But I figured this diagnosis needed a second opinion, so I went shopping for a veterinarian on the Internet. They have been found in dogs, but have never been proven to cause disease in dogs, to my knowledge. I have never heard or read any speculation that Helicobacter or any other disease is likely to be contracted by dogs drinking from toilets. I have treated two dogs recently with severe inflammatory bowel disease, a well-documented disease. They would have died without steroid treatment.
Dogs get acute pancreatitis, which can be fatal, and can become chronic and relapsing.
They can become partially obstructed by string foreign bodies and twisted or telescoped bowels, which can be impossible to diagnose without exploratory surgery. They can develop gallstones and other obstructions of the gall bladder. There are several types of cancer of the stomach and intestine, some of which are not even apparent on exploratory surgery or autopsy, and diagnosis requires microscopic examination of tissue samples. There are many other diseases like these, all of which can cause the symptoms recounted.