Neutrophilic inflammatory enteropathy in 27 dogs: a retrospective descriptive study.

Peripheral neutrophilia in dogs with NIE significantly predicts poorer survival and warrants guarded prognosis.

This retrospective descriptive study characterized neutrophilic inflammatory enteropathy (NIE), a rare subtype of chronic inflammatory enteropathy (CIE), in 27 client-owned dogs over a 10-year period (2015–2025). Cases were reclassified using modified WSAVA guidelines into minor (mild; n=8) and major (moderate-severe; n=19) inflammation groups. The mean age at presentation was 7.7 years. The most frequent clinical signs were diarrhea and vomiting (both 78%), weight loss (74%), hyporexia/anorexia (48%), and melena (26%). Key clinicopathological abnormalities included hypoglobulinemia (85%), hypoalbuminemia (52%), hypocobalaminemia (58%), peripheral neutrophilia (44%), hypocholesterolemia (41%), and total hypocalcemia (41%). Twenty-four dogs (89%) survived to discharge. Overall median survival time was 267 days (95% CI: 0–569), with no statistically significant difference between the minor and major inflammation groups. Importantly, peripheral neutrophilia was independently associated with a significantly increased hazard of death (HR 4.43; 95% CI: 1.16–16.99; P=.03) on univariate analysis and shorter median survival. These findings suggest NIE carries a potentially guarded prognosis overall, with peripheral neutrophilia serving as a clinically accessible negative prognostic indicator. Clinicians should consider NIE in dogs presenting with protein-losing enteropathy and systemic inflammation, recognize it as a distinct CIE subtype, and use peripheral neutrophilia as a marker for closer monitoring and potentially more aggressive management.

This summary was distilled by AI and may occasionally misinterpret data. Confirm critical details with the primary literature before clinical application.