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Sponsored by an educational
grant from Aratana Therapeutics

Expert Views from a Roundtable on Canine Inappetence

KEY POINTS

Inappetence: h Alterations in a patient’s
appetite range from anorexia
Its Many Forms & (lack or loss of appetite ), to
1
consuming less than ade-
Clinical Management quate amounts (hyporexia),
to changes in eating patterns
(dysrexia).
h In addition to affecting case
management, a pet’s inappe-
tence is distressing to the
Inappetence may result in inadequate treatment and thus lack of owner.

therapeutic success. In other words, changes in appetite are chal- h During the diagnostic process
and in addressing chronic
lenges to effective treatment. Additionally, an important factor is conditions that affect appe-
the pet owner’s interpretation of the pet’s quality of life, which can tite, veterinarians need a reli-
lead to a decision to cease treatment or elect euthanasia. able tool to get the patient to
eat—now.

Dr. Larson: Today we’ll be Dr. Burney: When I was a resident a
discussing inappetence and some common term then was “partial
challenges specific to oncology, anorexia.” However, you can’t be PARTICIPANTS
internal medicine, and clinical partially pregnant, and you can’t be Derek Burney, DVM, PhD, DACVIM
nutrition, particularly in dogs. partially anorexic. I think all of us Veterinary Specialists of North Texas
Aratana Veterinary Advisory
Maybe we should begin by defining participating in this discussion agree that Committee Member
inappetence. we should use the terms outlined by Audrey Cook, BVM&S, MRCVS,
nutritionists more recently for appetite DACVIM, DECVIM-CA, DABVP (feline)
Dr. Freeman: There’s a lot of different because they are more descriptive. 1 Texas A&M University
terminology when we talk about food Aratana Veterinary Advisory
intake. Many people think of anorexia, or Dr. Johannes: Yes, when we are Committee Member
no food intake, as all-encompassing, but speaking with owners it is important to Lisa Freeman, DVM, PhD, DACVN
anorexia is just one category of inappe- clarify the level of inappetence, because Tufts University
Aratana Veterinary Advisory
tence. The other areas are much more it is not black and white. It is important Committee Member
common: hyporexia, which is decreased to train the nursing staff and ourselves to Chad Johannes, DVM, DACVIM
food intake, and dysrexia, which refers to ask the appropriate nutritional questions (SAIM, oncology)
alterations in food intake patterns. and to reinforce the importance of Iowa State University
Animals that are hyporexic are not taking monitoring eating behaviors. Aratana Veterinary Advisory
in adequate calories but are not Committee Member
completely anorexic. A dysrexic animal Dr. Larson: Can you describe the MODERATOR
won’t eat the optimal diet for its disease. incidence and some of the Jessica Larson, DVM, DACVIM
Some have cyclical appetites, where consequences of inappetence? Aratana Therapeutics
they’ll eat one food for 5 days and then
refuse it, then eat a different food for 2 Dr. Johannes: The incidence is really not
days and then refuse that. well defined, even in oncology. The

February 2018 clinician’s forum 1