[Nutritional support for patients].
A good intake of fluids and essential nutrients in the first fourteen days is of vital importance to recuperating animals. Moreover, it is important to encourage cats and dogs to eat after illness or surgery, in order to promote optimal functioning of the gut and the immune system. Enteral nutrition is to be preferred to nasogastric feeding or parenteral nutrition. In the first stage of recovery, during the first 24 to 48 hours, it is important to feed the gut' with nutrients, and thereafter, in the second stage of recovery (after day 3), the calorie intake can be increased. Timely nutritional support with nutraceuticals, such as arginine, glutamine, taurine, long-chain polyunsaturated omega-3 fatty acids, and prebiotic fibres, can considerably shorten the recovery period of cats and dogs after illness or surgery
Universiteit Utrecht, faculteit Diergeneeskunde, departement Geneeskunde van Gezelschapsdieren, Yalelaan 108, 3584 CM, Utrecht, Nederland.
Ronald Jan
RJ
Corbee
Wim
W
van Kerkhoven
D000824:Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena / Q000502:physiology*; D000827:Animal Welfare; D000818:Animals; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000628:therapy*; D002415:Cats; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000628:therapy*; D004285:Dogs; D018529:Nutritional Support / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D011182:Postoperative Care / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome