The aim of this book is to focus on problems unique to the feline alimentary tract in comparison to dogs and to discuss them in detail, but also to highlight areas where knowledge is lacking or can only be derived from comparison with other companion animal species or humans. Instead of being a comprehensive work of “all things GI” in the cat, this book aims to shine a light on topics that are novel, such as the microbiome or probiotics, and might not have been covered by other standard textbooks. This book focuses on “a medic’s perspective” on feline alimentary tract health, which starts with considering differential diagnoses in a structured way based on the most common clinical signs. 

Authors:

Fabio Procoli

DMV, MVetMed, DipACVIM, DipECVIM-CA, MRCVS Ospedale Veterinario Portoni Rossi, Bologna, Italy.

Fabio Procoli graduated from the University of Bari (Italy) in 2003. After moving to the UK, he worked in small animal general practice for 5 years. He then did an internship in small animal medicine and surgery at The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies in Edinburgh, followed by a residency in small animal internal medicine at the Royal Veterinary College in London. He is a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine and the European College of Veterinary Internal Medicine. Fabio worked as an internal medicine and gastroenterology consultant in a private referral hospital in Hampshire (UK) for 3 years before returning to Italy to lead the Internal Medicine Department at Ospedale Veterinario I Portoni Rossi, a private small animal referral hospital in Bologna. Besides consulting in gastroenterology cases, Fabio is responsible for the training of aspiring ECVIM Diploma candidates. Fabio is a member of the Exam Committee of the ECVIM. He has published in peer-reviewed journals on small animal gastroenterology and is actively involved in postgraduate continuing education courses aimed at general practitioners with an interest in small animal gastroenterology.

Karin Allenspach

DVM, PhD, DipECVIM-CA College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa (USA).

Karin Allenspach graduated from the University of Zurich (Switzerland). She did an internship in small animal emergency medicine and critical care at Tufts University (USA) and a residency in small animal internal medicine at the University of Pennsylvania (USA). Karin is a diplomate of the European College of Veterinary Internal Medicine. She was awarded a PhD in veterinary immunology from the University of Bern (Switzerland) for her work on canine chronic enteropathies. Karin is currently employed as Professor in Internal Medicine and Translational Health at Iowa State University, Ames (USA), where she also supervises the SMART Comparative Medicine Laboratory. Karin is passionate about gastrointestinal diseases in dogs and cats and about using spontaneous animal diseases in clinical trials as models for human disease. She has published over 100peer-reviewed articles and over 20 book chapters and was named a Fellow of the American Gastroenterology Association in 2018.

Silke Salavati

DrMedVet, PhD, DipECVIM-CA, FHEA, MRCVS Royal Dick School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom.

Silke Salavati Schmitz graduated from the Justus-Liebig University in Giessen (Germany), where she subsequently completed her first doctoral thesis (DrMedVet) in canine gastroenterology. She did a rotating internship and a residency in small animal internal medicine at the same university. Apart from being a diplomate of the European College of Veterinary Internal Medicine, she has also been actively involved with the ECVIM in different roles (e.g. exam and education committee member; ESCG president). She was awarded a PhD from the Royal Veterinary College, London, for her research on the clinical and immunological effects of a single-strain probiotic in canine IBD. She is currently a Senior Lecturer in Small Animal Internal Medicine at The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies in Edinburgh. Silke continues to have a great interest in canine and feline gastroenterology and has over 30 publications around these topics and several book chapters in relevant textbooks. She has presented her work in numerous conferences throughout the years and held a large number of CPD events in various countries. She is equally passionate about teaching and mentoring future veterinarians and small animal specialists and holds a postgraduate certificate in academic practice (PGAP) as well as a Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA).

Table of contents:

Abbreviations 

SECTION I   Diagnostic approach to clinical signs of the  gastrointestinal, pancreatic, and hepatobiliary systems

Differential diagnoses

Diagnostic procedures

SECTION II   Diseases of the gastrointestinal tractgastrointestinal, pancreatic, and hepatobiliary systems

Oropharyngeal diseases

Oesophageal diseases

Gastric diseases

Infectious diseases of the gastrointestinal tract

Intestinal inflammation

Neoplasia

Motility disorders

SECTION III   Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract

Pancreatic disorders

Hepatic disorders

Hepatic vascular disorders

Biliary disorders

Neoplasia

SECTION IV   Management strategies for diseases of the gastrointestinal and hepatobiliary tract

Pharmacological approach to gastrointestinal and hepatobiliary disorders

Novel and alternative treatment options of gastrointestinal disorders

Nutritional strategies for gastrointestinal and hepatobiliary disorders

APPENDIX   Recommended drugs and dosages

Subject index