Success usually entails attention to a number of key factors:
- Food type/consistency/timing and amount at each feeding.
- Dogs generally need one of two types of feeding: water and quality soft food blended to a smooth consistency, from soupy to slurry, depending; or compressed into “meatball format”, swallowed whole.
- Hydration is very important, but this needs to be in the chair, too. Some dogs need water thickened with unflavored gelatin and low sodium broth into Knox Blocks.
- Smaller feedings, more often.
- Time spent after eating food or drinking, in vertical (“begging” position) – at least 15 minutes or more.
- The amount of time in between meals.
- The owner’s ability to spot a possible aspiration and potential pneumonia and get IMMEDIATE treatment from a DVM.
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