THERAPEUTIC NUTRITION
THERAPEUTIC NUTRITION
Useful information about the needs of cats and dogs with nutritionally sensitive health conditions.
Pancreatic Disorders
Nutrition and Pancreatitis in Cats
Cecilia Villaverde
BVSc, PhD, DACVIM (Nutrition), DECVCN
Expert Pet Nutrition
Fermoy, County Cork, Ireland
Q. What are specific dietary strategies that can be used for cats with pancreatitis?
A. While there are no specific nutrient requirements described in cats with pancreatitis compared to healthy cats, and the best macronutrient profile for these patients is yet unknown, providing adequate calories and nutrients in the form of a complete and balanced, highly digestible and palatable diet is important to prevent malnutrition and its associated negative effects.1
A complete nutritional assessment, including diet history, is important to assess risk of malnutrition and establish a tailor-made feeding plan for each patient. Factors that impact the feeding plan include body condition score (BCS), muscle condition score, and the presence of comorbidities. There are several key nutrients for management of feline pancreatitis, including protein and fat. As opposed to dogs, there has been no association described between pancreatitis and dietary indiscretion or hyperlipidemia in cats. Therefore, fat moderation or restriction is not a common recommendation in cats. One retrospective study of cats with suspected pancreatitis concluded that a diet with 45% fat (on a metabolizable energy – ME – basis) was well tolerated in these cases.2 It may be wise to select a diet lower in fat if higher fat diets have not been well tolerated. It is also important that all essential nutrients be provided in the form of a complete and balanced diet.
Q. What diet types can be considered for cats with pancreatitis?
A. Nutritional management should be implemented as soon as possible, and assisted feeding should be used if needed to ensure adequate energy intake. Using a highly digestible complete and balanced therapeutic gastrointestinal diet is a good starting point for feline pancreatitis with the current knowledge of the disease. These diets provide nutrients in an easily assimilable manner, are usually high in energy density, and tend to have good palatability. However, in cats with comorbidities, the specific disease(s) will also affect diet choice.
Related Tools and Content:
Pancreatitis in Cats
Nutrition plays an important role in a multimodal management plan for cats with pancreatitis.
Taking a Good Diet History
The only way to know what each patient really eats is to ask ꟷ and document the information in the medical record.
Nutritional Assessment Is an Iterative Process: Screening Evaluation
Assessing a patient’s nutritional status is a recurring process that entails more than taking a diet history.
Nutritional Assessment Is an Iterative Process: Extended Evaluation
An extended nutritional evaluation is important for pets at risk for nutrition-related problems.
To Share with Pet Owner:
Screening Diet History Form
This short, screening diet history form is a practical, easy-to-use document that can help clients provide important information about their pets’ diets.
References
Brunetto, M. A., Gomes, M. O., Andre, M. R., Teshima, E., Gonçalves, K. N., Pereira, G. T., Ferraudo, A. S., & Carciofi, A. C. (2010). Effects of nutritional support on hospital outcome in dogs and cats. Journal of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care, 20(2), 224-231. doi: 10.1111/j.1476-4431.2009.00507.x
Klaus, J. A., Rudloff, E., & Kirby, R. (2009). Nasogastric tube feeding in cats with suspected acute pancreatitis: 55 cases (2001-2006). Journal of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care, 19(4), 337-346. doi: 10.1111/j.1476-4431.2009.00438.x