Introduction
Gastritis in dogs is normally diagnosed based upon the dog’s history, clinical signs, physical examination findings and response to treatment. It usually is a diagnosis of exclusion, which means ruling out other causes of the dog’s vomiting and discomfort. In chronic or severe cases of gastritis, blood tests, radiographs (x-rays), and biopsy of the tissue lining the stomach may be necessary to conclusively arrive at a diagnosis. Conditions to be ruled out before confirming a diagnosis of gastritis include foreign body obstruction of the bowels, parvoviral enteritis, uremia, diabetic ketoacidosis, hypoadrenocorticism, hepatic (liver) disease, hypercalcemia and pancreatitis.
Diagnosing Gastritis in Dogs
Most cases of gastritis in dogs occur when a dog eats something that he or she shouldn’t eat. “Dietary indiscretion” is a phrase that dog owners, and their veterinarians, are all too familiar with. If a dog comes into a veterinary clinic with signs of gastritis, the veterinarian surely first will ask if the dog has gotten into the garbage, or has otherwise gotten into anything he or she shouldn’t have.
Mild or Acute Gastritis
If a dog is showing signs of mild gastritis, or even acute gastritis from ingesting the wrong foods, a response to treatment can help to confirm the underlying problem. Treatments such as withholding food for a short period of time, and giving anti-inflammatory medications, can be started even before a conclusive diagnosis. If the dog improves with these treatments, then a diagnosis of gastritis is possible and the problem is likely to be resolved.
Severe or Chronic Gastritis
Severe or chronic gastritis will need further diagnostic tests to determine what is causing the condition. Blood tests should be done to rule out systemic disease such as parvovirus, liver disease or kidney disease. Radiographs can be used to assess whether foreign material is blocking your dog’s gastrointestinal tract.
When a dog is experiencing chronic gastritis, and regular treatments are not resulting in improvement, an examination of the stomach and a biopsy of the tissues may be needed. The stomach may be examined through an endoscopic procedure while the dog is sedated, and if needed a tool on the end of the endoscopic wand can be used to grasp a small bit of stomach tissue for further tests and cultures.