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Antibiotics were once viewed as a key component of treatment for diarrhoea in dogs and cats. However, with antimicrobial resistance described as one of the biggest threats to public and environmental health in the past 20 years1, and in light of an ever-growing understanding of antibiotics’ impact on the microbiome, the approach to diarrhoea in veterinary medicine has evolved.
The Purina Institute round table panel has been brought together to discuss the new paradigms in diarrhoea management and how these can be applied in practice. Chairing the panel, Dr Jan Suchodolski, MedVet, DrVetMed, PhD, AGAF, DACVM, is well positioned to direct the discussion, having published more than 340 peer-reviewed manuscripts in the field of veterinary gastroenterology and the microbiome.
He will be joined by board-certified internal medicine specialists Kathrin Busch,
DVM, DrMedVet, Dipl. ECVIM-CA; Katie Tolber, DVM, PhD, DACVIM (SAIM); and Melanie Werner, DrMedVet, Dipl. ECVIM-CA (Internal Medicine), alongside the VCA Canada Chair in Relationship-Centred Veterinary Medicine, Dr Jason Coe, DVM, PhD. With research interests including acute haemorrhagic diarrhoea syndrome and the treatment of, and judicious use of antibiotics in, acute and chronic gastrointestinal disease, the panellists promise to offer expert insight into this complex and ever-developing area.
The panel will discuss the latest evidence-based recommendations for the diagnosis and treatment of canine and feline diarrhoea, including the European Network for Optimization of Veterinary Antimicrobial Treatment (ENOVAT) guidelines. Interventions to support the microbiome are increasingly recommended for first-line management of diarrhoea, and the discussion will cover topics including the use of probiotics and faecal microbiota transplants.
Together with more novel approaches, nutritional interventions are a well-established part of diarrhoea management. While diet trials are widely utilised, understanding of the importance of food in cases of gastrointestinal disease has continued to grow alongside knowledge of the microbiome and its role. The panel will not only discuss the role of dietary trials, but also other nutritional interventions such as fibre supplementation.
Finally, with antibiotic use now discouraged in most cases, the panel will consider the reasons behind this, both for individual patients and as part of a One Health approach. Conveying this reasoning to clients, especially those accustomed to the use of antibiotics, is critical to the success of antibiotic-free management plans, and panellists will reflect on strategies to enhance client understanding in practice.
The live round table will be broadcast on 14 February 2024 from 6.00-7.30 pm, and a recording will be available for those registered to watch on demand after the event. To find the full details and sign up, visit https://nes.tl/MicrobiomeRoundTable2024.