Colitis - Symptom, Causes, Treatment of Colitis

Colitis is the inflammation of the large intestine (colon), which may be acute or chronic. Acute colitis is usually caused by bowel infection (bacterial, viral or amoebic but may sometimes follow a course of antibiotics or other medication. Chronic colitis may be due to disorders of nervous control of the bowel, to drugs or to laxative abuse; or the cause may be unknown.

In acute colitis, loss of fluid from frequent watery diarrhoea can result in dehydration, especially in infants and elderly people. Acute colitis occurs most commonly in dogs and frequently responds to one to three weeks of therapy. Chronic colitis can go on for several years or perhaps a lifetime.

Symptoms of Colitis

Symptoms of colitis are diarrhoea and abdominal pain, with mucus, and sometimes blood in the faeces. The inflammation in chronic colitis leads to excess water in your pet's stool. This is manifested as diarrhea; you most likely will see the frequent passage of small quantities of mucus and/or blood-streaked stools. The diarrhea may be intermittent or continuous. Depending on the cause of your colitis, you may have some of the more common symptoms:

• Frequent loose bowel movements with or without blood
• Urgency to have a bowel movement and bowel incontinence
• Lower abdominal discomfort or cramps
• Fever, lethargy, and loss of appetite
• Weight loss with continuing diarrhea

Causes of Colitis

Acute Colitis

• Whipworms
• Spastic colitis
• Bacterial colitis
• Fungal colitis
• Food-induced

Chronic Colitis

• Whipworms
• Eosinophilic colitis
• Ulcerative colitis
• Histoplasma
• Prototheca
• Polyps
• Tumors
• Allergies (including food allergies)
• Foreign body
• Spastic colitis
• Histocytic ulcerative colitis
• Plasmacytic lymphocytic colitis
• Immunoproliferation enteritis

Treatment and Diagnosis of Colitis

Colitis is treated by correction or elimination of the underlying cause, and replacement of fluid and salt if diarrhoea is severe. See your doctor if diarrhoea persists beyond 36 hours, or earlier if the diarrhoea, or abdominal pain, is severe or worsening, or if there is blood in the faeces. You can prevent short-term colitis associated with infectious germs by using proper hygiene and sanitation measures, especially handling food. A diagnosis of colitis is generally straight forward given the above classic findings though how one should proceed depends on the course of the signs. Is the problem acute (ie suddenly there) or chronic (been happening for several weeks regularly) or episodic (happens then goes away then happens again)? Many drugs used to control chronic colitis have side effects and may even be dangerous - your veterinarian will prescribe them with caution.

Drug therapy involves five categories of medications:

1. Drugs that relieve diarrhea
2. 5-aminosalicylic acid
3. Steroids for relief of inflammation
4. Drugs that suppress the immune system
5. Antibiotics

What are the complications of ulcerative colitis?

1. In rare cases, life-threatening bleeding, perforation of the intestine, and inflammation of the abdominal cavity may occur.
2. Malnutrition.
3. Inflammation of joints, eyes, and skin.
4. The risk of colon cancer and rectal cancer begins to rise after 10 years of ulcerative colitis.

How is ulcerative colitis treated?

1. When the disease is active, it is often treated with tablets. When the disease is in remission, the treatment often continues in order to suppress the inflammation.
2. Medical treatment is usually sufficient.
3. If the disease cannot be controlled by medical treatment, it can be cured by surgical removal of the large intestine.
4. Severe cases may require hospitalisation.

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