Successful use of insect-based (Hermetia illucens) diet in dogs with food-responsive enteropathy

Diet is an integral component of the management of chronic enteropathy in dogs. The role of insect-based diets in this disease remains unknown. The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of an insect-based (Hermetia illucens) diet in dogs with presumed food-responsive enteropathy.

Twenty-seven client-owned dogs with evidence of chronic enteropathy, in which diet was required as sole management, were enrolled onto this prospective, uncontrolled diet trial. Canine inflammatory bowel disease activity index, faecal score, body condition score and body weight (kg) were recorded pre-enrolment (T₀). Dogs were exclusively fed insect diet and reassessed at 14 (T₁), 30 (T₂) and 90 (T₃) days. Dogs remained in the study if responding and exited the study at various times for additional investigations or alternative treatment(s) if not responding. Comparisons were made within responders over time and between responders and non-responders at T₀. Data are expressed as median (range).

Twenty-seven dogs were recruited; seven cases were withdrawn, leaving 20 dogs for analysis. Fourteen/20 dogs (70%) were classified as responders with a decrease in median faecal score from 6.25 (5 to 7) at T₀ to 2 (2 to 5) at T₁ and a median decrease in canine inflammatory bowel disease activity index from 8 (5 to 14) at T₀ to 1 (0 to 5) at T₁. All responders had adequate control at day 90 (T₃), with a median faecal score of 2 (2 to 5) and a median canine inflammatory bowel disease activity index of 0 (0 to 3).

Insect diet improved clinical signs in 70% of chronic enteropathy dogs and could represent another dietary option in the management of this disease.