The pros and cons of feeding tubes in the elderly is a topic that comes up so often i thought it was important that i take time to give my nurses perspective.
Cat feeding tube pros and cons.
Unfortunately when most people hear the term feeding tube they tend to panic feeling like this is the end of the road for their cat.
Although feeding tubes are designed to help with recovery there are both pros and cons associated with the use of feeding tubes.
List of pros of feeding tubes.
To insert a feeding tube the patient is mildly sedated and a doctor makes a cut in the belly to put the tube directly into the stomach.
While feeding tubes can provide a number of benefits there are also a wide range of drawbacks as well.
In an interview with scientific american cat behavior expert mikel delgado says she likes food puzzles not just for rewards but as a way to feed cats every day.
Many physicians out there tend to think that these treatments can act as a goods solution for those who are not able to take food on their own whereas some others feel that these solutions might have certain cons that could even outreach the benefits.
Less stress for family members loved ones.
Feeding tubes save lives and are not used as often as they should be for anorexic patients.
However feeding tubes should not necessarily be viewed as a doom and gloom overly heroic measure.
How easy it is to tube feed depends on the diameter or bore of the feeding tube.
Another option for free feeding cats it s a good idea to use a food puzzle with pre measured food so you control how much and how often your cat eats.
A major plus factor is that the cat can still eat normally should they desire and so once that cat regains their appetite the tube is simply removed.
This is a topic that i feel should be discussed early in the aging process while a person has an opportunity to make decisions based on their own thoughts and wishes.
What are the pros and cons of feeding tubes.
Before laying great stress on the feeding tubes pros and cons let us first expand your knowledge about feeding tubes.
Before you decide to use feeding tubes to keep a loved one alive examining the advantages and disadvantages of feeding tubes is very crucial.
Feeding tubes are used in many different situations with many different patients but before you or a loved one are placed on feeding tubes you should become more informed.
Care and use of feeding tubes in dogs and cats article literature review in journal of the american animal hospital association 42 5 401 6 september 2006 with 240 reads how we measure reads.