Research may lead to earlier identification of GI disease in dogs

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A Soft-coated wheaten terrier

Signs that can be used to identify dogs with a high risk of gastrointestinal disease before they develop symptoms have been found by Texas A&M Gastrointestinal Laboratory (GI Lab) investigators. Results of the study, published in the Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine, showed changes in several biomarkers used to identify preclinical inflammatory bowel disease in healthy soft-coated wheaten terriers.^1,2

Soft-coated wheaten terriers have a predisposition for developing protein-losing enteropathy (PLE), which causes the intestines to stop functioning normally. The disease sometimes leads to death in less than 6 months after diagnosis. However, the study’s authors indicated that early recognition of PLE may improve outcomes for soft-coated wheaten terriers and other canine breeds at higher risk for the disease. Breeds prone to GI disease include German shepherds, Yorkshire terriers and Staffordshire bull terriers.^1,2

GI disease accounts for more than 10% of all new veterinarian visits, according to Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences’ (VMBS) in College Station. “Sometimes, dogs that are predisposed to GI disease can go their whole lives without having any clinical signs. For others, signs develop after some kind of stressor in the gut, like an unbalanced diet or having to take antibiotics, triggers the GI disease to develop,” Katie Tolbert, DVM, PhD, DACVIM (Nutrition, SAIM), a board-certified veterinary nutritionist, small animal internist and associate professor in the VMBS department of small animal clinical sciences, said in a news release.¹

The GI Lab team of investigators examined 22 healthy dogs, including a dozen soft-coated wheaten terriers, as well as 8 dogs with PLE. The prospective study evaluated fecal calprotectin, targeted metabolites and unconjugated bile acids, intestinal permeability testing and video capsule endoscopy.²

“In this study, we found that certain biomarkers start to show up before symptoms are present, and we think this can help us identify dogs before they actually have the disease,” Tolbert said. Notably, investigators found multiple signs that indicate a high risk of disease. The discovery could be lifesaving for breeds that are prone to diseases with a high mortality rate.

“There are all sorts of things going on in the gut that turn out to be markers for high risk,” Tolbert said. “Some dogs may have inflammation, while others have leaky guts. Any of these signs can contribute to the development of GI disease if enough changes are present.”

The team of VMBS investigators plans to use their discovery to study whether specific dietary interventions can help prevent at-risk dogs from developing GI disease. The team has received funding to conduct a new study that will investigate how diet changes might help prevent or slow down the development of GI disease in soft-coated wheaten terriers.¹

“As a nutritionist, I’m hopeful that diet can be a benign intervention to reverse the condition in these dogs,” Tolbert said. “At the GI Lab, we’re also working toward the development of new diagnostics that we hope will make preclinical detection more widely available.”

References

1. Price C. Texas A&M Gastrointestinal Laboratory discovery may help prevent GI disease in dogs. News release. March 11, 2025. Accessed March 11, 2025.
2. Tolbert K, Darrow J, Grubb L, et al. Preclinical enteropathy in healthy soft-coated wheaten terriers. J Vet Intern Med. 2025;39(2):e17293. doi:10.1111/jvim.17293