Introduction
Helicobacter is a class of bacteria commonly found in the digestive tract of dogs, cats and even people. Most of the time, infection by this microorganism does not cause clinical disease. When symptoms do develop, they involve irritation and inflammation of tissues lining the stomach.
Symptoms of Helicobacter Infection
When clinical signs of Helicobacter infection in dogs do occur, they include nausea, vomiting (that may or may not contain bile), diarrhea, abdominal pain, weakness, anorexia and weight loss. Affected animals may become dehydrated from loss of fluid and electrolytes from vomiting or diarrhea. Unexplained weight loss without accompanying vomiting or diarrhea has also been reported, although less frequently. Usually, Helicobacter causes sub-clinical gastritis – with no noticeable signs whatsoever.
Some people suspect that Helicobacter infection can cause (or at least contribute to) a dog’s development of food allergies, gastric ulcers and/or inflammatory bowel disease, although this is still under debate.
Many veterinarians believe that symptomatic Helicobacter infection occurs in dogs suffering from another underlying gastric disease or disorder, and that the clinical signs are associated with a weakened immune system.