Kevin Murtagh

Objective: Diet is an integral component of the management of chronic enteropathy in dogs. The role of insect‐based diets in this disease remains unknown. The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of an insect‐based ( Hermetia illucens ) diet in dogs with presumed food‐responsive enteropathy. Methods: Twenty‐seven client‐owned dogs with evidence of chronic enteropathy, in which diet was required as sole management, were enrolled onto this prospective, uncontrolled diet trial. Canine inflammatory bowel disease activity index, faecal score, body condition score and body weight (kg) were recorded pre‐enrolment (T ₀ ). Dogs were exclusively fed insect diet and reassessed at 14 (T ₁ ), 30 (T ₂ ) and 90 (T ₃ ) days. Dogs remained in the study if responding and exited the study at various times for additional investigations or alternative treatment(s) if not responding. Comparisons were made within responders over time and between responders and non‐responders at T ₀ . Data are expressed as median (range). Results: Twenty‐seven dogs were recruited; seven cases were withdrawn, leaving 20 dogs for analysis. Fourteen/20 dogs (70%) were classified as responders with a decrease in median faecal score from 6.25 (5 to 7) at T ₀ to 2 (2 to 5) at T ₁ and a median decrease in canine inflammatory bowel disease activity index from 8 (5 to 14) at T ₀ to 1 (0 to 5) at T ₁ . All responders had adequate control at day 90 (T ₃ ), with a median faecal score of 2 (2 to 5) and a median canine inflammatory bowel disease activity index of 0 (0 to 3). Clinical Significance: Insect diet improved clinical signs in 70% of chronic enteropathy dogs and could represent another dietary option in the management of this disease.

An 11-year-old male neutered domestic shorthair cat underwent investigations for right mandibular and prescapular lymph node enlargement and weight loss. Cytology of the mandibular and prescapular lymph nodes revealed marked pyogranulomatous inflammation and mild neutrophilic, non-septic inflammation, respectively. Excisional biopsy of both lymph nodes was performed. Histopathology of the mandibular lymph node revealed severe pyogranulomatous inflammation, with prominent Splendore–Hoeppli phenomenon. Histopathology of the prescapular lymph node was consistent with reactive lymphoid hyperplasia. A Neisseria species was cultured from tissue samples obtained from both lymph nodes, with sensitivity testing confirming susceptibility to amoxicillin-clavulanate. After a 4-week course of amoxicillin-clavulanate (20 mg kg−1 PO q12h), clinical signs resolved. The cat was clinically well with no evidence of recurrence of infection 2.5 years after presentation.