Page 934 - Small Animal Internal Medicine, 6th Edition

906 PART VII Metabolic and Electrolyte Disorders

TABLE 51.3
VetBooks.ir Key Nutrients Concentrations in Selected Veterinary Therapeutic Diets Suitable for Weight Loss in Cats*—cont’d

TOTAL DIETARY
TYPE PROTEIN (% ME) FAT (% ME) FIBER (g/Mcal) ME (kcal/unit)

Hill’s Prescription Diet Dry 38 (108-109 g/ 28-31 (33-37 g/ NA 288-297/cup
Metabolic Feline: Mcal) Mcal)
Chicken Flavor and
With Ocean Fish
varieties
Hill’s Prescription Diet Can 39 (111 g/Mcal) 31 (36 g/Mcal) NA 129/5.5-oz can
Metabolic Feline
Hill’s Prescription Diet Can 37-39 (105-110 g/ 31-32 (35-37 g/ NA 63-65/2.9-oz can
Metabolic Feline: Mcal) Mcal)
Vegetable & Chicken
Stew and Vegetable &
Tuna Stew varieties

CHO, Carbohydrate; Mcal, megacalories (1000 kcal); ME, metabolizable energy.
*Information obtained from manufacturer’s product guides.

should be instructed to limit the number of treats to less than In addition to reducing daily caloric intake, every effort
10% of the daily caloric intake. Ideally, low-calorie treats should be made to increase the pet’s daily energy expenditure
should be selected. Commercial treats are available, but by encouraging exercise. Toys that the cat or dog can chase
high-moisture, low-energy-density fruits (excluding grapes and play with should be encouraged. Laser pointers are par-
or raisins) and/or vegetables (no garlic or onions) can be ticularly useful for encouraging cats to play. Ideally, dogs
good alternatives for dogs and even some cats. Baby carrots should receive at least two 20-minute walks per day, which
are an especially good vegetable treat for most dogs and include adequate sniffing opportunities; this is an important
provide only 4 kcal each. A small amount of lean meat, such and enriching activity for dogs. Swimming is an equally
as skinless, boneless chicken breast, can be a good alternative effective exercise, particularly for dogs with osteoarthritis.
treat for cats. It is also important to modify the behavior of Providing the client with written instructions for weight loss
the client in such a way that the pet should not be allowed as well as scheduled rechecks will typically improve both
in the kitchen or dining room during meal preparation or compliance and success. Photographing the patient before
eating, if this is typically a tempting time to respond to institution of the weight reduction program will help clients
begging. In addition, the client should inform and enlist the see the effect of the weight loss on their pet. Institution of
support of all family members and neighbors so that they do reward boards or incentive programs will also increase com-
not unknowingly give the pet additional calories. In some pliance with the weight reduction program and will help to
cases it may be useful for the client to use a food diary to recruit additional patients in need of weight reduction.
record the amount of food and snacks fed each day. Patients on weight reduction programs should be reevalu-
Multicat households in which one cat is obese and the ated every 2 weeks initially. Body weight and BCS should be
remainder are of normal body weight or are lean can present recorded. The dietary history should be reviewed to ensure
some management challenges. Ideally, cats should be fed in compliance. Cats especially should achieve no more than a
separate rooms, but this is not always possible. If this works 2% body weight loss per week due to the risk of hepatic lipi-
for the family, most cats can consume their caloric needs if dosis. Dogs should achieve a weight loss rate of approxi-
given at least 4 hours of access to their food daily. Thus the mately 1% body weight loss per week (a range of 0.5%-2% is
time that cats are separated can be minimized. Moreover, fat acceptable). If the rate of weight loss exceeds a 2% body
cats usually cannot jump very high, and it may be a useful weight loss per week, then the quantity of calories fed to the
strategy to place the food for the lean, healthy cats on an patient should be increased by 10% to 20%, depending on
elevated bench or counter that the healthy cats can reach but how rapidly they have lost weight. If the patient has not lost
the obese cat cannot. Alternatively, a hole can be cut into a any weight, the dietary history should be reevaluated for a
cardboard box that is large enough to allow the lean cats to source of additional calories and compliance with the weight
enter but small enough to restrict the entry of the overweight loss plan confirmed. If no such reasons are found, the daily
or obese cat. The lean cats are then fed in the box. Other caloric intake should be further reduced by 20%. If weight
options include boxes or pet doors controlled by collars that loss is being maintained at the current rate, weight checks
allow access to only one cat. can be performed monthly.