Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Vomiting and diarrhea in pets - is it Clostridium perfringens?
By Cassutto, Benjamin H & Cook, Lydia Crystal·Published in Military medicine·2002·Okinawa Branch Veterinary Service, Japan·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: An epidemiological survey of Clostridium perfringens-associated enterotoxemia at an army veterinary treatment facility.
Plain-English summary
A group of dogs and cats at a veterinary clinic in Okinawa were suffering from vomiting and diarrhea, and tests showed that 27% of these pets had an infection caused by Clostridium perfringens, a type of bacteria. Many of the affected pets had also eaten something unusual or inappropriate shortly before getting sick. This suggests that eating the wrong foods can lead to this bacterial infection, causing gastrointestinal issues. The findings highlight the importance of monitoring what pets eat to help prevent these health problems.
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Abstract
The purpose of this study was to determine the incidence of Clostridium perfringens-associated vomiting and diarrhea in canine and feline patients at the Okinawa Branch Veterinary Service and to establish a relationship between dietary indiscretion and the presence of clostridial enterotoxemia. Stool samples were obtained from 38 control animals and 44 animals with vomiting and diarrhea during a 3-month period. For each sample, fecal cytology were examined for the presence of C. perfringens, white blood cells, and red blood cells. A survey was also completed by the animal's owner, which provided the researcher with information on the owner's pet feeding practices. After the data were analyzed, 27% of animals with vomiting and diarrhea were found to have C. perfringens upon examination of their fecal samples (p < 0.05), compared with 11% for control animals. Results of our survey revealed that when owners were questioned regarding their feeding practices, 45% of the animals with C. perfringens-positive fecal samples and with clinical signs of vomiting and/or diarrhea had an episode of dietary indiscretion soon before the illness (p < 0.05). Therefore, we conclude that C. perfringens is an important cause of vomiting and diarrhea in our patient population and that a causal relationship may exist between dietary indiscretion and C. perfringens-associated intestinal disease.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11901570/