Nutritionally Related Diseases of Dogs and Cats, Critical Care Nutrition

What are 4 clinical signs of diabetes?

1) Polyuria/Polydipsia(excessive peeing/drinking)

2) cataracts

3) Renal Disease

4) weight loss

Name 4 dietary interventions for Diabetes

1) fixed formulations

2) feed same amount daily

3) smaller, more frequent meals

4) decrease percentage of simple sugars

Name 4 symptoms of Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease

1) Polyuria/Polydipsia(excessive peeing/drinking)

2) Dysuria(difficulty peeing)

3) dehydration

4) licking of urogenital area

Struvite Crystals

Oxalate Crystals

What crystal is found in alkaline urine?

Struvite Crystals

What crystal is found in acidic urine?

Calcium Oxalate Crystals

Name 3 dietary interventions to control Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease(FLUTD)

1) feed a diet with decreased magnesium & phosphorus

2) plenty of fresh water

3) feed a diet which encourages water intake

How do we treat Vitamin A responsive dermatoses?

supplement the animal with Vitamin A and Vitamin E

Name 2 breeds predisposed to zinc deficiency

1) Husky

2) Alaskan Malamute

What are the clinical signs of zinc deficiency?

1) alopecia

2) redness on skin

3) inflammation

4) scaly

5) secondary pyodermas(sores)

When can a food allergy begin?

When an animal develops an Immune response to one or more components of a diet

Name 3 clinical signs of food allergies for dogs

1) pruritus(severe itching) around feet + groin

2) self excoriation (chewing/biting themselves)

3) alopecia

Name 3 clinical signs of food allergies for cats

1) pruritus (sever itching) around head

2) self excoriation (chewing/biting themselves)

3) ulcerative dermatitis (gaping wounds)

What 3 things should you try to rule out when trying to diagnose a food allergy?

1) external parasites

2) atopy (seasonal allergies)

3) hypersensitivities (medications/supplements)

What is a novel protein?

a protein that an animal has not eaten before

What ingredients are dogs usually allergic to?

1) beef

2) milk

3) chicken

What ingredients are cats usually allergic to?

fish

Does protein cause Renal Disease?

No, excessive protein can contribute to it by allowing greater levels of protein byproducts in the blood which exacerbate clinical signs

What are 3 dietary interventions for renal failure?

1) feed high quality protein in lower amounts

2) restrict phosphorous levels

3) normalize blood pH

When an animal has left sided Congestive Heart Failure(CHF) where does the fluid accumulate?

lungs

What are 2 dietary goals for Congestive Heart Failure(CHF)?

1) watch sodium levels

2) increase potassium

How do you treat general vomiting?

1) rule out more serious problems

2) rest the GI tract; nothing by mouth for 24 hours then institute a bland diet

3) possible need for supportive care

What is an example of a bland diet?

boiled chicken, beef, or rice

What breed is predisposed to Early Pancreatic Insufficiency(EPI)?

German Shepherd

How do you treat Early Pancreatic Insufficiency(EPI)?

1) add pancreatic enzymes to “predigest” food

2) may need to increase amount of feed due to decreased digestibility

What food is high in fiber and used to treat constipation?

raw pumpkin

How is Inflammatory Bowel Disease treated?

decrease the fiber intake to increase digestibility

How do you coax a sick animal to eat?

1) soft consistency of food

2) warming food in a microwave to aromatize the scent

What is Enteral Nutrition?

nutrition supplied through the GI Tract; through a feeding tube or the mouth

What is Parenteral Nutrition?

nutrition supplied intravenously

What does 7% dehydration look like?

slight decrease in skin elasticity, beginning of dryness of mucous membranes and slight delay in CRT

What is a Lactated Ringers Solution(LRS) used for?

fluid and electrolyte replacement to correct mild acidosis(acidic pH levels in blood)

What is a Saline 0.9% NaCl solution?

fluid and electrolyte replacement that is more acidifying

What is TPN?

Total Parenteral Nutrition; fluid that contains glucose, Amino Acids, electrolytes and vitamins that is given intravenously

Nasogastric Feeding Tube

feeding tube which goes from the nose to the stomach

Disadvantages: feed cannot be thick + short-term use

Orogastric Feeding Tube

feeding tube which goes from the mouth to the stomach

Advantages: allows for larger sized tube

Disadvantages: one-time use

Esophagostomy Tube

feeding tube which goes from a point partway down the neck into the stomach

Advantages: long-term, well tolerated

Disadvantages: surgical placement

Pharyngostomy Tube

feeding tube which goes directly in the jaw

Disadvantages: can damage pharynx region if placed improperly, surgical placement

Enterostomy Feeding

surgically inserted into the intestines and requires specialty compounded formula

Gastrostomy Tube(Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastronomy Tube)

feeding tube which is surgically placed into the stomach

Advantages: long-term use

Disadvantages: surgically placed into stomach through body

How do we place, use and maintain feeding tubes?

flush —> feed —> flush

1) add sterile drops of water to test where tube is when inserting

2) clean tube before placing

3) feed small amounts slowly

4) watch for signs of regurgitation or aspiration

How do we remove feeding tubes safely?

we plug/crimp the open end of the feeding tube before pulling it out so that no substances fall out of the tube

What are common complications associated with feeding tubes?

1) not flushing the tube enough

2) giving larger meals as opposed to smaller ones

3) a consistency of food that is too thick instead of being thin

4) regurgitation

5) aspiration

6) infection