Appetite‐stimulating effects of once‐daily omeprazole in cats with chronic kidney disease: Double‐blind, placebo‐controlled, randomized, crossover trial

BACKGROUND: Cats with moderate to advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD) often display clinical signs such as vomiting and decreased appetite, and frequently receive omeprazole or other acid suppressants despite a lack of evidence to support their use. HYPOTHESIS/OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effect of once‐daily PO omeprazole on appetite in cats with CKD. We hypothesized that omeprazole would improve subjective appetite assessments in cats with CKD. ANIMALS: Fourteen client‐owned cats with International Renal Interest Society (IRIS) stage 2 or 3 CKD and hyporexia. METHODS: Cats were prospectively enrolled in a multi‐institutional, double‐blinded, randomized, crossover study to evaluate the effect of a 14‐day trial of once‐daily PO omeprazole (1 mg/kg) or placebo (lactose gel capsule) on vomiting frequency and appetite. A daily log was completed by the owner during all treatment and rest periods to assess appetite using a subjective, qualitative, and 5‐point scoring system. Mixed model analyses of variance were performed to determine if average daily percentage food consumed or appetite score, as measured by subjective owner assessment, differed between treatments. RESULTS: Compared to placebo, a negligible but statistically significant difference in percentage of food consumed was observed between treatments (P = .04) with once‐daily omeprazole treatment resulting in a 2.7% increase in food consumption compared to placebo. No significant difference, however, was found in appetite score, body weight, or serum creatinine concentration between treatments. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: Once‐daily omeprazole does not markedly increase appetite in cats with CKD and should not be used as a first‐line treatment in the absence of evidence of gastrointestinal ulceration.