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For ICU pets, completely balanced 4. GI dysfunction or disease (acute term use) or esophagostomy/
clinical liquid enteral nutrition (EN) diarrohea, vomiting etc). gastrostomy tubes (for long-term
will aid in maintaining functional 5. Jaw fracture / Neurological use) are excellent options for animals
integrity of their gut by maintaining movement disorders that that are unable to or are unwilling to
tight junctions between the increase caloric requirements. eat adequate amounts voluntarily.
intraepithelial cells, stimulating 6. Intensive critical care required

blood flow and inciting the release of diseased conditions. *If an animal is going to be
trophic endogenous agents (agents 6. Kidney diseases in which diet anesthetized for diagnostic or
that increase cell growth). They change may be temporary, but the therapeutic procedures, it is
also maintain structural integrity of dog will have to get a wet diet that recommended to place a feeding
gastrointestinal tract by maintaining will give less work to its kidneys, tube if there is any indication that
villous height and supporting which will be permanent. one may be needed.
immune cells of intestinal tract. 7. Diabetes may require liquid
nutrition until the blood sugar is WHAT IS THE APPROPRIATE
In addition, they may decrease normalized. INTAKE AMOUNT?

inflammatory cytokine production, 8. A liver condition, as liquid Resting energy requirement (RER)

modulate inflammatory acute phase nutrition will allow the liver should be the initial caloric goal for
response and decrease catabolism tissue to recover. hospitalized patients. RER can be
(protein breakdown) to preserve 9. In case of senile dogs that may calculated using following formulas:
protein. have a difficult time eating.

70 × (weight in kg) 0.75 or (30 ×
WHEN SHOULD THIS BE WHAT IS THE OPTIMAL FEEDING weight in kg) + 70
PRESCRIBED? ROUTE?
Patients should be hemodynamically The optimal feeding route (Oral (The WSAVA RER chart 5 can be
stable before nutritional intervention or Tube Feeding) depends upon a a useful tool for quick and easy
is initiated. It is suitable for patients number of patient-dependent issues: reference for hospitalized patients.)
who require precise feeding orders,
including route, diet amount 1. Function of the GI tract For feeding, you can refer WASVA
and frequency. Assisted feeding 2. Patient’s ability to tolerate tube guidelines for more information.
techniques should be instituted in placement
patients with: 3. Risk of aspiration

1. Inadequate food intake for longer (Please refer WSAVA Feeding Guide * The author is DVM MS PhD
than 3–5 days. for Hospitalized Dogs and Cats). Post DOC, SZIE, Budapest,
2. Days of anorexia/hyporexia. Hungary.
3. Critical illness or injury, weight Oral syringe feeding, Nasogastric/
loss, muscle loss. nasoesophageal tubes (for short-

OCTOBER 2020 • VOL. XIII • ISSUE 9 • NOIDA | Creature Companion 23