Oxbow Critical Care for herbivores

Product Information

My vet recommends that I always have a bag of Critical Care formula available for emergency situations. Timothy grass hay, the main component in Critical Care, provides the proper balance of forage based fibre and soluble carbohydrates needed to support the natural microbial population in the digestive system of small herbivores. Anyway after 3 days of low dose metacam and soft food he was as good as new, we also got a bill of good health from the vet. In rabbits, there are many life-threatening situations and any painful or stressful situation can cause one. Recommended amounts to be fed vary between sources, however, an amount of 8–12 ml/kg of feed should be given ( RWAF, 2021).

Rabbits are delicate creatures, and serious damage can be caused by incorrectly administered syringe feeding. All three Critical Care formulas are designed to meet the unique nutritional needs of their intended species – herbivores (rabbits, guinea pigs, chinchillas, tortoises, iguanas, and others), carnivores (ferrets, cats, hawks, monitors, snakes, and others), and omnivores (bearded dragons, rats, hedgehogs, birds, reptiles, and others). Supporting these patients on their journey from dependence to independence can be challenging and relies on input from the whole veterinary team. All aspects of critical care must be looked at including weight and intravenous (IV) fluid provision, as well as the correct and most appropriate choice of feeding tube if this is applicable.A rabbit that has not eaten voluntarily even for a relatively short period of time will not be grinding its teeth down sufficiently to avoid the potential for developing acquired dental disease. A thorough clinical history, systematic physical examination, and multiple diagnostic tests are ideal, but when a rabbit is in critical condition, emergency stabilization and fluid resuscitation must take priority. Local anaesthetic is also recommended as this will help during placement ( Paul-Murphy and Pollock, 2011).

Therefore, elemental nutrition provides small and simple to absorb components, such as as amino acids, so that patients can still receive the nutrition that they need. Their main thermoregulatory mechanism is by heat exchange in the large arteriovenous anastomotic system in the ears. At minimum, it’s best to split the daily amount of required formula into three separate feeding sessions.As a result, rabbits have a limited ability to rapidly transfer hydrogen or bicarbonate ions between blood and urine, and therefore, cannot correct metabolic acidosis easily and can die. The biggest syringe that I have is 12ml but when I tried to give him some water with the 12ml it just dribbled straight out of his mouth. Usually I add a bit of fruit puree (eg apple baby food) as it gives a mix that doesn't gum the syringe up as much. Make sure the rabbit’s head remains straight while the small volumes of food are being administered.

It is vital that no more than 1ml of food is given per mouthful and that the rabbit is given time to chew and swallow.Any medications should always be given on veterinary advice and syringe feeding should only be initiated once a blockage has been ruled out. The act of receiving nourishment from a plastic syringe is unnatural and some pets will instinctually resist no matter how tasty the food. There are many products available, however Emeraid Sustain Herbivore, is a high fibre recovery diet designed for the long-term feeding of debilitated small herbivores ( Pollock, 2018).

Employing the rabbit Grimace Scale can improve pain recognition, although the changes can be subtle. Fine Grind provides the same nutritional profile as our anise and apple-banana products but is ground into an ultra-fine powder, which often makes administration of the product a bit easier. In addition to rabbits that are impossible to syringe feed, or are not taking food from a syringe, animals with anorexia for more than 24 hours, jaw trauma, acute trauma, hepatic lipidosis, and those that will undergo oral, pharyngeal, oesophageal, gastric or biliary tract surgery are all candidates for placement of an NG tube ( Brown, 2010).With the help and knowledge of our resident veterinary professionals, nutritionists and passionate, knowledgeable pet experts, we take pride in providing valuable content to help you create the best life possible for your pet. Hetastarch has been recommended 3 (5ml/kg over 5-10minutes) instead of the high rate of crystalloid. Critical Care Formula (CCF) has been developed for the nutritional support of birds, mammals, and reptiles whose metabolism may be disturbed, helping them to develop and maintain a healthy body for a happy life. There are several options for providing nutrition in the critical and hospitalised patient, including tube and syringe feeding, and the owner should be encouraged to bring in some of the animal's food from home to encourage them to eat.