Management of anorexia in dogs and cats

Abstract

The management of anorexia should center first on the urgent and emergent medical management of the patient and be followed by feeding of a highly palatable food in a low-stress environment and manner. Diet palatability can potentially be improved by increasing dietary moisture, fat, or protein, and, in the dog, by adding sugar or salt as well as by using a variety of fresh, pleasantly aromatic, and uncommon foods. Caution should be used when increasing or adding nutrients that may be harmful to patients with specific diseases. Concurrent drug therapy that may reduce appetite should be minimized, and physical barriers to eating should be removed. Patients that consume less than resting energy requirement of longer than 3 to 5 days with no trend toward improving should receive parenteral or enteral nutrition.