Enteropatia crônica em cães na Serra Gaúcha

Abstract

Chronic enteropathies in dogs represent a heterogeneous group of long-standing gastrointestinal disorders, often challenging in both diagnosis and clinical management. The fecal score, a practical and non-invasive tool based on the visual assessment of stool characteristics, has been widely used to monitor intestinal health. This study aims to evaluate the applicability of the fecal scoring system as an auxiliary tool in the diagnosis of canine chronic enteropathies, discussing its correlation with clinical, laboratory, and histopathological findings. The systematic use of fecal scoring can provide objective data on treatment response, as well as assist in differentiating between various forms of enteropathy, such as food-responsive enteropathy, antibiotic-responsive enteropathy, and immunosuppressant-responsive enteropathy. The interpretation and analysis of the causative agent were carried out through phenotypic identification based on biochemical test results. From this, it becomes evident that, although the fecal score does not replace other diagnostic tests, its incorporation into clinical routine is recommended and can significantly contribute to the initial evaluation and better monitoring of the clinical progression of these patients. It was found that the presence of *E. coli* was significantly associated with the fecal score of the dogs (p < 0.001). [resumo fornecido pelo autor]