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Protein Losing Enteropathy (view source)
Revision as of 10:03, 18 August 2009
, 10:03, 18 August 2009no edit summary
==Signalment==
==Signalment==
Breed predisposition:
*Basenji
*Lundehund
*Soft-coated wheaten terrier
*Yorkshire terrier
*Shar Pei
==Description==
'''Protein-losing enteropathy (PLE)''' can result from any intestinal disease which produces sufficienct inflammation, congestion or bleeding. This causes protein to leak into the intestines, which exceeds the gut lumen protein synthesis. Hence, there are numerous causes of PLE, for example lymphangiectasia, infectious, structural, neoplasia, inflammation, endoparasites and gastrointestinal haemorrhage. Most common causes in adult dogs are inflammatory bowel disease and alimentary tract lymphoma, whereas most common causes in very young dogs are hookworms and chronic intussusception. PLE is less common in cats than dogs, and most often caused by gastrointestinal lymphoma. Non-intestinal diseases which can be associated with PLE include congestive heart failure, caval obstruction and portal hypertension. However, these animals usually present with ascites rather than diarrhoea.
==Diagnosis==
==Diagnosis==
===Clinical Signs===
===Clinical Signs===
*Weight loss (predominant feature)
*Vomiting and diarrhoea ± melena
*Oedema, ascites and pleural effusion
*Thickened intestines
*Thromboembolic disease if procoagulants predominant due to loss of anticoagulant
===Laboratory Tests===
===Laboratory Tests===
====Haematology====
====Haematology====
*Panhypoproteinaemia
*Lymphopaenia
====Biochemistry====
====Biochemistry====
*Hypocholesterolaemia
*Hypocalcaemia