Page 134 - Zoo Animal Learning and Training

118 Tasks for the Veterinary Assistant

If it is your job to feed the hospitalized or boarding A third attempt is force feeding. This sounds like you
pets, check the record and the cage card for any specific jam a bunch of food down the throat, but it really needs
directions on feeding the pet while in the hospital. If to be extremely gentle and slow. Place the food at eye
there isn’t anything marked for food selection it is impor- level with the pet. Some patients will begin to eat on
tant to ask the veterinarian in case a prescription diet was their own after the first few mouthfuls of being fed. Dip
intended or that food was to be withheld for a diagnostic your finger into the food and gently open the patient’s
test or surgery. Remember when figuring out how much mouth and rub the food against the roof the mouth.
to feed an ill or injured patient you need to find the Allow the patient time to process what just happened
basic BER and then add in the extra calories depending and the food itself, if it decides to swallow, offer the dish,
upon their illness or injury. For boarding pets, a quick if it doesn’t try to eat try another dab on the hard pallet.
check of the record will tell you its age and you can go If using food from the refrigerator warming it slightly
from there for food selection. Sometimes owners will before offering it or force feeding it will help the pro-
bring their own food in for a boarding pet, especially if cess. Warm food is digested easier as well.
they are on a particular diet. Another technique is to use a food that is designed to
Anorexic patients are the most challenging because be given by syringe or to liquify the diet in a blender.
not eating isn’t an option! It slows down healing and it is Steps to syringe or force feeding a patient are:
especially detrimental if cats don’t eat. Cats cannot go • Fill a syringe with the food
without eating for more than a few days. When they • Place the tip in the corner of the mouth adjacent to
refuse to eat or cannot eat, they may develop a poten- the back teeth
tially fatal condition known as hepatic lipidosis. Alert the • Push the corner of the mouth forward to make a
veterinarian about a cat that refuses to eat at the first pouch
refused meal, then keep a careful eye on the patient. You • Tip the nose up slightly and squirt the food slowly
may apply the following techniques to both dogs and into the pouch
cats if they are not eating well or not eating at all. • Allow the patient to swallow before continuing with
First look at the circumstances the pet is in. Is it
feeling threatened by others? Try hanging a towel over more food
the cage door when feeding. Try using pheromone This can be extremely taxing to the patient, so it is a
sprays that induce calm, or try setting it next to a good good idea to break the feedings into smaller amounts
eater which may stimulate the reluctant pet to eat for and feed throughout the day. Stressing the patient out
fear of losing its portion. Check for other environ- can cause them to continue to refuse food. Be patient;
mental issues. Some cats will not eat next to a litter always feed slowly to prevent aspiration of the food.
box, especially one that has been used. Clean the box Make careful notations in the patient’s records on
and try again or let the cat eat in an empty kennel, amounts and times of feeding. Never fight with an animal
then return it to its assigned cage and clean the dining over food, it wears them out and they may develop a
kennel. Sometimes the pet just simply misses home. learned aversion to food. Alert the veterinarian if the
Having an article of clothing worn by their owner or animal puts up a fight as there are other alternatives to
their favorite blanket in the kennel will make them feel force feeding with a syringe.
less anxious. If all feeding efforts fail the veterinarian may decide
A second thing to try is to increase the palatability of to insert a nasogastric or pharyngostomy tube. This is a
the food. Heating food slightly increases its aroma and tube that is inserted into the nares or through a small
flavor. Be mindful of using the microwave as too hot incision in the neck, and down the esophagus until the
will turn them away and may cause a painful burn. tip enters the stomach. The tube is secured over the top
Mixing a small amount of water and heating a patient’s of the patient’s head or neck with sutures and a bandage.
food sometimes increases acceptance. Blending it in a Liquefied food is injected through the tube as needed
food processor or blender until smoothie consistency allowing for easier feeding. The nasogastric tube is used
may also tempt some to eat. Cats smell their food more for short periods of time and the pharyngostomy tube is
than taste it so offering some “stinky fish food” may do for long‐term feeding.
the trick. Placing a small dab of food on their paws or Both tube placements require maintenance so they
tip of the nose may get them to taste the food and stim- do not plug up from the diet being injected. Before and
ulate them to eat. Be aware that if there is nasal conges- after feeding they should be flushed with a small amount
tion, they may not be able to smell the food. Clean the of water. You can discuss how much per flush with the
nares with a warm wash cloth, and maybe a few drops of veterinarian because a cat will not need as much as a
saline into the nostrils will help clear the mucus. If Great Dane! Clean the tip off with warm water and a
thick, a nasal bulb syringe can be used to aspirate the paper towel. Make sure the cap on the end of tube is on
discharge. Always check with the veterinarian before securely. Clean any drips from the bandage material to
doing this. keep it from becoming foul smelling.