Veterinarians see dogs with diarrhea much quicker than physicians see their patients with diarrhea and are conditioned to do something about it. The question though is, “Did the dog get better because of what we did or despite it?” writes Scott Weese, DVM.
Weese references a study in Veterinary Journal, 2024 and upcoming canine acute diarrhea antimicrobial use guidelines. The study questions whether or not antimicrobial and nutraceutical treatments for canine acute diarrhea treatments offer clinically relevant effects in dogs with mild or moderate disease or if they create adverse effects.
Source: Worms and Germs, March 8, 2024. Link.
High certainty evidence showed that antimicrobial treatment did not have a clinically relevant effect on any outcome in dogs with mild or moderate disease . . . evidence was low for dogs with severe disease. Nutraceutical products did not show a clinically significant effect in shortening the duration of diarrhea . . . No adverse effects were reported in any of the studies.”
INSIGHTS: The study and upcoming antimicrobial guidelines align with the ongoing challenges of responsibly managing antimicrobial use and overuse.