Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Is early feeding safe after surgery for dogs with septic peritonitis
By Hoffberg, Jamie Elizabeth & Koenigshof, Amy·Published in Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association·2017·and Michigan State University College of Veterinary Medicine, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Evaluation of the Safety of Early Compared to Late Enteral Nutrition in Canine Septic Peritonitis.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of 56 dogs with septic peritonitis (a serious abdominal infection) were studied to see if starting food early after surgery would help them recover better. Some dogs received food within 24 hours after surgery, while others were fed later or not at all. The results showed that starting food early was safe and did not lead to more stomach problems compared to the other groups. Dogs that received early or late feeding had a higher survival rate than those who didn't get any food in the hospital. This suggests that feeding dogs sooner after surgery could be beneficial, but more research is needed to confirm this.
People also search for: dog septic peritonitis treatment · early feeding after dog surgery · dog recovery from abdominal surgery
Abstract
Septic peritonitis is a relatively common condition in the veterinary intensive care unit, with a classically high mortality rate. Early enteral nutrition (EEN) in critically ill humans can lead to improved outcome. This study was performed to determine the safety of early postoperative feeding in canine septic peritonitis. In this retrospective case series, 56 dogs were identified. Sixteen dogs received EEN, defined as nutrition within 24 hr of surgery; 27 received late enteral nutrition (LEN) defined as nutrition more than 24 hours following surgery; and 13 dogs had no enteral nutrition in hospital (NEN). Signalment, physical examination findings, and occurrence of pre-admission vomiting, regurgitation, and length of anorexia were the same amongst all groups. There was no significant difference in the number of gastrointestinal complications postoperatively between the EEN, LEN, and NEN groups or in the occurrence of vomiting/regurgitation postoperatively compared to preoperatively. There was no difference in the length of hospitalization between any group, although fewer dogs in the NEN group survived compared to the EEN/LEN combined group (46% [6/13] versus 81% [37/40]). This study indicates it is safe to initiate EEN without additional risk of gastrointestinal complications. Prospective studies are needed to evaluate the potential benefits of EEN in dogs with septic peritonitis.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28282229/