THERAPEUTIC NUTRITION

Cats with heart disease often appear healthy until their heart is failing. Once diagnosed with heart failure, nutritional modifications can help support heart health.

Nutrition can play an important role in helping to manage the clinical signs that occur when the heart no longer adequately compensates for changes associated with heart disease.

Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) caused by taurine deficiency in cats was once a common diagnosis for feline heart disease. Today, DCM accounts for less than 10% of feline heart disease. Good nutrition plays many roles in heart health.

Cats with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) often appear healthy. If clinical signs do occur, then nutritional modifications can be an important part of patient care.

Nutrition may help reduce stress-related anxiety and behavioral disorders in pets.

Multimodal strategies that include targeted nutrition may help manage signs and slow progression of cognitive dysfunction syndrome in dogs.

Feeding a diet containing medium chain triglycerides may be a useful adjunct to anticonvulsant medications in dogs with refractory idiopathic epilepsy.

Read perspectives on CDS and its management from veterinary behaviorist Dr. Marie Hopfensperger.

Read how general practitioner Dr. Kelsey Bertamus approaches both monitoring the cognitive health of her canine patients and helping clients understand a diagnosis of CDS.