Vet Tech content is sponsored by Elanco for the month of October.
Darья Шуйскова/stock.adobe.com
![](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/0vv8moc6/dvm360/488f93c81bf48372631ac442cfce95191bb03241-7952x5304.jpg?fit=crop&auto=format)
Pets with cancer have a multitude of health problems that accompany their illness, including the risk of not receiving enough nutrients due to a decreased appetite. As pet owners prepare to deal with their pet’s illness with cancer, veterinary teams must also communicate the importance of a nutritional protocol to contribute to their pets’ quality of life.
At his conference “Communicating Nutrition to Pet Parents of Cancer Patients”1 At the Directions in Veterinary Medicine Symposium in Nashville, Tennessee, Vicky Ograin, MBA, RVT, VTS (Nutrition), science communications specialist at Hill’s Pet Nutrition, told attendees how the veterinary team can play a crucial role in helping Pet parents can get their pets the nutrients they need while fighting cancer.
Nutritional advice
According to Ograin, pet parents with cancer are generally very committed and motivated to do what is necessary for their pet. Pet parents are likely to use other options such as “Dr. Google” to better understand options and care for their pets. They are also known to place extreme value on the guidance and advice provided to them by veterinary teams. In fact, a study conducted in Ontario, Canada, found that 85% of pet parents highly valued the nutritional advice they received from the veterinary team.2
“We have a pet that has been diagnosed with cancer or is going to be diagnosed with cancer. We want to be really, really proactive in this nutrition conversation (and) start early, not later. Basically, when they still feel good. Don’t catch them when they are now at the end of the road and the owner is giving them everything they want. We want to make sure they’re on the right nutrition plan so they can stay with the treatment and hopefully stay with us even longer, because that’s obviously the goal,” Ograin told attendees.
When developing each patient’s nutritional plan, Ograin recommends having specific goals in mind to meet each pet’s needs. Some goals veterinary teams should consider when developing these plans are preserving lean muscle mass and minimizing metabolic and gastrointestinal (GI) intolerance to foods.
How much food?
Learning what your clients feed their pets is the starting point for trying to determine the quantity, as a transition may be necessary. Through treatment, pets are at risk of gastrointestinal problems. Changes in their diet may therefore be necessary, or even help them to eat more if their appetite decreases. Ograin told attendees that it’s also important to have empathy when trying to understand what an animal’s diet is, because answers can vary. For example, asking a pet owner what their pet eats might mean only food for them, not treats, or what their partner gives the dog. To help you get to the bottom of things, Ograin made this recommendation:
“I think with cancer patients we definitely need to be empathetic and help them understand what they’re eating, how we can make sure they’re still getting nutrients and having a healthy diet. , complete and balanced (while) navigating what they’re done with the dog or cat that has cancer. So some people like to use forms (and) WSAVA has a very good diet history form “, explained Orgain.
“What I would do though, even if they use the document, keep in mind it says what pet food are you feeding your pet? I’m still going to say okay: “I see you’re giving, for example, Science Diet Dry Can and you’re giving a little chicken as a treat.” Okay no problem. What else?’ What else am I still going to do? she concludes.
Ograin warned attendees not to let parents decide how much to feed their pet. The questions you ask during your review will help determine what should be recommended. In order to calculate the amount of food, veterinary professionals will need to calculate the resting energy requirement (RER). Teams can calculate this either using RER= (70x kg BW0.75) or RER= 70 + (30xkg BW), then multiply this result by a factor taking into account the age, activity or physiology of the animal.3
She also reminded attendees that treats are sometimes pet owners’ way of showing their pets love, and that a sick pet will likely receive more treats than usual. She explained to attendees that it’s important to incorporate treats into the eating plan, but she informed clients that treats should never make up more than 10 percent of calories. It also can’t hurt to remind customers that they can show love without giving food, such as through praise or play.
Helping Pet Parents
A transition may not be easy for some pet owners, and they may need helpful advice from staff to ensure their pets are eating the food they need. Some advice Ograin offered included asking pet owners to reheat food, but asking them to make sure it’s not too hot. Pet parents can also try using separate bowls, as they may not like different foods in the same bowl. Pet parents can also try a different texture. If the pet won’t eat dry food, try the wet food version. If all else fails, a salt-flavored broth or a small amount of oregano can be added. However, this should not be recommended if the pet suffers from hyperthyroidism.
Finally, follow up with customers. While they are at the clinic, the shock of their pet’s diagnosis might not give them the opportunity to ask questions that are important to them or that came to them once they had time to think about it. sit with the information. This can also be a time when family members who were not present at the appointment can have time to ask questions. Ograin recommends calling 2 to 3 days after diagnosis, 2 weeks, then 1 to 2 months to see how they are doing.
According to Ograin, the most important follow-up the team will have with the client is that 2-3 day call. This call occurs when the pet’s parents are in transition and are at high risk of abandoning the new food for their pet. Be their cheerleader during this phone call and help them resolve any issues they share.
“The last thing that’s really important is you need to follow up. I’m sure you’re with these patients, right? You don’t diagnose cancer, say come back for chemo and you’ll never see them again. They happen all the time. They come for treatments (and) for rechecks. When they do this, stop and talk to them, see how they are doing with their food, or call them. I’ve made a lot of calls (and) those calls really don’t take a lot of time,” Ograin said.
“But to me, it helps the owner know that you care about their pet because you do. It ties them to the clinic, but it will really help them. Keep in mind that they are devastated. I usually call in a few days, hopefully by then they’ll have sort of figured out what’s going on, and now all the questions are coming out,” she concluded.
Once you reach the 2 month point of recording calls, it is up to each team and each case to determine how many you need to call after that.
Conclusion
Once pet parents receive the diagnosis that their pet has cancer, they will need the veterinary team to advise them on the appropriate nutritional direction for their pet. Nutrition is an important part of the treatment plan for these patients, and it starts with communicating with clients about how to help their pets. This support and guidance can help pets continue to live their best lives while fighting their cancer.
Reference
- Ograin V. Communicating Nutrition to Pet Parents of Cancer Patients. Presented at: Guidance in Veterinary Medicine; Nashville, Tenn.; September 15-16, 2023.
- Rajagopaul S, Parr JM, Woods JP, Pearl DL, Coe JB, Verbrugghe A. Owners’ attitudes and practices regarding the nutrition of dogs diagnosed with cancer presenting to a referral oncology department in Ontario, Canada. J Small animation practice. 2016;57(9):484-490. doi:10.1111/jsap.12526
- Useful calculation in clinical nutrition. Accessed October 5, 2023. https://www.proplanveterinarydiets.ca/sites/g/files/2021-04/EN_ERC_Calculations_Sheet.pdf