You should seek the advice of your veterinarian if your pet is ill as only he or she can correctly advise on the diagnosis and recommend the treatment that is most appropriate for your pet.

There are several risk factors for colitis in dogs

Risk factors for colitis include :

• Age - young animals are more susceptible than old animals
• Breed 
  • Boxer- histiocytic colitis
  • Dachshund - Haemorrhagic gastroenteritis
  • French Bulldog - chronic inflammation
  • German Shepherd Dogs - chronic inflammation
  • ?Great Dane - lymphocytic-plasmacytic
  • Poodle (toy) - Haemorrhagic gastroenteritis
  • Schnauzer (miniature) - Haemorrhagic gastroenteritis
• Reduced immune status - any cause
• Hospitalisation - nosocomial infection
• Anticancer therapy
• Scavenging food - particularly spoiled food
• Ingestion of foreign material - particularly sharp-edged materials
• Parasites
• Trauma to the CNS - brain or spinal cord eg intervertebral disk prolapse
• Corticosteroid therapy - particularly in association with CNS trauma

(* Modified in part after Hand, Thatcher, Remillard and Roudebush - Small Animal Clinical Nutrition 4th Edition 2000)

Updated January 2016