A dog with chronic weight loss, diarrhea, low cobalamin, and normal TLI/folate/PLI is likely diagnosed with what condition?

The diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in a dog presenting with chronic weight loss, diarrhea, low cobalamin levels, and normal results for TLI, folate, and PLI is supported by several key factors.

IBD is characterized by an inappropriate inflammatory response in the gastrointestinal tract, leading to malabsorption and gastrointestinal symptoms. The chronic diarrhea and weight loss observed in the dog are consistent with this disease, as IBD often results in decreased nutrient absorption due to inflammation of the intestinal lining.

Additionally, the low levels of cobalamin (vitamin B12) can occur in cases of IBD due to disruption of the intestinal mucosa, which impairs the absorption of this vitamin. It is common to see low cobalamin in dogs with IBD because the inflammation can affect the area of the small intestine where cobalamin is absorbed.

In contrast, the normal TLI (trypsin-like immunoreactivity), folate, and PLI (pancreatic lipase immunoreactivity) indicate that other conditions like exocrine pancreatic insufficiency, which would have high TLI levels, or pancreatitis, which would lead to elevated PLI levels, are less likely. Small cell lymphoma could