Nasogastric tube feeding in cats with suspected acute pancreatitis: 55 cases (2001-2006).

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the complications and outcome associated with different nasogastric tube (NGT) feeding techniques in cats with suspected acute pancreatitis.
DESIGN: Descriptive retrospective case series.
SETTING: Small animal emergency and referral hospital. ANIMALS: The patient database (2001-2006) was searched for cats with suspected acute pancreatitis that received NGT liquid enteral feeding within 72 hours of admission and ≥12 hours during hospitalization.
MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Signalment, history, clinical signs, laboratory data and abdominal ultrasonographic examinations were used for suspected diagnosis. Cats were grouped based upon whether they received bolus feeding or continuous rate infusion (CRI) of a liquid diet via the NGT, and whether or not administration of an intravenous amino acid and carbohydrate solution occurred prior to NGT feeding (AAS and non-AAS group, respectively). Fifty-five cats were included. For all cats, NGT feeding was initiated at a mean of 33.5 ± 15.0 hours and the target caloric intake (1.2 X {(30 X BW [kg]) +70}) was reached at 58.0 ± 28.4 hours from presentation. There was a significantly longer time from admission to the initiation of NGT feeding in the 34/55 cats in the AAS group vs. the 21/55 cats in the non-AAS group (P = 0.009). The 8 bolus-fed cats took longer to reach target caloric intake vs. the 47 CRI-fed cats (P = 0.002). Complications associated with NGT feeding for all cats included: mechanical problems (13%), diarrhea (25%), vomiting following NGT placement (20%) and vomiting following NGT feeding (13%). Mean time to discharge for all cats occurred after 78.6 ± 29.5 hours with an overall weight gain of 0.08 ± 0.52 kg. Fifty cats survived 28 days post-discharge.
CONCLUSIONS: NGT feeding in this group of cats with suspected acute pancreatitis was well tolerated, and associated with a low incidence of diarrhea, vomiting, and mechanical complications. © Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Society 2009.