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The underlying cause of IBD is currently unknown.  It is speculated to have been caused by an exaggerated or inappropriate response by the immune system to dietary and/or bacterial antigens.
 
The underlying cause of IBD is currently unknown.  It is speculated to have been caused by an exaggerated or inappropriate response by the immune system to dietary and/or bacterial antigens.
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====Pathogenesis====
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* Is idiopathic, but appears to be immune mediated.
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** Possibly food allergy. 
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*** Change of diet is a potential treatment.
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**** Disease is often due to something present in the diet for some time, rather than something suddenly introduced. 
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** Hypersensitivity to inhaled or ingested environmental allergens is another possible cause.
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* Lymphocytic - plasmacytic enteritis is seen most commonly in the '''dog'''.
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** Is the most common inflammatory colonic disease of dogs.
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** Sometimes seen in the cat and horse.
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* Affects the [[Small Intestine - Anatomy & Physiology|small intestine]], sometimes quite extensively.
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** Produces chronic diarrhoea with lymphocytic or plasma cell (rather than macrophage) infiltration of the lamina propria.
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** Produces a severe [[Intestines Protein-Losing Diseases - Pathology#Protein-Losing Enteropathy (PLE)|protein losing enteropathy]].
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* Sometimes eosinophil infiltration is quite marked.
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* Has a hereditary basis in the Basenji
   
==Diagnosis==
 
==Diagnosis==
 
===Clinical Signs===
 
===Clinical Signs===
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