Dietary indiscretion means a dog has eaten something it should not: garbage, spoiled or moldy food, carrion, compost, a large fatty meal, or objects that cannot be digested. Most dogs have a short, self-limiting bout of vomiting or diarrhea, but the same history can lead to pancreatitis, a foreign body obstruction or a toxicosis, so the job is to recognize which dog needs more than supportive care.
Key facts
Dietary indiscretion at a glance- Species and system: dog; stomach and intestines, with possible pancreatic, systemic or neurologic effects.
- Cause: scavenging or eating unusual, contaminated, moldy or fatty food, or foreign material.
- Classic presentation: acute vomiting and/or diarrhea in an otherwise healthy dog after access to garbage or table food.
- Diagnosis: usually presumptive from history, exam and response to treatment; investigate when red flags are present.
- Complications to rule out: foreign body obstruction, pancreatitis, toxins (including tremorgenic mycotoxins), and conditions that mimic it such as parvovirus, AHDS and hypoadrenocorticism.
- Not zoonotic as a syndrome, not reportable.
What's inside
12 sections in the full guide- Key facts
- How the NAVLE tests this
- Cause and pathophysiology
- Clinical signs
- Diagnosis
- Differential diagnoses
- Treatment and management
- Prevention, control and public health
- Prognosis
- Quick review
- Test yourself
- References
The full guide also has 4 tables, 2 figures, 3 self-test questions and 15 references, available to NAVLE members.
Read the full study guide
The full guide is part of every NAVLE plan, with diagnosis and treatment tables, figures, a quick review and self-test questions. Start a free trial to try the question bank, or log in if you are already a member.