Nutritional support during acute pancreatitis

Acute pancreatitis (AP) is a frequently encountered illness in both dogs and cats. AP was the primary diagnosis of dogs undergoing fluoroscopic wire-guided placement of nasojejunal tubes in one study. Nutritional support is considered a key part of the management of patients with acute pancreatitis. Placement of feeding tubes should be considered the standard for providing nutritional support in patients with acute pancreatitis. Parenteral nutrition still has a place in the management of patients with acute pancreatitis, but it is to be reserved for patients who fail to tolerate enteral nutrition. Although fat restriction is considered an important component of the management of chronic pancreatitis in dogs, the role in non-hypertriglyceridemic acute pancreatitis is not well understood. Monitoring patients with AP receiving nutritional support depends on the mode of feeding employed. Aspects common to all modes of nutritional support include monitoring for tolerance of feeding, metabolic, mechanical and septic complications.