How to Hand Feed a Sick or Injured Dog

There are an array of health conditions and injuries that can make hand-feeding necessary for a pet dog. A broken jaw or damaged tooth can make eating painful or downright impossible. Some very ill dogs will not eat, making it necessary to hand-feed a small amount of high calorie food like prescription food or a nutritional supplement like Nutri-Cal. And then there are conditions like trigeminal neuritis (TN), which result in a lack of jaw control, muscle atrophy and "dropped jaw."

For dogs suffering from a mouth of jaw ailment that makes eating difficult or impossible, hand-feeding is a necessary supportive care measure.

Things You'll Need

  • Water
  • Plastic container
  • Liquid syringe
  • Damp washcloth
  • Drop cloth or newspapers
  • High-calorie food
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Instructions

    • 1

      Find appropriate food. There are three basic options available to pet owners who must hand feed a dog. The first option is to use a blender to turn wet dog food into a milkshake-like consistency.

      The second option involves hydrating dry dog kibble by adding hot water. After 15 minutes, the kibble will absorb the water, making soft nuggets which can then be mashed with the back side of a spoon or placed in a blender. If you are using this option, additional calories must be added to the food because the kibble will double or even triple in size with the addition of the water. Add calories by mixing in Nurti-Cal or a similar nutritional supplement, or add in meat-based baby food. (Note: Onion powder is a common ingredient in baby food, but onions are TOXIC to dogs. So opt for an onion--free baby food variety).

      The third, and most effective, option in the long term involves serving a high-calorie food. Hill's A/D prescription food is ideal for this purpose.

    • 2

      Select one of the three above-mentioned food options and blend or mash the food until it's a moderate milkshake consistency. Consistency is important, so when in doubt, leave the food on the thicker end of the spectrum. You can always add fluids to dilute the mixture. Also, be sure to mix a sufficient amount of food for the feeding. A small 10-pound dog will eat about 2 cups of food per meal, while a larger dog can eat 5 cups or more. It's easiest to mix enough food for a day or two all at once. Refrigerate any leftovers in a sealed plastic container.

    • 3

      Set up for the hand-feeding. A drop-cloth or newspapers should be put on the floor where you'll be performing the feeding to catch drips and globs. Also get a damp washcloth or two to wipe the dog's face periodically. If you don't wipe it, he'll shake his head, sending food particles all over the room. Also collect your liquid syringe. For a small or medium dog, a 2-teaspoon medicine syringe is ideal. These can be purchased at most drug stores. For a larger dog, a larger liquid syringe will be required. Some pet supply stores carry these larger sized syringes, and almost all veterinary clinics will have them available for purchase as well.

    • 4

      When you're ready to begin the feeding, collect your dog and place him in a sit position. Some find it easier on the back to sit on the floor at the dog's level, rather than bending over while sitting in a chair.

    • 5

      Draw up the food into the syringe. If the food is too clumpy, additional blending may be necessary. The food should be a thick to moderate milkshake consistency.

    • 6

      Place the syringe in the side of the dog's mouth. Do not aim for the back of the throat, as this will send the food directly down the throat, greatly increasing the chances of choking and aspirating the food into the lungs. Instead, aim the opening of the syringe at the dog's rear teeth on the opposite side of the mouth. Depress the plunger, releasing the food into the dog's mouth.

    • 7

      Once the food has been released into the dog's mouth, the goal is to keep it there. Depending on the dog's precise ailment, the dog may have a difficult time chewing or using the bottom jaw. It may be necessary to place a hand below the dog's lower jaw, to keep his head facing upwards. The goal is to keep the lower jaw more horizontal to the floor, with the head angled slightly upward so that gravity works to the dog's advantage. Some dogs, when attempting to chew and swallow, will tilt their head forward, creating a more vertical mouth position and in this case, gravity will not work in the dog's favor and he'll have to work harder to actually swallow the food.

    • 8

      If the dog is having a difficult time keeping the food in his mouth, thicken the consistency a bit. If the dog is keeping the food in his mouth, but is having a difficult time getting the food to the back of the mouth to swallow, opt for a more watery consistency, which will naturally flow to the back of the mouth when the head is angled upward slightly. Avoid a very watery food consistency - this is hard for the dog to control and it tends to rush the back of the throat, causing coughing and choking. If a dog appears to be having difficulty and keeps coughing and choking, thicken the mixture a bit and try again. It's also not uncommon to see a dog who's more resistant to hand-feeding when the food is too watery or when too much food is placed in the mouth at one time. So if your dog is less than cooperative, try a thicker mixture and a smaller "bite" size.

    • 9

      Keep the dog's face clean during the feeding by wiping the mouth with a damp washcloth after every bite or two. Drips and lots of excess food around the mouth will trigger head shaking, which is a recipe for a mess.

    • 10

      When you're finished with the feeding, refrigerate any leftover food.