What are Other causes of Chronic Vomiting or Diarrhea?
It is important to rule out parasitism as best as possible in cases such as these. A fecal flotation for worms is a good idea. Parasites such as whipworms or giardia may be difficult to detect so a short course of treatment to rule out their presence might also be a good idea, especially in the dog. Pancreatic enyzyme insufficiency or chronic pancreatic inflammation might cause chronic vomiting or diarrhea. A blood test called a trypsin-like immunoreactivity test is required to rule out these possibilities. Pancreatic enzyme insufficiency is an especially important problem in German Shepherd dogs. More serious causes of chronic gastrointestinal complaints might include intestinal cancer (especially lymphosarcoma/lymphoma), fungal infection infiltrating the GI lining, or a lymphatic condition called lymphangiectasia. A biopsy will differentiate inflammatory bowel disease from these other conditions. An infection in the stomach with a bacterium called Helicobacter is associated with infl
