Maximising clinical outcomes – dietary choices in managing patients with chronic enteropathies

Chronic enteropathies in dogs and cats can be frustrating for veterinary teams, owners and patients, but diet remains one of the most effective tools for achieving remission and improving long-term quality of life. In this practical session, Dr Aarti Kathrani will explore how to make evidence-based dietary choices for patients with chronic gastrointestinal disease, while recognising that no single diet strategy is appropriate for every case.

The session will review the use of commercial therapeutic hydrolysed diets, limited-ingredient novel protein diets and gastrointestinal diets, including how to decide which option to trial and when to change approach. Hydrolysed diets are often selected first due to strong evidence supporting their effectiveness in both dogs and cats, while novel protein or gastrointestinal diets may be appropriate where initial diet trials are unsuccessful, unsuitable or poorly accepted. The discussion will also consider the importance of fibre and fat content, particularly in patients with large intestinal disease, nausea, vomiting, intestinal lymphangiectasia or protein-losing enteropathy.

Beyond diet selection, this session will address the real-world factors that often determine whether dietary management succeeds. Delegates will gain practical strategies for improving owner and pet compliance, including how to explain the purpose of dietary trials, set expectations around multiple diet attempts, manage treats, plan diet transitions and support animals that are reluctant to eat a prescribed diet.

Dr Kathrani will also outline how to monitor treatment response using clinical signs, body weight, body and muscle condition, validated disease activity indices and owner-perceived quality-of-life assessments. Attendees will leave with a clearer framework for assessing full, partial or absent remission, deciding when to extend a trial, switch dietary strategy, add supportive therapy or pursue further diagnostics, and helping owners navigate long-term chronic enteropathy care with confidence in practice.