Changes

'''Antibiotic responsive diarrhoea (ARD)''' used to be termed small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO).  It is a sign of an underlying disease rather than a diagnosis.  The aetiology and pathogenesis of this disease is unknown.  Few studies have documented the scale of increase in bacterial numbers or whether the growth is responsible for the clinical signs.

'''Antibiotic responsive diarrhoea (ARD)''' used to be termed small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO).  It is a sign of an underlying disease rather than a diagnosis.  The aetiology and pathogenesis of this disease is unknown.  Few studies have documented the scale of increase in bacterial numbers or whether the growth is responsible for the clinical signs.

ARD can be classified as '''idiopathic''' or '''secondary'''.  In cases of idiopathic ARD, the only consistent finding is response and remission with antimicrobial therapy.  This has been found to be common, but not exclusively, in young [[Canine Breeds - WikiNormals #Pastoral Group|German Shepherd Dogs]].  It has been suggested to be associated with IgA deficiency or dysregulation in this breed.  However, the true underlying mechanism could be far more complex and numerous other hypotheses have been proposed.  In contrast, there is usually an underlying intestinal disease in cases of secondary ARD.  Diseases which can cause any of the following disorders of the intestines can result in secondary ARD:

ARD can be classified as '''idiopathic''' or '''secondary'''.  In cases of idiopathic ARD, the only consistent finding is response and remission with antimicrobial therapy.  This has been found to be common, but not exclusively, in young [[Canine Breeds - WikiNormals #Pastoral Group|German Shepherd Dogs]].  It has been suggested to be associated with [[IgA]] deficiency or dysregulation in this breed.  However, the true underlying mechanism could be far more complex and numerous other hypotheses have been proposed.  In contrast, there is usually an underlying intestinal disease in cases of secondary ARD.  Diseases which can cause any of the following disorders of the intestines can result in secondary ARD:

*decrease gastric acid production

*decrease gastric acid production

*increase small intestinal substrate

*increase small intestinal substrate