GIQuest is a simple, non-invasive and inexpensive faecal screening test that can be performed in the veterinary clinic.

Validated at the University of Bristol Vet School, GIQuest quickly measures canine faecal calprotectin, providing a score to help evaluate different forms of chronic gastrointestinal disease. GIQuest supports both initial diagnosis and ongoing monitoring of chronic GI conditions, providing a non-invasive means to evaluate treatment success.

GIQuest can be used for the diagnosis/monitoring of canine issues such as chronic gastrointestinal enteropathy, food responsive enteropathy, and NSAID gastrointestinal screening.

Canine chronic gastrointestinal enteropathies:

• Faecal Calprotectin Concentrations in Adult Dogs with Chronic Diarrhoea
• Association of Faecal Calprotectin Concentrations with Disease Severity, Response to Treatment, and Other Biomarkers in Dogs with Chronic Inflammatory Enteropathies
• Faecal Calprotectin Concentrations and Other Indicators in Dogs with Idiopathic Inflammatory Bowel Disease
• Canine Inflammatory Bowel Disease Current and Prospective Biomarkers for Diagnosis and Management
• Serologic and Faecal Markers to Predict Response to Induction Therapy in Dogs with Idiopathic Inflammatory Bowel Disease

The lateral flow test for faecal calprotectin is highly effective in differentiating dogs with inflammatory enteropathy from healthy dogs.

Canine food responsive enteropathy:

• Diet Intervention Alleviates Pruritus by Reducing Intestinal Inflammation to Improve Skin Health in Dogs

These figures assess the impact of dietary modification in dogs with food-responsive enteropathy (FRE).

Key Findings:

• Pre-diet mean score: 4.7 (95% CI: 4.06–5.34).
• Post-diet mean score: 1.7 (95% CI: 1.13–2.27).
• Pre-treatment, all dogs scored in the inflammatory enteropathy range (≥3mg/kg).

CI: Confidence Interval


Post-treatment 100% dogs had reduced amounts of calprotectin, with 75% falling within the normal or borderline range.

Interpretation:

• The decline in calprotectin scores post-diet correlates with clinical improvement, confirming that intestinal inflammation subsides following effective dietary intervention.
• This supports using calprotectin as a biomarker to monitor therapeutic response in dogs with food responsive enteropathy.

Canine cutaneous adverse food reactions:

CAFR accounts for about 10% of dogs presenting for pruritic or allergic skin disease.¹⁰ Any damage to the gut wall may increase gut permeability, allowing food allergens to stimulate a hypersensitivity response, resulting in CAFR, GI tract signs or both.¹¹

Measuring faecal calprotectin concentrations may help in the diagnosis of CAFR as well as monitoring the response to treatment or diet trials.

Data from Bristol University support this application. In the validation study, 22 dogs with food-responsive enteropathy were evaluated before and after a three month dietary intervention. All dogs had calprotectin levels in the inflammatory range (≥3 mg/kg) prior to treatment, with a mean score of 4.7. Following dietary management, all dogs had reduced levels of calprotectin and 75% had calprotectin levels that returned to the normal or borderline range (mean post-treatment score: 1.7).

• In patients presenting with both skin and GI signs, elevated faecal calprotectin supports the presence of intestinal inflammation and may be used as an aid in the diagnosis of CAFR.
• Normal results may support a primary dermatological cause.
• Faecal calprotectin testing may help identify cases that would benefit from a diet trial.
• Repeat testing post-diet can help confirm response and support long-term management.
  
  

Canine NSAID gastrointestinal screening:

• Effects of Canine-Obtained Lactic-Acid Bacteria on the Faecal Microbiota and Inflammatory Markers in Dogs Receiving Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Treatment
• The Effect of Combined Carprofen and Omeprazole Administration on Gastrointestinal Permeability and Inflammation in Dogs

These figures track changes in faecal calprotectin before and following two weeks of oral NSAID administration.

• Pre-NSAID mean score: 0.45 (95% CI: 0.15–0.75).
• Post-NSAID mean score: 1.5 (95% CI: 0.92–2.08).
• 2 dogs already scored ≥2 before NSAID treatment.
• No dogs had a calprotectin score above 3mg/kg before treatment.
• 4 dogs scored above 3 (>3mg/kg) suggestive of adverse GI reaction to NSAID treatment.

CI: Confidence Interval

Interpretation:

• Exposure to NSAIDs is associated with an elevation in faecal calprotectin levels, typically resulting in a moderate increase.
• In a subset of dogs equal to 25%, this rise is consistent with inflammatory enteropathy (a calprotectin score of 3 or above) warranting further monitoring and management of treatment with NSAIDs.

This confirms the calprotectin LFT can detect NSAID-induced gastrointestinal adverse effects, including in asymptomatic animals.

Canine NSAID gastrointestinal screening:

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are widely used to manage pain and inflammation. However, their use is associated with GI side effects due to inhibition of prostaglandin production. 

Data from the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) 2014 annual pharmacovigilance review found that, of over 2000 adverse event reports, 200 were linked to NSAID use.¹² GI signs are listed as the most common adverse effects in the datasheets for the majority of NSAIDs, with clinical signs such as emesis, anorexia and lethargy reported. 

Further evidence from a 2021 study reported 83% of dogs receiving long-term NSAID treatment, had either gastric or small intestine erosions, or both. In all cases, the GI lesions were subclinical, underscoring the need for careful monitoring.¹³

Data from the GIQuest validation study demonstrate that faecal calprotectin can be a sensitive marker of NSAID-associated GI inflammation, including in subclinical cases. In a cohort of 23 dogs treated with NSAIDs for two weeks, mean faecal calprotectin scores rose from 0.45 (95% CI: 0.15–0.75) to 1.5 (95% CI: 0.92–2.08). While most dogs showed only a moderate increase, 
for 25% of dogs scores exceeded the inflammatory threshold score of 3 (calprotectin concentration 3mg/kg), suggesting 
NSAID-induced GI pathology.¹⁴

Although broader studies assessing the link between calprotectin concentrations and NSAID-related GI effects in dogs are still limited^15,16 these findings, alongside human studies,^17,18 support the value of calprotectin as a non-invasive monitoring tool in 
NSAID-treated patients.

• Faecal calprotectin results may help explain the presence and significance of GI inflammation to owners in a clear, accessible way.
• Referencing its use in human medicine (e.g. NICE guidelines for IBD) can increase client confidence.
• Helps support recommendations for further diagnostics, referral, or the continuation of treatment.
• Provides a useful marker of progress when monitoring response.

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7. Otoni CC, Heilmann RM, García-Sancho M, Sainz A, Ackermann MR, Suchodolski JS, Steiner JM, Jergens AE. Serologic and fecal markers to predict response to induction therapy in dogs with idiopathic inflammatory bowel disease. J Vet Intern Med. 2018 May;32(3):999-1008. doi: 10.1111/jvim.15123. Epub 2018 Apr 6. PMID: 29624721; PMCID: PMC5980281.
8. Ross FA, Park JH, Mansouri D, Combet E, Horgan PG, McMillan DC, Roxburgh CSD. The role of faecal calprotectin in diagnosis and staging of colorectal neoplasia: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Gastroenterol. 2022 Apr 9;22(1):176. doi: 10
9. Simsek, A., Kochan, A., Yesilmen Alp, S., Sayin Ipek, D. N., & Icen, H. (2022). Serum Calprotectin Levels in Dogs with Diarrhea. Acta Scientiae Veterinariae, 50. https://doi.org/10.22456/1679-9216.119992
10. Nestler J, Syrjä P, Kilpinen S, Moniz CA, Spillmann T, Hanifeh M, Heilmann RM. Duodenal and colonic mucosal S100A8/A9 (calprotectin) expression is increased and correlates with the severity of select histologic lesions in dogs with chronic inflammatory enteropathy. BMC Vet Res. 2024 Sep 6;20(1):393. doi: 10.1186/s12917-024-04256-9. PMID: 39238011; PMCID: PMC11378391.
11. Weemhoff, J.L. et al. (2021) Successful nutritional control of scratching and clinical signs associated with adverse food reaction: A randomized controlled COSCAD’18 adherent clinical trial in dogs in the United States. I Vet Intern Med 35(4):1884-1892
12. Cuddy, K. (2018) Cutaneous adverse food reactions in dogs. Veterinary Ireland Journal. 8(2):110-113
13. Veterinary Medicines Directorate. Veterinary Pharmacovigilance in the United Kingdom. Annual Review, 2014.
14. Carus Animal Health, 2025, Data on File
15. Mabry, K. et al. (2021) Prevalence of gastrointestinal lesions in dogs chronically treated with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. J Vet Intern Med. 35(2):853-859. doi: 10.1111/jvim.16057. Epub 2021 Feb 3. PMID: 33534961; PMCID: PMC7995375.
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17. Klingberg, E. et al. (2017) A longitudinal study of fecal calprotectin and the development of inflammatory bowel disease in ankylosing spondylitis. Arthritis Res Ther 19, 21 https://doi.org/10.1186/s13075-017-1223-2
18. Tibble, J. A. et al. (1999) High prevalence of NSAID enteropathy as shown by a simple faecal test Gut 45:362-366.