Is tubing helpful or prolonging the inevitable

[seminolewind]

She's set up with her feed bowl a few feet from their's. She ate a slice of bread from me. She shot one large green splat. I will give her some mush later.

I had an interesting conversation with a medically educated horse/animal person yesterday. She thinks I'm contributing to diarrhea with the baby food feedings being too rich. 22% protein and 12% fat.

Which lead me to my nursing education about neonates. With preemies, if you fed them more calories than they needed, it made no difference at all in their weight gain.

It's been over 4 weeks since we saw the vet with the broken leg. She has spent the last 6 years being one of my gluttons.

 

[casportpony]

I guess it's possible, though I have tubed many and have not experienced any side effects from the high protein/fat.

-Kathy

 

[seminolewind]

I don't think there's anything wrong with feeding a non eater high protein and fat.

I did not tube feed today. She has her pellets and I made her a nice wet mash. She ate some, not much. Her flock has their feed bowl right next to her. I did happen to see her picking at food while the others were eating. Hope it helps.

 

[seminolewind]

This is an update 4 weeks later:
Casportpony, thanks for your input all along. The tube feeding seemed to get her back on her feet. She had stopped being tube fed about 4 weeks ago and has had her food and water in a pen and her flock all around her and she has put on some weight. I don't think she'll walk normally again, she hobbles. But she's alive and looks happy.

 

[alibabba]

Well she's been drinking really good. She ate some potato salad today. She still flings the pellets. AND her leg had been totally like a dish rag. Today she actually tried to put some weight on it. She holds it up herself. That's pretty promising. So I'm really eager to feed her now and get her a jump start. I read about using a pair of girl's underwear as a sling. Hmmm. Maybe my black ones, LOL

Funny! And a great idea.

I made a sling for Mr Poppy, when he couldn't stay upright. He hated it! But underwear would work so well!!! It would be easier for him to stand and eat and drink without so much exhausting effort. Mine would be too big...but (and it's not that big of a but, ha) I have kids who have lots of sizes to pick from!

 

[seminolewind]

Quote:
She would get out of any sling I made. She also climbed out of any cast or splint I made. But today she is still laying, living alone next door to her flock and put all her weight back on.

Good luck with the underwear. If it works, take a picture for me!