Feline Cancer Resources - Nutritional Support

Nutrition and Cancer - Dr. Gregory Ogilvie, Proceedings, WSAVA 2002.

1. What clinically significant alterations in metabolism occur in animals with cancer cachexia? Dogs and cats with cancer have significant alterations in carbohydrate, lipid and protein metabolism that can result in cancer cachexia. These alterations in metabolism have the potential to decrease quality of life, reduce response to therapy and shorten survival times.
   
   
2. How can knowledge about the metabolic alterations in metabolism change the way you use nutrition to treat your cancer patients? While the ideal anticancer diet is not known, research to date would suggest that any nutritional support is better than none. Normal feeding practices should begin early before evidence of cachexia are noted, and plans should be designed to support the patient when voluntary feeding is not optimum. In addition, the following guidelines may be considered early for each patient:"
   
   1. Arm clients with appropriate information, dietary plans and appetite stimulants such as cyproheptadine and megesterol acetate from the very beginning. The goal is to prevent anorexia and weight loss from ever happening.
   2. Consider foods that are highly bioavailable, easily digested, and highly palatable with a good smell and taste
   3. Consider foods that are relatively low in simple carbohydrates, moderate amounts of good quality sources of proteins and soluble and insoluble fiber, and moderate amounts of fats; fats of the n-3 fatty acid series may be effective in reducing or eliminating some of the metabolic alterations associated with cancer cachexia. Antioxidants are essential whenever n-3 fatty acids are used. Hills prescription diet nd is one good example.
   4. Enhanced quantities of arginine, cystine and glutamine may be of value in maintaining a more normal immune, hematologic and gastrointestinal tract.
   5. Fiber, both soluble and insoluble, is essential to maintain normal bowel health. A diet with adequate amounts of fiber is essential to prevent or to treat various problems of the gastrointestinal tract.

Nutritional Alternatives for Cancer Patients - Gregory Ogilvie, DVM. Vin.com.

Critical Care Nutrition: Speedyvet On-line Learning Centre

Nutrition and the Small Animal Cancer Patient - Description of protein-energy malnutrition and cancer cachexia, and feeding guidelines for cats and dogs with cancer. World Small Animal Veterinary Association World Congress - Vancouver 2001.

Feline Nutrition Update - Explains why cats require specialized diets formulated for their specific nutritional needs. World Small Animal Veterinary Association World Congress - Vancouver 2001.

Nutrition: The Foundation of Good Health - Dr. Jean's Four-Point Program for Optimal Health Jean C. Hofve, DVM

Nutritional support for your pet with cancer... - Animal Cancer Center, College of Veterinary Medicine, Colorado State University.

Patient Care Tidbits: Nutrition - Gulf Coast Veterinary Specialists.

Nutritional Requirements of Dogs and Cats with Cancer - OncoLink Vet. Abramson Cancer Center of the University of Pennsylvania.

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Treating Cancer May Be A Mouthful Away - By Shawn Messonnier, DVM (Natural Horse Magazine Online)

What's Really in Pet Food - Animal Protection Agency.

A Natural Seattle for Dogs (& Cats!) - References, commercial raw food diets; natural and holistic pet care; meat, produce, and organics.

The Feline Natural Raw Food Diet - by William Pollak D.V.M. and the Fairfield Animal Hospital.

Raw Diets - Holisticat archive.

Pet Food Labels: What Reading a Label Will and Won’t Tell You About the Food - World Small Animal Veterinary Association World Congress - Vancouver 2001.

Alternative Feeding Practices - Susan Wynn, DVM, World Small Animal Veterinary Association World Congress - Vancouver 2001.

PetDIETS.com - "Designed for pet owners interested in learning more about their dog and cat's nutrition from veterinary nutritionists, and for those seeking guidance on how best to feed their pet from experienced veterinarians specializing in pet nutrition." $100 for Homemade Diet Consultation. Nutritional consultations is $100 for the first half hour with the majority of consultations being completed within that time frame.

UC Davis Nutrition Support Service - Referring Veterinarians or Pet Owners: Call the UC Davis VMTH Small Animal Admissions Office at (530) 752-1393 or Large Animal Admissions Office at (530) 752-0290. Tell the receptionist that you would like to leave a message for the Nutrition Support Service. You will be transferred to our voice mailbox.

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Antioxidants in Cancer Therapy: Their Actions and Interactions With Oncologic Therapies - Davis W. Lamson, MS, ND and Matthew S. Brignall, ND.

Feline Immunocompetence, Ageing and the Role of Antioxidants - World Small Animal Veterinary Association World Congress - Vancouver 2001.

Antioxidant & Coenzyme Q10 for Cancer Prevention & Treatment - Naturally Pet article.

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Feline Assisted Feeding (Yahoo! Discussion Group) - "FAF is about cats who need supplemental feeding, including syringing and feeding tubes. Many things can make a cat lose interest in food: stress, infection, constipation, CRF and cancer are but a few. Lack of food stresses the body further, causing severe symptoms. A sick/stressed cat needs nutrition more than ever and it is your job to provide it safely and sufficiently.

Unlike dogs, cats cannot go without food as they do not efficiently use body fat. It can clog the liver and cause acute failure (Hepatic Lipidosis/Fatty Liver). A few kibbles or licks cannot prevent or cure FHL-only enough food can. Do not coax. Feed."

Securing an esophagus feeding tube - How I secured Phil and Holly's feeding tubes.

Diagnostic and Therapeutic Approach to the Anorectic Cat - Stanley Marks, World Small Animal Veterinary Association World Congress - Vancouver 2001.

Force Feeding - Holisticat archive. Describes a person's experience in force-feeding a cat with chronic renal failure (CRF).

Enteral Tube Feeding in the Critically Ill Patient - Steven L. Marks BVSc., MS, MRCVS, Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University. Contents include: Nasal gastric tube, esophagostomy tube, gastrostomy tube, jejunostomy tube, tube maintenance, feeding, etc.

Enteral Nutrition Calculator For Dogs and Cats - JavaScript-based online calculator for calculating nutrition needs of dogs and cats in various conditions.

Nutritional Support of Hospitalized Patients - A chapter on nutritional support for animal patients. Topics include: Metabolic Response to Starvation, Patient Selection, Nutrient Needs, Food Intake Stimulation, Enteral Feeding, Parenteral Feeding. Veterinary Hospital Nutrition Support Service, Ohio State University.

Feeding Tube Care - Pets Vets and You Inc.

Esophagostomy tube feeding - Instruction on how to feed through esophagostomy tube (esophagus tube).

Gastrostomy tube feeding - Instruction on how to feed through gastrostomy tube (stomach tube).

Overview of Feeding Tubes - by Long Beach Animal Hospital--Overview and detailed description of various types of feeding tubes.

Enteral Feeding Devices: What’s Old, What’s New? - World Small Animal Veterinary Association World Congress - Vancouver 2001.

Feeding a Pet That Can't or Won't Eat - "Anorexia, or loss of appetite, is one of the most common and nonspecific signs of illness in dogs and cats. For patients with gastrointestinal disease, the loss of appetite may allow the gastrointestinal tract to rest and recover, but even after two or three days of fasting, the body's metabolism is adversely affected. Baseline energy requirements are actually increased in sick patients; when these requirements are not met, the body's ability to heal, recover, or repair damage is weakened." Explains different types of feeding tube options. PetPlace.com.

Enteral-Assisted Feeding - "Enteral-assisted feeding is providing nutrients to the patient using some portion of the GI tract. Cats that cannot or will not eat but that can digest and absorb nutrients from the small intestine should receive enteral-assisted feeding. Feeding via the GI tract can be the simplest, fastest, easiest, safest, least expensive and most physiologic method of feeding cats." Max's House.

Small Animal Stomach and Feeding Tubes - Jorgensen Laboratories. Go to page 237.

O Ring Syringes! - The Squirrel Store. List of o-ring syringes they sell. These o-ring syringes will outlast (by years!) the common Monoject syringes our vets give us. A must item in assisted feeding.

The Squirrel Store 2004 Catalog - (PDF format. Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader.) The last page have the photos of the three different types of tips of o-ring syringes - Oral, Luer Slip Tip, and Luer Lock Tip.

What exactly is a Luer-Lock or Luer-Slip tip? - Life Assist Inc. This pages explains various different tip styles of syringes.

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