Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Pica as a sign of chronic gut disease in dogs and cats
By Perez, Julianna et al.·Published in Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association·2025·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Pica as a clinical sign of a chronic enteropathy in dogs and cats.
Plain-English summary
A group of dogs and cats showing signs of pica, which is the eating of non-food items, were examined for underlying health issues. Many of these pets had chronic gastrointestinal problems, with 100% of those who underwent biopsies showing chronic enteritis (inflammation of the intestine) and a significant number also having chronic gastritis (inflammation of the stomach). The presence of Helicobacter bacteria was linked to more severe stomach inflammation. This suggests that if your pet is eating strange things, it could be a sign of a serious digestive issue that needs to be addressed quickly.
People also search for: dog pica treatment · cat eating non-food items · chronic enteropathy in pets · Helicobacter in dogs · cat gastrointestinal problems
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 on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40381647/