Colitis in dogs is caused by inflammation or irritation of the colon and can result from a variety of factors. Common causes include:
- Dietary issues such as dietary indiscretion (eating inappropriate foods like garbage, spoiled items, or fatty table scraps) and food allergies or intolerances.
- Parasites including whipworms, Giardia, Cryptosporidium, roundworms, hookworms, and others.
- Bacterial infections caused by organisms like Salmonella, Clostridium, Campylobacter, and E. coli.
- Stress and anxiety, which can impact the gut immune system and microbiome, leading to inflammation.
- Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which is an autoimmune-related chronic inflammation condition often targeting the colon.
- Other causes such as fungal infections, foreign bodies in the intestine, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), injury to the colon, and in some cases, bowel cancer.
Acute colitis is often triggered by stress or dietary indiscretion, while chronic colitis may be linked to parasites, food hypersensitivity, infections, and autoimmune conditions. Some breeds are more predisposed to certain types of colitis including granulomatous colitis. Managing colitis in dogs often involves identifying and addressing these underlying causes, and treatment may include diet changes, parasite control, antibiotics, anti-inflammatory drugs, and stress reduction.
