Feeding Tube Aspiration

[GingyandPeanut]

Hi everyone!

My sweet Ginger was put on a feeding tube, esophageal on Monday. My question is for those with experience, do you need to aspirate the tube? Our vet did not send this instruction, but I see it on how to videos.

thank you in advance

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

Can you please clarify your question? I know it's possible to aspirate when on a feeding tube, but not sure how to aspirate the tube. Do you mean try to check to see if the stomach is empty before the next feeding, or clearing out the tube after feeding, or just what. We're not really medical people here. (well, some of us have a little knowledge (my hubby was a nurse), but most of us are novices)

All I can really tell you with my experience when my boy had a feeding tube was that we fed him every four hours, warmed the pureed food before giving it, and needed to give it very slowly or it would come right back out. After we were done we would finish with a little water rinse to clear the tube. His was not an esophageal tube however, but was directly into his tummy. It was so long ago I don't think they were doing esophageal tubes yet.

 

[Sarthur2]

Kitten Lady’s video may answer some of your tube feeding questions. Watch all the way through.


G GingyandPeanut

 

[Sarthur2]

I just realized you mentioned esophageal and that your Ginger is not a kitten. Here is another link that explains this different method.

Esophagostomy Tube Feeding in Cats | VCA Animal Hospitals

 

[Antonio65]

The cat in my avatar had both a PEG tube and an E-tube (in different moments of her life), and never I was told to aspirate it.
On the contrary, I was strongly advised to flush the tube with a few ml of water right after the feeding so to keep it clean and avoid clogging from dried food.

 

[GingyandPeanut]

Thank you mrsgreenjeens, Sarthur2, & Antonio65! This was helpful.

 

[daftcat75]

Don't aspirate the tube. Simply flush with a few milliliters of warm water before and after use. Remember this is going into her so you don't want to overdo it. Not too hot. Not too cold. Not too much. And not too fast. For better or worse, you do have a cat on the other end of that tube who will probably tell you very quickly if you're getting it wrong. A few mLs of warm water before a feed can help make certain the tube is working correctly and is not blocked before you try to put food down it. A few more mLs after will help keep the tube clean and clear between uses.

 

[Meowmee]

None of my dvm will do feeding tubes etc. so I have no experience of that. I did “force” feeding with poor Giorgio and I felt it hurt him, I think he may have aspirated but he was very ill and was not long for this world. Still I hate to think of him suffering from it. For that reason I will not do it again.

I hope it works well for your kitty.

 

[nurseangel]

As daftcat75 mentioned, warm water is more comfortable. I should add that I have no experience with cats and feeding tubes. This is what is used to flush for a tube feed directly into a person's stomach. Lots of great advice from the members above in this thread. I wish you the very best and bless you for taking such wonderful care of your kitten.

 

[silent meowlook]

Hi. You don’t have to. Just make sure all air is out of the syringe. Make sure to flush first and after with warm water. I usually do about 5 cc each time.