Nutrition

Question 0

Describe an oesophageal feeding tube?

Answer 0

Pros - simple to place, allows feeding blenderized diet and medicating, longer term (days to weeks). Requires GA, incision made in neck, possible increased risk with bleeding disorders.

Question 1

Describe Nasoesophageal feeding

Answer 1

Use a small soft pliable catheter. It can be inserted conscious or with light sedation. No incision is needed. Only liquid diet can be fed through thee tube eg enteral care. Limit is 3-4 days - May cause nasal mucosal necrosis.

Question 2

Describe Gastric Feeding Tubes

Answer 2

Use a 16-22F plastic feeding tube with mushroom tip - placed surgically or by specialised endoscopically. Allows feeding diet and medication. Longest term (weeks to years) Cons - requires GA, incision on left flank, must be placed by medicine specialist or surgoeon, higher risk in deep chested dogs placed endoscopically.

Question 3

Describe jejunal feeding tubes

Answer 3

Similar size to a nasooesophageal feeding tube. It can be used with refractory vomiting. Requires GA - increased risk of complications versus other feeding tubes. There may be leakage > peritoonitis. Recommend placement by ST surgeon only.

Question 4

Describe Parenteral nutrition

Answer 4

Lipids, amino acids, glucose via intravenous acess. Pros - allows restoration of positive energy balance with severe malabsorptive disease. Can be used with refractory vomiting. Cons - no nutrition to enterocytes - complications possible: electrolytes, glucose need frequent monitoring (twice daily)

Question 5

Describe a hypoallergenic diet

Answer 5

Examples eg Hills low allergen, purina DRM, royal canin hypoallergenic. Indications include dietary responsive diarrhoea, inflammatory bowel disease, perineal fistula.

Question 6

Describe the indications for an ‘easily digestible diet’

Answer 6

Acute gastroenteritis, haemorrhagic gastroenteritis, pancreatitis. E.g Hills i/d and i/d low fat, purina EN, royal canin sensitivity control.

Question 7

What are the indications for a low residue diet?

Answer 7

Constipation megacolon/ short bowel syndrome. e.g Royal canin gastrointestinal.

Question 8

What are the indications for a fat restricted diet?

Answer 8

EPI, Pancreatitis, Lymphangiectasia

Question 9

What are the indications for a protein restricted diet?

Answer 9

Hepatic dysfunction/hepatic encephalopathy