Update on the non-invasive monitoring of intestinal disease in dogs and cats

Diagnosis and management of intestinal disease in the dog and cat can present a considerable challenge to the clinician because of the many potential causes and the relative inaccessibility of the small intestine. Characterisation of intestinal disease usually occurs on the basis of histopathologic criteria, but these provide little information on the underlying cause of the damage whereas many cases may be overlooked by reliance on these morphologic criteria alone. These tests are also ill suited for serial monitoring of response to treatment. There are clearly advantages to the assessment of intestinal disorders in dogs and cats by the use of indirect noninvasive procedures. These can assist not only the diagnosis but also the management of intestinal damage, allowing response to treatment to be monitored without the need serial PLENARY LECTURE