Page 516 - Small Animal Clinical Nutrition 5th Edition

532 Small Animal Clinical Nutrition

VetBooks.ir Box 27-12. Calculating Time for Weight Loss and its Use in Monitoring Patients.

The loss of 2% of initial body weight per week can be used as the would be approximately 1.4 x RER or 305 kcal ME (1,276 kJ). The
maximum desired rate of weight loss in typical obese patients and daily caloric intake was much higher than the estimated DER.
a loss of 0.5% of initial body weight per week can be used as the The initial caloric restriction was set at RER calculated for opti-
minimum desired rate of weight loss. These two weight-loss rates mal body weight. The owner was also instructed to increase the
can be used to calculate the minimum and maximum time expect- cat’s activity as much as possible. The food was changed to com-
ed for a dog or cat to reach its ideal or target body weight. The fol- mercial products containing less fat and more fiber. The owner was
lowing case will demonstrate a simple method for determining this asked to return every two weeks for the first two months to moni-
time interval and show its use in monitoring response to therapy in tor progress.
an obese cat.
Calculations for Weight Loss
METHOD Obese weight = 5.9 kg
Obese weight – desired weight = A (kg) Desired weight = 4.5 kg
Obese weight x 2% = B (kg/week) Desired weight loss = 1.4 kg
A ÷ B = C (number of weeks necessary for weight loss at 2% rate)
C x 4 = D (number of weeks necessary for weight loss at 0.5% 5.9 x 2% = 0.12 kg/week
rate) 1.4 kg ÷ 0.12 = 12 weeks at 2% rate
Desired weight loss should occur within these two time frames. 12 weeks x 4 = 48 weeks at 0.5% rate

CASE Reassess
Patient Assessment The accompanying figure shows the weight loss that occurred with
A three-year-old, neutered female domestic shorthair cat weighing this feeding plan and exercise. The actual body weight loss for this
5.9 kg is presented for annual vaccinations. The owner had recent- cat falls nicely within the calculated minimum and maximum rates.
ly acquired the cat from her parents and was concerned that the The feeding plan was changed at 22 weeks to stabilize the body
cat was overweight compared with a cat owned by her roommate. weight at 4.5 kg.
All physical examination findings were normal except for obesity.
Results of a complete blood count, serum biochemistry profile and
urinalysis were normal.
The cat’s body condition was assessed as 4.5/5. Ideal body
weight was estimated to be 4.5 kg (Table 27-3).
Assess the Food and Feeding Method
The cat was fed one-half cup of a dry specialty brand cat food and
3 oz. of various brands and flavors of moist cat foods once daily.
The cat consumed at least 400 kcal (1,674 kJ) of metabolizable
energy (ME) daily.

Feeding Plan
The resting energy requirement (RER) at the estimated optimal
body weight was calculated as follows: RER optimal weight =
70(4.5) 0.75 = 218 kcal ME (912 kJ). Daily energy requirement (DER)

is most similar to the key nutritional factor targets for manag- Assess and Determine the Feeding Method for
ing weight maintenance in dogs or cats. Weight Maintenance
If a metabolic weight-control food was used for an over- Feeding method considerations include determining the
weight feline patient, it is also appropriate to switch to a calo- amount of food to feed for weight maintenance and selecting
rie-restricted food for maintenance of the target weight, after the way the food is to be fed.
the target weight has been achieved.
If the owner intends to feed treats or snacks, the same treats How to Estimate the Amount of Food to Feed for
(Table 27-10) and snacks (the dry form of the weight-mainte- Weight Maintenance
nance food, popcorn (air popped), low-fat, low-starch vegeta- The following methods for determining the amount to feed for
bles) recommended for weight loss can be considered for use in maintenance of target weight after weight loss provide best
the weight-maintenance program.As with the weight-loss pro- estimates. Patients should initially receive frequent rechecks
gram, the calories supplied by the treats must be accounted for (every one to two weeks for four to six weeks) (Figure 27-3) to
within the total calories allowed in the feeding plan. guard against weight regain.