Nestlé Purina PetCare Co. has released an energy-dense, high-protein food formulated for sick cats and dogs. The recipe, Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diets CN Critical Nutrition Canine and Feline Formula, may be delivered by syringe, feeding tube or, if the animal can eat without assistance, in a bowl. Tube feeding requires the food to be diluted with water, forming a slurry. The new canned food—Purina’s first critical care therapeutic diet—is intended for cats and dogs that are critically ill, recovering from surgery or suffering from a loss of appetite. “Critical care diets are an important tool for every veterinary practice,” said Grace Long, DVM, director of veterinary technical marketing for Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diets. “Sick and recovering animals often refuse to eat,” Dr. Long added. “With CN Critical Nutrition, dogs and cats can get the high-quality nutrition they need in a concentrated diet that’s easy to feed.” Fortified with antioxidants, CN Critical Nutrition’s ingredients include meat and poultry byproducts, beef, liver, minerals and vitamins. The recommended daily feeding amount for a hospitalized 10-pound cat is a single 5.5-ounce can. An additional quarter-can should be given for maintenance purposes. A 40-pound dog could get 3 cans a day during hospitalization and 4 5/8 cans for maintenance. The food may be mixed with a cat or dog’s normal food as the animal is nursed back to health, St. Louis-based Purina noted. CN Critical Nutrition should not be given to animals suffering from renal failure, the company stated.
