Disease Ontology ID: DDTO:0001288

Abbreviated Name: SIBO

Disease Description: Small intestine bacterial overgrowth in dogs is defined as an overgrowth or imbalance of the normal intestinal bacteria which are needed for digestion and absorption of nutrients from food

Inherit Mode: unknown

Disease Symptom: The condition is usually seen in young dogs, who develop chronic intermittent diarrhea which gradually gets worse, and lose weight or fail to gain weight normally. Some dogs may only show weight loss and in others there may be vomiting.

Disease Cause: -

Disease Diagnose: There is no straightforward test to diagnose SIBO. Because the condition may develop as a complication of many intestinal diseases, it is important to search for any possible underlying cause. Your veterinarian will do tests for parasites, bacterial infections, partial obstruction, and other causes of diarrhea such as<a href="exocrine%20pancreatic%20insufficiency.html">exocrine pancreatic insufficiency.</a>Besides these baseline blood and fecal tests, there are several other tests that can be done to support the diagnosis of SIBO.

Treat Method: Antibiotics are used at the same time as any underlying cause is treated. Often, no underlying cause can be found and it becomes a question of long term management. The disorder can usually be controlled with long courses of antibiotics, repeated occasionally if there is a relapse, and dietary management using a therapeutic diet low in carbohydrates and fats. For the veterinarian:Four weeks of treatment with oxytetracyline is usually successful. Some dogs with SIBO relapse soon after antibiotics are discontinued. This may mean there is an unidentified underlying cause, or there has been permanent functional mucosal damage. Antibiotics, gradually reduced to the lowest dose that will control the diarrhea, may need to be continued for extended periods.

Breeder Advice: Affected dogs should not be bred, and until more is known about inheritance of this disorder, it is prudent to avoid breeding their parents and siblings as well.

Disease Description Source: Link