THERAPEUTIC NUTRITION

Feline urolithiasis may decrease quality of life, damage the human-animal bond, and lead to relinquishment or to elective euthanasia of the pet, making effective management crucial. Nutritional intervention is a key component of the management of struvite and calcium oxalate uroliths, the two most common types of uroliths in cats.

Feline idiopathic cystitis (FIC) comprises 55–67% of feline lower urinary tract disease cases. FIC may cause significant morbidity and damage the human-animal bond, which may result in relinquishment of the cat or in elective euthanasia. Nutritional intervention—increasing water intake and feeding therapeutic urinary diets—plays a key role in FIC management.

Struvite and calcium oxalate (CaOx) are the most common uroliths in cats and dogs. What roles do the frequently considered factors of urine pH, diet, and urinary crystals play?

A poor appetite and weight loss are common in chronic kidney disease (CKD) making nutritional intervention crucial to successful case management.

Learn why food allergy is difficult to diagnose in cats, when to perform a diet elimination trial, which type of diet is preferred for food trials, and potential challenges associated with diet trials in cats.

Client education, communication, and follow-up are essential components of a successful diet elimination trial. Galia Sheinberg, MVZ, ESP, DLACVD, answers common questions about this important diagnostic tool. 

Positive, productive client conversations about pet obesity are possible through the use of communication strategies focused on health-related outcomes, quality of life, and the importance of the human-animal bond. 

Metabolic dysfunction in the brain is both a cause and a consequence of epileptic seizures. Learn how diet, as part of a comprehensive approach to managing epilepsy, may reduce seizure frequency and improve a dog’s quality of life.

Learn about the role of nutrition in managing dogs and cats with chronic enteropathies. The different categories of diets available and which patients may benefit most from their use are discussed.

Learn why multimodal therapeutic plans for dogs and cats with acute gastroenteritis need to include nutritional support alongside treatment of the underlying cause, correction of fluid deficits, and control of nausea and/or pain.

Nutrition plays a central role in the multimodal management of cats with pancreatitis, helping to avoid malnutrition and its associated negative effects.

Learn how increased knowledge of the intestinal microbiome has resulted in increased use of nutritional strategies and adoption of fecal microbiota transplantation to manage chronic enteropathies in dogs.