Anxiety and digestive problems in dogs: there is a link!

To date, one theory predominates regarding the cause of inflammatory bowel disease in humans (Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis) as well as in dogs (IBD, PLE, ARD, FRD): genetic factors and the immunological function of the mucous membranes play a key role in triggering the disease. Psychological factors are mentioned, but no scientifically significant conclusions have been reached, other than that they influence the development of the disease in humans. This study investigates whether anxiety in dogs is a possible cause or a contributing factor to intestinal disorders: IBD (inflammatory bowel disease), PLE (protein-losing enteropathy) and FRE (Food-Responsive Enteropathy). Fifty-three dog owners whose dogs had suffered from or were currently suffering from IBD, PLE or FRD, and a control group of 40 healthy dogs, completed a questionnaire regarding their dog's anxiety. The ETEC scale is used as a tool to assess the level of anxiety. This scale enables the assessment of associated emotional disorders, in this case, prior to the onset of digestive symptoms in dogs. These scales form part of Dr Patrick Pageat's system for the study of canine emotional disorders.