Bridging Communication Between Veterinary Nutrition & Gastroenterology: Aligning Language, Advancing Nutrition-Led Care in Chronic Enteropathies

ST. LOUIS — May 4, 2026— The Purina Institute recently cosponsored a meeting at Texas A&M University’s College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, bringing together leading global experts in veterinary nutrition and clinical gastroenterology. The goal was to improve shared language and decision-making for canine chronic enteropathy (CE) and dysbiosis, where definitions, diagnostics, and treatment paths can vary across specialties.

A major focus of this meeting was the central role of nutrition in CE—both as a key diagnostic step and as a first-line therapy. Participants discussed the need to clearly define what a “diet trial” should include in practice (e.g., number of trials, when “elimination diet” is appropriate, and how to choose among various diet options), and to account for real-world factors like feeding approach and owner adherence. The group also examined protein-losing enteropathy as a syndrome, highlighting its similarities and differences with CE concerning the clinical presentation. Additionally, they discussed treatment options, including anti-inflammatory treatment and nutritional strategies, particularly when low-fat versus ultra-low-fat formulations might be most suitable. For refractory CE, attendees explored evolving options to treat dysbiosis such as fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) and approaches for bile acid diarrhea (BAD), with attention to dosing, monitoring, and client communication. Finally, experts addressed the growing use of microbiome and other testing methods, emphasizing the need for more standardized approaches and reporting to improve clinical interpretation.

Sponsors included the Purina Institute and IDEXX Laboratories. Takeaways from this thought leader meeting will help guide future collaboration and support more precise, nutrition-integrated care for chronic enteropathies.