Clinical management and outcomes for 51 Pugs reportedly diagnosed with protein-losing enteropathy using VetCompass...

To report the clinicopathological findings, treatment and outcomes of Pugs diagnosed with protein-losing enteropathy using VetCompass primary care clinical data in the UK and to determine if referral or any specific treatments for protein-losing enteropathy were associated with outcome.

Retrospective VetCompass study of primary care practice records for Pugs with a recorded diagnosis of protein-losing enteropathy. Of the 51 Pugs diagnosed with protein-losing enteropathy between 2017 and 2024 in the UK, clinicopathological results, referral status, treatment and outcome on protein-losing enteropathy were extracted.

Twenty-one of 51 Pugs (41.2%) were referred for protein-losing enteropathy care. Thirty-four (66.7%) were treated with prednisolone, 2 (3.9%) with cyclosporin, 6 (11.8%) with chlorambucil and 14 (27.5%) with clopidogrel. Twenty-two of 51 Pugs (43.1%) died presumed due to their protein-losing enteropathy, with 54.5% of these deaths occurring within 3 months of diagnosis. More Pugs alive at 3 months compared to those that died within 3 months were treated with prednisolone (28/34 alive vs. 5/12 dead; P=.032) and clopidogrel (14/34 alive vs. 0/12 dead; P=.009). There was no difference between referred and non-referred Pugs in their probability of being alive versus those that died due to their protein-losing enteropathy at 3 months (17/34 alive vs. 3/12 dead; P=.183), 1 year (11/24 alive vs. 6/17 dead; P=.539) and 2 years (7/13 alive vs. 8/19 dead; P=.720).

Studies that account for severity of disease are needed to determine if Pugs with protein-losing enteropathy managed completely in primary care have similar outcomes versus referral. Prednisolone and clopidogrel may increase short-term survival; however, prospective studies are needed to confirm this.