Nutrition For Cancer Patients - Answers

Arlo Guthrie — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 14:13:41 GMT

Current Revision posted to Revision Guide For Student Nurses - Part 2 by Arlo Guthrie on 4/20/2009 2:13:41 PM

Further information may be found in Part I - Small Animal Nutrition and Part II - Surgical Nursing

List 3 reasons why an animal with cancer must have special attention paid to diet.
- Metabolic alterations may occur; these might persist even if the animal is in remission.
- Animals with cancer have a higher energy requirement.
- Altered carbohydrate metabolism may provoke an increase in resting insulin and lactate levels.
What is cancer cachexia?
Accelerated starvation caused by metabolic alterations.
List 7 signs of cancer cachexia.
- Muscle wastage.
- Weight loss.
- Weakness.
- Debilitation.
- Negative nitrogen balance.
- Loss of body fat and carbohydrate stores.
- Lethargy.
List 5 nutrients that have been found to be important dietary constituents for dogs with cancer.
- Carbohydrate.
- Fat.
- Omega-3 fatty acids.
- Protein.
- Arginine.
What is the name of the Hills diet designed especially for dogs with cancer?
Hills Canine N/D.
State a suitable diet for both canine and feline medical conditions associated with debilitation, cachexia and anorexia.
Hills A/D, Waltham Convalescent Diet or Iams Nutritional Recovery Diet.
List conditions associated with debilitation, cachexia and anorexia.
- Starvation and neglect.
- Trauma.
- Abscesses.
- Burns.
- Infectious diseases, bacteraemia, sepsis
- Pyrexia.
- Pyometra (except when associated with azotaemia).
- Feline hepatic lipidosis.
- Surgery.
- Autoimmune disease.
- Peritonitis.
- Hypokalaemia.
- Cancer (and cancer therapy).
- Catabolic drugs.