Feeding tube / e-tube / o-tube

[YorkshireCat]

Our cat has had difficulty eating for a few weeks, due to a stuffed nose. The nose hasn’t responded to anything the vet has tried - antibiotics, nebuliser, steroids, cleaning. He is also on an appetite stimulant. Now the cat has stopped eating altogether for 24 hours and the vet would like to put in a feeding tube. (We have also done syringe feeding, but he hates this beyond belief.) His weight is very low.

We are worried about making the cat even more miserable with such a serious intervention as the feeding tube. Has anyone had good or bad experiences with a feeding tube that they could share? We want to do right by our cat, but aren’t sure what that is right now. He’s been with us for 10+ years as a rescue, is a lovely and gentle companion, and deserves the best.

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

When necessary, feeding tubes are wonderful. They make feeding so much easier than trying to syringe feed them. And doing an E-tube isn't too invasive...only takes 15 minutes, or so I've been told. I had a cat on a stomach feeding tube about 25 years ago, and even that was easier that trying to syringe feed. He was on it for four very long months, but his issue was with his liver, not a stuffed up nose.

If you go this route, be sure to get a Kitty Kollar. They are wonderful for keeping the tube out of the way, plus the website also has all kinds of tips.

My only concern with your cat is that they can't figure out what is wrong. Have you gotten a second opinion? If they can't treat it, does that mean he will be fed through this tube forever? That is not a good scenario

 

[di and bob]

Please check into a supplement called DMG. My cats have leukemia and I really think this is why they are still alive 5 years later. They too lost most of their body weight due to severe stuffy nose, most likely feline herpes, which is very common, a kitty cold. Since they have been on it and their immune system has been boosted, they have not had any nose symptoms. You can get it on amazon, target or walamrt online.

 

[daftcat75]

Krista, there in the avatar, had a feeding tube. It saved her life. It was much harder on me than it was on her. The sticky points of a feeding tube (and most of these were more my issue than hers):

1. Minor issue, but if you do go the Kitty Kollar route (and I highly recommend it--they can even overnight it to the vet), you'll want more tube leftover than the vet probably believes is necessary. That's because the Kitty Kollar has a strap to tie down the excess tube. You can even print out a picture of the Kitty Kollar to give the vet an idea of what you will be working with when it arrives. It's easier to trim a tube he left too long than to get more length out of a tube that's already been trimmed too short.

2. Ask for extra caps. I found the cap I was sent home with kept falling out or would go flying if she shook her head. I got extra caps and painters (masking) tape. I would secure the cap to the tube with the painters tape. Before a feeding, I would prepare a spare cap with 3/4 of the masking tape wrapped around and 1/4 loose. This made it much simpler to cap her up without messing around with switching tape on the old cap. Since that tube does open her esophagus to the world, it's better to cap her and seal her as quickly as I can. Spare caps and painters tape made that a possibility.

3. The only issues that really were really hers was feeding her too fast, too much, or too cold. I got instant feedback from her on all of those. Prepare your syringes ahead of time. Warm them up in a hot water bath for several minutes. The food should be lukewarm--not too hot, not too cold. Don't use a microwave to warm up the food because it can produce hot spots. If I fed too fast, too cold, or too much, I would see her licking her lips like she was nauseated and about to vomit.

When I fed her at a reasonable speed, temperature, and amount, she would happily just sit there until we were done. I recommend finding yours a warm place in the sun to do the feedings.

Oh and a bonus point. For as long as the tube is in him, it is considered an open wound. Every couple of days you should take off the bandage or Kitty Kollar (this is where a Kitty Kollar really comes in handy over a bandage) and clean the insertion site including picking away any crusty scabby stuff that's forming. If you aren't sure, take him in and ask a vet tech to show you how to clean the area.

All that aside, if a vet ever told me my current cat, Betty, needed a feeding tube, I would not hesitate. As I said, almost all the issues with a feeding tube were operator errors rather than concerns of the wearer (the cat.)

Krista the day they put the tube in. This is what it looks like with a bandage. I can tell you that Krista never would have let me change her bandage. She hated those stretchy bandages!


Krista with her Kitty Kollar and too short tube just sticking up like a periscope. Also the cap with the tape.

And finally, a feeding tube doesn't mean they can't eat on their own. If you go this route, I would keep offering a small amount of food daily to see if he's ready to eat on his own. I would also keep the tube in longer than he needs it just to make sure he doesn't back slide. It's easier to leave the tube in and not use it (still have to keep the site clean!) than it would be to put the tube back in him if you took it out too soon.

 

[silent meowlook]

Feeding tubes save lives and improve your relationship with your cat. Think about it, no more struggling with medications or syringe feeding.
Unfortunately there is a bad stigma associated with these from human medicine. It’s not the same though.
If your vet is experienced in doing these, please do it.