francesco Bartoli, Eleonora Gori, Natascia Bruni, Daniela Olivero and Veronica Marchetti
Vet. Sci. 2024, 11(8), 364; https://doi.org/10.3390/vetsci11080364 - 10 Aug 2024
Viewed by 2565
Abstract
Alteration in the gut microbiome in human patients with chronic liver disease is a well-known pathophysiological mechanism. Therefore, it represents both a diagnostic and therapeutical target. Intestinal dysbiosis has also been identified in dogs with chronic liver disease, but clinical trials evaluating the [...] Read more.
Alteration in the gut microbiome in human patients with chronic liver disease is a well-known pathophysiological mechanism. Therefore, it represents both a diagnostic and therapeutical target. Intestinal dysbiosis has also been identified in dogs with chronic liver disease, but clinical trials evaluating the effectiveness of synbiotic administration are lacking. Thirty-two dogs with chronic hepatobiliary disease were equally randomized into two groups: one treated with a synbiotic complex for 4–6 weeks (TG) and one untreated control group (CG). All dogs underwent clinical evaluation, complete anamnesis, bloodwork, abdominal ultrasound, fecal bile acids, and gut microbiome evaluation at T0–T1 (after 4–6 weeks). Treated dogs showed a significant reduction in ALT activity (p = 0.007) and clinical resolution of gastrointestinal signs (p = 0.026) compared to control dogs. The synbiotic treatment resulted in a lower increase in Enterobacteriaceae and Lachnospiraceae compared to the control group but did not affect the overall richness and number of bacterial species. No significant changes in fecal bile acids profile were detected with synbiotic administration. Further studies are needed to better evaluate the effectiveness of synbiotic administration in these patients and the metabolic pathways involved in determining the clinical and biochemical improvement. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Small Animal Gastrointestinal Diseases: Challenges and Advances)
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11 pages, 282 KiB  
Article
Clinical and Diagnostic Findings in Dogs Infected with Trichuris vulpis: A Retrospective Study
by Mario Cervone, Marine Hugonnard, Gilles Bourdoiseau, Luc Chabanne, Emilie Krafft and Jean-Luc Cadoré
Vet. Sci. 2024, 11(7), 306; https://doi.org/10.3390/vetsci11070306 - 10 Jul 2024
Viewed by 2218
Abstract
Trichuris vulpis is a parasite of the large intestine of canids and has a global distribution. Despite its well-established epidemiology, the question of its pathogenicity in dogs remains debated. It has been suggested that younger age and concurrent infection with Ancylostoma caninum may [...] Read more.
Trichuris vulpis is a parasite of the large intestine of canids and has a global distribution. Despite its well-established epidemiology, the question of its pathogenicity in dogs remains debated. It has been suggested that younger age and concurrent infection with Ancylostoma caninum may be responsible for more severe clinical presentations. This retrospective study aimed to describe the clinical and diagnostic features of T. vulpis-infected dogs and to compare these findings with dogs infected with both T. vulpis and other intestinal parasites (poly-infected dogs). Forty-five dogs were included, with twenty-five being solely infected by T. vulpis and twenty poly-infected dogs. Only weight loss was more frequent (p = 0.006) in poly-infected dogs compared to T. vulpis mono-infected dogs. No significant differences were observed in laboratory abnormalities between mono-infected and poly-infected dogs. Only diarrhea was more frequent (p = 0.007) in younger dogs compared to adults. The egg shedding pattern was significantly higher (p = 0.04) among adult dogs compared to young ones, and there was a significant positive correlation between egg shedding and age (r = 0.41; p = 0.005). These findings suggest that T. vulpis might be responsible for both clinical signs and laboratory abnormalities in dogs, irrespective of the host’s age and the presence of other intestinal parasites. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Small Animal Gastrointestinal Diseases: Challenges and Advances)
11 pages, 251 KiB  
Article
Retrospective Study of 222 Dogs Suffering from Food-Responsive Enteropathy—Correlation with Clinical Variables, Diet and Breed
by Alessia Candellone, Gaia Raviri, Vittorio Saettone, Martine Didier, Giacomo Rossi, Andrea Marchegiani, Alessandra Gavazza, Alessandro Di Cerbo and Matteo Cerquetella
Vet. Sci. 2024, 11(7), 294; https://doi.org/10.3390/vetsci11070294 - 1 Jul 2024
Viewed by 3415
Abstract
Food-responsive enteropathy (FRE) is the most frequent form of canine chronic inflammatory enteropathy (CIE). It can be diagnosed if, after excluding known causes of diarrhea, clinical signs resolve or significantly improve after an appropriate dietary trial. No universal diet can resolve the clinical [...] Read more.
Food-responsive enteropathy (FRE) is the most frequent form of canine chronic inflammatory enteropathy (CIE). It can be diagnosed if, after excluding known causes of diarrhea, clinical signs resolve or significantly improve after an appropriate dietary trial. No universal diet can resolve the clinical signs in every case of FRE, as genetic predisposition and environment (e.g., the possible role of the diet feed before the disease onset) are suggested as possible players. The study aimed to retrospectively evaluate the possible correlations between disease, diet, and breed in a large cohort of dogs (n = 222) suffering from FRE. Throughout the study, dogs differed based on dietary options: commercial diet group, homemade diet group, and mixed diet group. Diet, breed, age, body weight, body condition score (BCS), fecal score (FS), canine chronic enteropathy activity index (CCECAI), and selected clinical signs were variably evaluated at T0 and at final time (FT—based on response to the diet[s], but between 30 and 60 days). Significant differences between T0 and FT were found regarding FS, BCS, and CCECAI, as well as between age, BCS, and CCECAI at FT with the FS at FT. The CCECAI at FT was significantly directly correlated only with the shift from a mixed to a homemade diet. Finally, the multiple linear regression analysis between the covariables of different breeds versus clinical response to the dietary trials did not highlight any difference except for the passage from commercial to mixed diet in a specific subgroup of breeds. The present study reports the clinical progression in 222 dogs suffering from FRE, and it could represent a reference for the variables investigated, considering the large number of patients included. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Small Animal Gastrointestinal Diseases: Challenges and Advances)
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