Acute infectious gastroenteritis in UK dogs. Part 1 – viruses, bacteria and parasites

A multitude of pathogens have been described as causing acute gastroenteritis in dogs. These range from the widely recognised canine parvovirus, to the less well known bacterial and protozoal causes. The first part of this two-part article will discuss the different infectious agents identified in UK dogs with gastroenteritis, examining the prevalence of both endemic and newly emerging pathogens.

Confusingly many of these pathogens can also be detected in healthy dogs, so the evidence for the ability of each infectious agent to cause disease will also be considered. The second part of this article will follow on by reviewing the methods used to diagnose and treat the different infectious causes of acute gastroenteritis.