New study on feline chronic inflammatory enteropathy
Only a limited amount is known about the vaiables that affect treatment outcome and survival for cats with CIE.
A new study into cats with chronic inflammatory enteropathy (CIE) has found that achieving clinical remission is correlated with a decreased likelihood of death from gastrointestinal disease.
The study also found that food-responsive enteropathy was the most common sub-diagnosis in cats that attained clinical remission. This supports previous research which has found that a change in diet, as either a primary or secondary therapy, can lead to a positive response.
However, the study was unsuccessful in one of its key aims. Despite searching for clinicopathological variables which might predict either death due to gastrointestinal disease or length of survival following a CIE diagnosis, the study did not find any.
The researchers, based at the Royal Veterinary College, looked at 65 cases of cats diagnosed with CIE between 2011-2021 using three databases of medical records and follow-up information from the referring veterinary surgeon. Twenty of the cats had been euthanised owing to gastrointestinal disease and 25 were in clinical remission, 16 of whom were diagnosed with food-responsive enteropathy.
Dr Yuvani Bandara, first author of the study, said: “Knowledge that the attainment of clinical remission reduces the likelihood of subsequent death due to feline chronic inflammatory enteropathy is important for veterinary surgeons and owners. We hope that our findings can act as a foundation for further research to investigate factors that support the attainment of clinical remission in affected cats.”
The study, funded by BSAVA PetSavers, was published in the Journal of Small Animal Practice.
Veterinary practices are being urged to help owners safely dispose of any unused and expired pet medicines - not just antibiotics - during November's Animal Medicines Amnesty. 
