This study was performed to detect morphological changes of the gastric mucosa according to the prevalence of helicobacters in the gastric mucosa of domestic dogs (Canis familiaris) from the Small animal clinic of Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Latvia within 2008 year period. Mucosal samples were taken from several places of cardiac, fundic and pyloric gland region of the stomach to detect helicobacters with light histological examination. Seventeen dogs of eighteen sampled animals showed presence of tightly spiraled helicobacters. Compared to gastric regions our study showed significantly higher prevalence of helicobacters in the cardiac and fundic gland region than in the less effected pyloric gland region of the stomach. Histological examination also showed the depth of location of helicobacters in gastric pits and deeper glandular epithelium of the gastric mucosa in different regions of the stomach. In the pyloric gland region helicobacters are located deeper in the gastric pits and glandular epithelium than in the gastric mucosa of cardiac and fundic gland region Morphological changes of gastric mucosa was divided into 4 groups: 1) mucosa without morphological changes, 2) mucosal hyperemia, 3) mucosal erosions, and 4) mucosal polips. Morphological changes especially mucosal polips are significantly more in the pyloric gland region than in the cardiac and fundic gland region. The amount of morphological changes in the helicobacter positive and negative samples were not significantly different in the cardiac and fundic gland region, but in the pyloric gland region morphological changes of the gastric mucosa are significantly more in the helicobacter positive samples than in the helicobacter negative samples.

This study was done to evaluate the prevalence and colonization density of helicobacters in the gastric mucosa of domestic dogs (Canis familiaris). Mucosal samples were taken from several places of cardiac, fundic and pyloric gland region of the stomach to detect helicobacters with urease test, brush cytology, and light histological examination. Fourteen dogs of fifteen sampled animals showed positive urease test and the presence of tightly spiraled helicobacters. Positive urease test was observed in 80.4% of all examined samples. Helicobacters were detected in 82.7% of all examined samples by brush cytology and 80.8% of all examined samples by histological examination. Compared to gastric regions, in all employed detection methods have been showed significantly higher prevalence of helicobacters in cardiac and fundic gland region than in the less effected pyloric gland region of the stomach. Histological examination showed the location and colonization density of the bacteria at the superficial epithelium, gastric pits, and deep glandular epithelium of the gastric mucosa in different regions of the stomach. Colonization density of bacteria was evaluated in 4 groups: as absent, mild, moderate, and severe colonization density of helicobacters. Occurrence of helicobacters in the cardiac and fundic gland region showed mild and moderate colonization density of helicobacters at the superficial epithelium and at the gastric pits of the gastric mucosa. Colonization density of spiral-shaped bacteria between the deep glandular epithelium was more pronounced in the pyloric gland region than in the cardiac and fundic gland regions of the gastric mucosa in the domestic dogs.