THERAPEUTIC NUTRITION
THERAPEUTIC NUTRITION
Useful information about the needs of cats and dogs with nutritionally sensitive health conditions.
Gastrointestinal Disorders
Why Your Pet Is Not Being Prescribed Antibiotics for Diarrhea
Diarrhea can be messy and frustrating for you and uncomfortable for your pet, and it is understandable that you want to resolve the problem as quickly as possible. When necessary and appropriately used, antibiotics can be life-saving medications. However, scientific research has shown the disadvantages of antibiotic use for most cases of acute diarrhea outweigh the benefits.
Antibiotics do not shorten the course of diarrhea. The antibiotic is often given false credit for resolving diarrhea when it has been shown the majority of acute diarrhea cases successfully resolve without antibiotics in approximately the same amount of time.
Antibiotics cause long-lasting disruption of gut bacteria. Dysbiosis is an imbalance within the gut microbiome, which is the community of bacteria and other microorganisms living together in the gut. Dysbiosis can impact systemic health, and the imbalance resulting from antibiotics can last for weeks, months, or even years after the antibiotic has been discontinued.
Relapse of diarrhea is common after antibiotics. Even if an antibiotic appears to resolve diarrhea in the short term, relapse is common and can lead to a constant cycle of antibiotic administration and recurring diarrhea.
Unnecessary antibiotic use for diarrhea can put everyone’s health at risk. Antibiotic use can lead to the development of resistance, which reduces antibiotic effectiveness. Resistant strains of bacteria may be shared between pets and their owners, increasing the risk of resistant infections that are harder to manage. Antibiotic resistance is a major global public health concern and it is critical to limit antibiotic use to when it is absolutely necessary.
You can help veterinarians protect pet health and public health by not insisting on antibiotics for your pet’s diarrhea.
What can be done to manage diarrhea instead of giving antibiotics? Modifying your pet’s diet is the first step in managing your pet’s diarrhea. Your veterinarian may recommend a therapeutic diet that is formulated for gastrointestinal health and may include supplemental fiber and/or prebiotics. They may also recommend a veterinary probiotic.
Related Tools and Content:
Volume 2: Tips for Successful Management of Gastrointestinal Disease
Discover different dietary options for management of acute gastroenteritis, chronic enteropathy, and feline pancreatitis.
Changing Paradigms in Diarrhea Management: A Panel Discussion
In this adaptation of the Purina Institute Microbiome Forum Round Table 2024, learn from an expert panel why the focus should be avoiding antibiotics in acute diarrhea, how to manage cases, especially with diet, and how to effectively communicate these shifts in management.
Canine Acute Gastroenteritis / Gastroenteropathy
Short-term diet modification is an important part of any treatment plan for acute gastroenteropathy.
Food-Responsive Enteropathy (Diarrhea) in Dogs
A diet change is the leading nutritional strategy for managing dogs with food-responsive enteropathy.
Feline Acute Gastroenteropathy
Short-term diet modification is an important part of managing acute gastroenteropathy in cats.
Managing the Gut Microbiome
In this brief video, Michael (Mike) T. Robbins, DVM, DACVIM (Nutrition), dives into managing the gut microbiome, including how diet, fiber, and probiotics can make a big difference in supporting your patients’ gut health and overall well-being.
Food-Responsive Enteropathy in Cats
Diet plays an important role in the diagnosis and management of cats with food-responsive enteropathy.
Intestinal Dysbiosis in Dogs and Cats
Diet modification is a key component of therapeutic plans for managing dogs and cats with intestinal dysbiosis.
References
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Scahill, K., Jessen, L. R., Prior, C., Singleton, D., Foroutan, F., Ferran, A. A., Arenas, C., Bjørnvad, C. R., Lavy, E., Allerton, F., Weese, J. S., Allenspach, K., Guardabassi, L., Unterer, S., Bodnárová, T., Windahl, U., Brennan, M. L., & Werner, M. (2024). Efficacy of antimicrobial and nutraceutical treatment for canine acute diarrhoea: A systematic review and meta-analysis for European Network for Optimization of Antimicrobial Therapy (ENOVAT) guidelines. The Veterinary Journal, 303, 106054. doi: 10.1016/j.tvjl.2023.106054
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