“Gastric” is defined as something that affects, pertains to or originates in the stomach. The suffix “-itis” refers to inflammation. Therefore, “gastritis” means inflammation of the stomach – or, more particularly, the lining of the stomach. Gastritis is one of the most common digestive disorders in domestic dogs. It occurs in acute and chronic forms.
The stomach’s primary function is to act as a holding area that controls the amount and rate of passage of food and fluids (“ingesta”) from the stomach out through an opening called the “pylorus” and into the first part of the small intestine. The stomach also secretes gastric acid and other substances that jump-start the process of digesting fats and proteins. The canine stomach is made up of four parts: the cardia, fundus, body and antrum. The cardia is the entrance from the tubular esophagus into the stomach; it is wider in diameter than the pylorus, which is the exit passagway from the stomach. The fundus and body are expandable, balloon-like areas of the stomach that expand and contract depending upon the amount of ingesta that they accumulate. The thick, muscular antrum is the last part of the stomach before the pylorus; it functions to mechanically grind food into smaller pieces so that nutrients are more easily digested and absorbed in the small intestine.
Gastritis, which means inflammation of the stomach lining, can be either sudden (acute) or slow (chronic) in onset. Acute gastritis almost always involves severe abdominal pain and persistent vomiting and is most commonly associated with poisoning from drugs or other toxins, serious organ disease (kidney failure, liver failure, hypoadrenocorticism/Addison’s disease), internal parasites, binging or overeating, eating the wrong thing (“dietary indiscretion”) or infection with bacterial or viral microorganisms. Acute gastritis commonly occurs when dogs eat
Gastritis, which refers to irritation and inflammation of the sensitive lining of the stomach, can come on suddenly (called “acute gastritis”), or can develop slowly over time (called “chronic gastritis”). Either way, it is always an uncomfortable condition for affected animals, who will be nauseous and have mild to severe stomach pain, depending upon the nature and extent of their gastrointestinal inflammation. They probably will lose their appetite and become listless, lethargic and depressed. They
Most dogs with gastritis are brought to the veterinary clinic because they either had a very sudden onset of profuse vomiting, or they have been vomiting off-and-on for several weeks. The most important part of the veterinarian’s initial evaluation is getting the dog’s complete history from its owner, including its health background, diet, eating/chewing habits, access to garbage and household chemicals, free-roaming activities and whether it is on any oral medications. Of course, the discussion
There are a number of different treatment options for dogs with gastritis. They include restricting food intake, avoiding further contact with whatever caused the condition to develop in the first place, and in some cases stopping the administration of prescription medications. Of course, if cancer or some other systemic illness is causing the gastrointestinal discomfort, treatment options are more limited. Owners of affected dogs must discuss the appropriate treatment protocol with their veterinarian.Irritation of the