The Do’s and Dont’s of Using Fiber for GI Disease: A Case-Based Approach

A large body of evidence demonstrates the positive benefits with the use of dietary fiber for the management of acute and chronic enteropathies in dogs and cats including acute idiopathic diarrhea, chronic inflammatory enteropathy, and constipation. The benefits of fiber are numerous and can include desired effects on gastrointestinal transit time, luminal water absorption, laxative properties, stool bulking, production of short-chain fatty acids, satiety effect, and glycemic control. However, these benefits are all dependent on the source of fiber selected and require some knowledge about which fibers should be selected and when. In this presentation, we will discuss where fiber helped and where in hurt in cats and dogs with acute and chronic enteropathies. Presented by: Nutramax Laboratories Veterinary Sciences, Inc.