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Animals that have been without food require careful
examination to determine their level of emaciation. An animal that
has been without food for only a day or two may be only slightly
emaciated and may be able to digest food after it has been rehydrated.
However, animals that have suffered more than minimal weight loss
cannot digest food. After they are warmed and rehydrated, small
amounts of elemental formula (predigested nutrients and water, e.g.
Vital HN®, Ross Labs) are given orally, usually by means of
a feeding tube. The first feeding may be comprised of 95% Lactated
Ringers solution and 5% elemental formula. If the animal responds
well, the next feeding may be 90% Lactated Ringers solution and
10% elemental formula, and so on. When the mixture is mostly formula
and the animal is tolerating it well, weaning to a more natural
diet can begin.
Elemental formulas must be chosen with the animal's natural diet
in mind. For example, some animals are intolerant of sucrose (cane
or beet sugar, also known as granulated sugar, white sugar) and
using a formula that contains sucrose will only make them more ill.
Other animals cannot tolerate much dietary fat (e.g. rabbits), and
thus some formulas are not suitable for them. Some avian hand feeding
products, manufactured for psittacines, have ingredients that are
not suitable for insect, meat or fish eaters. For these reasons,
it is important to know which formulas work best for different species.
Your veterinarian can help you make the best decisions.
Emaciation
Protocol for Carnivores (meat and insect eaters)
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