Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Pica as a clinical sign of a chronic enteropathy in dogs and cats.
- Journal:
- Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association
- Year:
- 2025
- Authors:
- Perez, Julianna et al.
Plain-English summary
This study looked at whether pica, which is when pets eat non-food items, could be a sign of a long-term gut problem in dogs and cats. Researchers reviewed the cases of 133 pets that had foreign objects removed from their stomachs and found that many of them showed signs of ongoing gastrointestinal issues. Among the pets that had biopsies, all had signs of chronic enteritis (inflammation of the intestines), and many also had chronic gastritis (inflammation of the stomach). Additionally, a type of bacteria called Helicobacter was found in nearly half of these pets and was linked to more severe stomach inflammation. The findings suggest that if your pet is eating non-food items, it might be important to check for underlying gut problems, as treating these issues can help improve their health.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To determine whether pica should be considered as a clinical sign of a chronic enteropathy. METHODS: In a retrospective review, 133 client-owned dogs and cats presented to a multispecialty hospital for endoscopic gastric foreign body retrieval between January 1, 2018, and August 26, 2024. Chronic gastrointestinal sign data were noted, and the animals were divided into 81 that were not biopsied and 41 receiving gastrointestinal biopsies (11 biopsied excluded). Biopsied animals were screened for anemia, pregnancy, juvenile age (< 2 years of age), use of appetite stimulants or corticosteroids, or endocrinopathies. Biopsy specimens were classified by severity level and type of cellular infiltrates. Presence of Helicobacter spp was documented. RESULTS: 100% (41 of 41) of biopsied animals and 66% (70 of 106) of all animals with data available reported chronic gastrointestinal signs. The median age was 8 years in dogs and 6 years in cats. One hundred percent (41 of 41) of biopsied animals had histologic chronic enteritis, and 80% (33 of 41) had histologic chronic gastritis. Helicobacter spp was noted in 49% (20 of 41) and was positively associated with gastric inflammation severity (n = 24; ρ = 0.43; 95% CI, 0.03 to 0.71). CONCLUSIONS: A significant number of animals with pica and foreign bodies demonstrated evidence of a chronic enteropathy. In most cases, inflammation was lymphoplasmacytic with duodenal predominance. Helicobacter spp was associated with severity of gastric inflammation. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Chronic enteropathies should be considered in cases of pica, with prompt confirmation and treatment to reduce associated morbidity and mortality.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40381647/