Section: Follow-up
Optimal treatment for your dog requires a combination of home and professional veterinary care. Follow-up may include:
Periodic re-evaluation may be necessary until the condition stabilizes. No other follow-up may be required for dogs with an acute bout of colitis except for yearly physical examinations.
In some cases, medication may be necessary for months or years. It often is recommended to wean the dog off drug therapy after a period of time to determine if dietary modification or addition of fiber alone can control the colitis. Even if long-term drug treatment is needed, it is best to determine the lowest possible dosage of medication that effectively controls the dog's colitis.
Most dogs with colitis have a good prognosis for long-term control, especially those animals in which the underlying cause of colitis has been identified. Most infectious causes of colitis are curable. The prognosis with cancer-related colitis is dependent upon the type of cancer involved and its response to surgical or medical treatment. Patients with inflammatory colitis (lymphoplasmacytic, granulomatous, eosinophilic) seem to have the most variable clinical course. It is important that the owner of a dog with chronic colitis remain in close contact with the attending veterinarian so that appropriate changes in medication or diet can be made in a timely fashion.
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