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Your pet has had a soft rubber tube placed through
the skin in the side of the neck into the esophagus (esophagostomy tube)
to allow you to deliver food and/or drugs to your pet without having to
rely on your pets taking things in through the mouth during the recovery
period. These tubes are easy to use and very well tolerated by most
cats. They will permit you to give the full daily requirement of
nutrition with a minimum of stress to your pet.
There are a few simple rules to follow when using
this tube:
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Prior to every feeding, flush 10 mls of warm water down the
tube. This will check to see if the tube is clogged and if has flipped
back towards the mouth. If your pet does not cough or fight the
flushing, then the tube is most likely in the right place and can be
used for feeding.
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Prepare the food so that it is a consistency to easily pass
through the large syringe that has been dispensed. We recommend A/D
diet for this purpose diluted with warm water approximately 2 parts A/D
to 1 part warm water. Mix it well, or place it in a blender at low
speed. You should be able to fill the syringe by sucking the food up into it. If you have difficulty sucking the food up, then add more
water until you reach the right consistency.
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Fill the syringe to the appropriate amount and begin feeding by
connecting the syringe to the end of the esophagostomy tube. Slowly
depress the plunger so that 5-10 mls of the mixture are forced into the
tube. Watch your pet for any signs of regurgitation or coughing. IF
ANY OF THESE SYMPTOMS OCCUR, STOP FEEDING AND TRY TO SUCK BACK ON THE
SYRINGE TO PULL THE FOOD BACK OUT OF THE ESOPHAGUS. DO NOT USE THE
TUBE AGAIN UNTIL YOU HAVE BROUGHT THE PET IN TO HAVE US INSPECT IT.
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If the first 10 mls goes down smoothly, slowly force the rest of
the food down the tube over the course of 5-10 minutes, a little bit at
a time.
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When you have finished the amount of food prescribed by the
doctor, flush the syringe with another 10 mls of warm water. This will
prevent it from clogging up.
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Pinch the end of the catheter with the locking device that is
around it.
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If there are medications to be given through the tube, you can
place them in after the initial water flush, prior to starting the food.
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Check the bandage around the tube daily for signs of bleeding,
foul odor, or pus. If any of these are present, call us. We will change the dressing around the tube and check the tube
placement once weekly. We will need you to drop off your pet in the
morning and we will send them home in the afternoon. There will be a
charge for this service, which varies depending on the size of your
pet, and whether or not sedation is required.
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Esophagostomy tubes can be maintained for up to a month and
sometimes longer if necessary providing we tend to them correctly.
When it is time to remove the tube, we will do it here. There
will be a small hole that will generally heal up in about a week after
the tube is removed. During this time, the wound will have a bandage
around it to keep it clean and sanitary.
Feeding Instructions for your pet:
Feed the following Diet: _________ ; Diluted 2
parts food to 1 part water Feed ______ MLS of the mixture, _____
times daily
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Do not allow your pet to take anything by mouth for _____
days/weeks or until advised otherwise by us.
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Attempt to have you pet eat normally before each feeding.
If they eat, then make up the difference of what they are supposed to
get in the tube feeding. For example: Your pet should get 60 mls of
diluted food. He eats 20 mls by himself, then feed with only 40 mls for
that feeding.
The following are tips to use to help encourage
your pet to eat:
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Try warming the food slightly to enhance the aroma
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Place a small amount of the food in your pet’s mouth to
get them to taste it
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Try placing the juice from a can of tuna or salmon on the
food to enhance the flavor
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Try garlic powder, chicken or beef broth, chopped up
pieces of chicken or clam juice added to the food.
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Try food of a different consistency (if there is no
problem with hard food such as a broken jaw or dental problems)such as
giving dry food if you have been trying canned food, or canned food if
you were trying dry food.
Thank you for
entrusting your pet’s heath care to us!
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