Description

Anorexia and inappetence are common presenting signs in unwell cats and have a number of harmful consequences which increase morbidity and mortality in affected cats. Support of appetite is important whilst determining the cause of the inappetence in order to reduce the risk of complications and support recovery. This presentation will cover how to calculate nutritional requirements and judge whether appetite is adequate, how to assess patients and determine their support needs, symptomatic support of inappetent cats, use of appetite stimulants and placement of feeding tubes.

Learning Objectives

• Explain how to calculate resting energy requirements in cats
• List potential short and long-term consequences of poor appetite
• Identify symptomatic support options that should be considered before using an appetite stimulant
• List authorised and off-license appetite stimulants that can be used in cats
• Understand mechanisms of action, advantages and disadvantages of different appetite stimulants
• Describe how to place nasal and oesophageal feeding tubes in cats
• Explain how to make a tube feeding plan