Evaluation of a routine diagnostic fecal panel for dogs with diarrhea.
To assess the diagnostic yield of a routine fecal panel and determine whether Clostridium perfringens or C difficile toxin production is associated with acute hemorrhagic diarrheal syndrome (AHDS) in dogs.



Case-control study.



260 dogs with diarrhea and 177 dogs with normal feces.



Medical records were reviewed for results of culture for C difficile, Campylobacterspp, and Salmonella spp; C perfringens fecal enterotoxin (CPE) assay via ELISA or reverse passive latex agglutination (RPLA) assay; fecal endospore enumeration; C difficile toxin A assay; and parasite evaluation.



Prevalence of CPE in dogs with diarrhea was 22/154 (14.3%) via ELISA and 47/104 (45.2%) via RPLA assay, versus 9/74 (12%) via ELISA and 26/103 (25%) via RPLA assay in control dogs. Prevalence of C difficile was 47/260 (18%) in dogs with diarrhea and 41/74 (55%) in control dogs. Prevalence of C difficile toxin A was 26/254 (10.2%) in dogs with diarrhea and 0/74 in control dogs. Diagnosis of AHDS was made in 27 dogs; 8 had positive results for CPE, 7 had positive results for toxin A, and 1 had positive results for both toxins. Campylobacter spp were isolated from 13 of 260 (5%) dogs with diarrhea and 21 of 74 (28.4%) control dogs. Salmonella spp were isolated from 3 (1.2%) dogs with diarrhea.



Diagnostic value of a fecal panel in dogs with diarrhea appears to be low.
Cave
Nicholas J
NJ
Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis 95616, USA.
Marks
Stanley L
SL
Kass
Philip H
PH
Melli
Ann C
AC
Brophy
Melissa A
MA
D000372:Agglutination Tests / Q000662:veterinary; D000818:Animals; D001427:Bacterial Toxins / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D002167:Campylobacter / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016360:Clostridioides difficile / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism; D003016:Clostridium perfringens / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D004285:Dogs; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000662:veterinary; D005243:Feces / Q000737:chemistry / Q000382:microbiology / Q000469:parasitology; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D010271:Parasites / Q000302:isolation & purification; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012475:Salmonella / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014481:United States
D001427:Bacterial Toxins