New non-surgical feeding method for dogs with severe kidney injury

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the placement and the performance of a new post-pyloric feeding (PPF) system, and compare it to esophageal (E) feeding in dogs with severe acute kidney injury (AKI). DESIGN: Prospective study. SETTING: University teaching hospital. ANIMALS: Twenty client-owned dogs with severe AKI treated with hemodialysis. INTERVENTIONS: Dogs were randomly assigned to 2 feeding techniques, PPF or E feeding; for PPF, an 8-Fr jejunal (J) tube was introduced through a standard 18-Fr E-tube and advanced endoscopically through the pylorus. A commercial liquid diet was administered at a continuous rate for at least 5 days. After the removal of the internal J-tube, feeding was continued through the E-tube. Control dogs were fed blended food 5 times daily through an E-tube. Placement technique, nutritional efficiency, and metabolic response to nutritional support were compared between the groups. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Feeding tubes were placed a medium of 1 day (interquartile range, 0.8 d) after presentation. Median procedure-time in the group PPF was 26.5 min (11.5 min), including 8.5 min (2.7 min) for the E-tube and 17.5 min (5.0 min) for the J-tube. J-tubes were used for 5 days (1.5 d) with oral displacement observed in 3/10 dogs. The goal to administer 130% resting energy requirement within 3 days was reached in 13/20 dogs (8/10 PPF, 5/10 E). Despite nutritional support, dogs lost 1.2% body weight per day (1.1%), with no difference between the groups. The metabolic improvement was comparable between the groups, despite marked differences in the diet composition. CONCLUSIONS: This new feeding technique can be recommended as an efficient method for early nutritional support in dogs with severe AKI. The protein-energy wasting observed despite active nutritional support suggests, however, the necessity for increased feeding targets or qualitative changes in diet composition for dogs with AKI.