Anorexia, Getting Feeding Tube

fender

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My foster Fender (my avatar) has been battling anorexia for 9 long months. He would stop eating then restart without rhyme or reason. (Quick background, was feral and turned over to our group, he has been with me for 18 months that. I .That time was neutered, had a severe allerfia reaction to something causing massive open wounds at surgical site, needing firther surgery to debride and close wounds. He and the other cats had terrible teeth, most have lost the majority of their teeth, he has had 12 extraction) last fall he began with anorexia. Pain medicine seemed to help so he had a second dental where a few teeth were removed. He started eating better so we wrongle assumed problem solved. This spring he again stopped rateat and drinking. Having success last time and his history of dental issues, the did another dental. They didn't see anything obvious,but removed 2 as the thought could be contributing. This time it didn't help and I would say turned from eating poorly/no drinking to absolute nothing. We started syringe feeding him, water in food. Every test we could think of was attempted, biopsy, scopes etc. The only thing they could find was moderate I DON'T, now the were limited In how far they could scope due to size of endoscope. We've changed food ingredients, consistency, brands. Nothing helped. He did best with appetite stulimulant, anti nausea meds and sub q fluids as needed. This all has been so stressful on him. He will eat 1/2 can a day, but will not use litter box and sleeps majority of day, no interaction with the other cats. Only exception is after fluids he hangs out with them and plays for a few days. His weight plumetted from 12# to 7.8 over last 3 months. Today my vet is placing a feesife tube, actually 2 vets are as nobody in clinic has ever done it and University wouldn't. They want me to supplement his food, hydrate him and medicate through tube.(forgot he didn't respond to steroid shot so they want to trial oral steroids)

I have drug my feet a bit on this as I was/am afraid lymphoma or the likes is hiding and o am just delaying the inevitable and putting him through unnecessary procedures. I can't keep watching him fail. He did gain 1/2 # I'm last 2 weeks, but still will not freely drink.

For those of you who have done this before, any advice? How long do they stay in? How do you keep other cats from messing with the tube?

Thanks for your help, I'm very worried about him
 
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fender

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So sorry about the typos! My phone and I hate each other

To clarify, I do know they couldn't go as far as they wanted on endoscope due to it's size

He has been tested for pancreatitis with labs sent to Texas A&M, it was normal range

He is eatimated 5-8 years old

Currently eating royal canin rabit and pea, they will change him to hills prescription hydrolyzed food saying some cats do better with it

He eats wet food, has since I took him in

Only thing off in labs was a very mild elevation in neutrophils

Again he is a foster cat so I do not pay his bills, our Humane group is. I do have some input on his treatment. I want the best for him, but also need to be a good Steward of available funds

Thanks for reading my long post!
 

mikameek

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While I don't have exact knowledge of feeding tubes, my cat did go through some rough patches of anorexia that seemed to last forever (not as long as yours, but it was close to a month and half). I live fairly close to Texas A&M and took her there for all of her issues; we bounced around a feeding tube for a while because she was so weak. They didn't know if she could handle it. Is that why your other vets and university wouldn't do it?

Have you tried mousse type foods? They're liquid-y and are easy to lick up/syringe feed. I know Royal Canin has a recovery food that is mousse and high in calories. His liver values are okay? If he's not eating well, I wonder/worry about fatty liver. Did your vet say anything about that?

I know there are lots of people on here with intimate knowledge of feeding tubes. I'm sorry I couldn't give you what you're looking for but someone on here will be able to!

Edit: silkenpaw silkenpaw has experience and may be able to provide some answers!
 

silkenpaw

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Yup, I’ve had two cats with feeding tubes. The tube goes in at the side of the neck (usually the left) and into the stomach. It’s attached to the skin with surgical suture. (The suture goes into the skin and is then wrapped several times around the tube, keeping it in place.) The outside end of the tube has a port that fits a syringe so you can feed through that or you can run the food through a pump. You plug the tube on between feedings.

The vet will place a tape “collar” around the cat’s neck and then will tape the tube to that so you don’t need to be afraid of pulling it out while manipulating it.

The food I fed through the tube was Hill’s a/d. It’s a soft pâté. I added a little water to the can and then gave it a whirl in the blender. Not everyone does the blender bit, but it will make the food easier to push through the tube. I also crushed any pills and put them in the tube.

Neither cat was a bit bothered by their tube and I was able to maintain their nutrition thanks to it.

Below are two photos of Little Bit, showing her tube.
ED8B5262-9565-41E3-9B01-791C789311BC.jpeg A4A3B7CB-D761-4107-939E-C050B4AFF6E1.jpeg
 
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fender

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While I don't have exact knowledge of feeding tubes, my cat did go through some rough patches of anorexia that seemed to last forever (not as long as yours, but it was close to a month and half). I live fairly close to Texas A&M and took her there for all of her issues; we bounced around a feeding tube for a while because she was so weak. They didn't know if she could handle it. Is that why your other vets and university wouldn't do it?

Have you tried mousse type foods? They're liquid-y and are easy to lick up/syringe feed. I know Royal Canin has a recovery food that is mousse and high in calories. His liver values are okay? If he's not eating well, I wonder/worry about fatty liver. Did your vet say anything about that?

I know there are lots of people on here with intimate knowledge of feeding tubes. I'm sorry I couldn't give you what you're looking for but someone on here will be able to!

Edit: silkenpaw silkenpaw has experience and may be able to provide some answers!
He was extremely weak and they wanted to explore more dental causes though my personal vet at that poiny had pretty much ruled out dental as the culprit. I wanted to move past the dental and that is where we hit a road block. I usually trust my instincts and they are screaming no to exploring that avenue any further.
 
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fender

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Yup, I’ve had two cats with feeding tubes. The tube goes in at the side of the neck (usually the left) and into the stomach. It’s attached to the skin with surgical suture. (The suture goes into the skin and is then wrapped several times around the tube, keeping it in place.) The outside end of the tube has a port that fits a syringe so you can feed through that or you can run the food through a pump. You plug the tube on between feedings.

The vet will place a tape “collar” around the cat’s neck and then will tape the tube to that so you don’t need to be afraid of pulling it out while manipulating it.

The food I fed through the tube was Hill’s a/d. It’s a soft pâté. I added a little water to the can and then gave it a whirl in the blender. Not everyone does the blender bit, but it will make the food easier to push through the tube. I also crushed any pills and put them in the tube.

Neither cat was a bit bothered by their tube and I was able to maintain their nutrition thanks to it.

Below are two photos of Little Bit, showing her tube.
View attachment 240244View attachment 240245
Thank you so much! Did you have other cats when they had their tube? I'm terrified my youngest foster (6 months) will be a devil about playing and attempting to attack the tube.

AD surprisingly was one food he wouldn't even attempt. The vet wants to switch him to the hydrolyzed food and says he's never had a cat eat the canned version so I'll have to try to grind the dry food up for the tube and leave a bowl of dry to see if he will attempt it. This is based on theory the IBD is the culprit
 

silkenpaw

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Yes, I had several other cats when Little Bit and Frangi had their tubes. No one paid the slightest attention to the tube. If you are worried about someone attacking the tube, you can cover it with vet wrap (which you can get on Amazon) so it lies flat against the neck. But I never had a problem with that.

Also, the outside part of the tube can be trimmed so it doesn’t protrude as much as in my photos.

Good luck, it’s not as scary as it seems :)
 
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