For example, some pets with kidney disease will only eat meat even when a high meat diet is likely to worsen their kidneys, making them feel sicker and shortening their lives. Feeding tubes can also be useful for pets who have an appetite, but not for the kind of food that is best for their health condition. This is especially true if the pet’s health condition is not expected to resolve quickly and drugs that are used to increase appetite have not improved intake. If a pet is unwilling or unable to eat enough calories to maintain weight for 3 or more days, a feeding tube should be considered. When pets (and people) are unable or unwilling to eat enough food on their own, we can use feeding tubes to provide them with much needed calories and nutrients, for a few days or even a few years. They don’t heal as quickly or as well, they may become sicker and take longer to recover, their immune systems can be weakened, and they may even not live as long! Unfortunately, pets that do not eat enough calories and nutrients have much worse outcomes, no matter what the disease condition. Many health conditions and diseases as well as some injuries and birth defects can lead to pets that either do not have enough of an appetite to eat adequate amounts of food to maintain weight or have problems chewing and swallowing, even with a good appetite.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |