Laboratory diagnosis of malassimilation

In many instances, the cause for malassimilation can be determined with ease, but finding the cause sometimes can be elusive and require the use of sophisticated laboratory techniques not available to the general veterinary practitioner. In either case, the clinician, whether generalist or specialist, must make an informed decision based on the results of many different testing modalities, and not only on the results of the laboratory tests described here. A flow chart is provided to assist the diagnostician in selecting and applying the more clinically oriented laboratory tests useful in dealing with a patient with chronic diarrhea and weight loss.