VPT 311: General and Systemic Veterinary Pharmacology (2+1)

APPETITE STIMULANTS

• Inappetance or anorexia is common in disease states and the resultant malnutrition can delay recovery and may aggravate the underlying disease.
• The various ways by which appetite can be improved are:
  • Enteral alimentation with liquid supplements is useful in small animals
  • Small amounts of palatable food should be offered at frequent intervals. Warming the food may enhance appetite in carnivores
  • Various drugs are used for the short-term stimulation of appetite.
    • Benzodiazepines – e.g., Diazepam, Oxazepam
      • The antiserotonergic effect depresses the satiety center in the hypothalamus.
      • Benzodiazipines are used most frequently in cats and less frequently in horses, dogs and goats for a short-term stimulation of appetite after which the effects diminish.
      • Diazepam can be administered orally, intravenously, intramuscularly once or twice daily,
      • Oxazepam can administered once daily orally.
      • The adverse effects include sedation and ataxia.
    • Cyproheptadine
      • Cyproheptadine acts as a serotonin and a histamine (H1) antagonist and suppresses the satiety center in the hypothalamus.
      • Cyproheptadine stimulates appetite in cats and in humans, but not in dogs.
      • Adverse effects includes CNS excitement and marked aggressive behaviour in cats.
    • Glucocorticoids-e.g., Prednisolone, Dexamethasone
      • Glucocorticoids stimulate appetite due to  glucocorticoid-induced euphoria.
      • In small animals prednisolone or dexamethasone is administered intramuscularly once daily or every other day where as in large animals it is administered intramuscularly once daily.
      • Adverse effects of glucocorticoids include immunosuppression and gastric ulceration.
    • Bitters like plant derived compounds such as nux vomica, chiretta, ginger
      • These are used as salivary stimulants and their effect on appetite is questionable.
      • However, bitters are a component of tonics for appetite stimulation in large animals in traditional medicine.