VET225: Animal Nutrition, Reproduction, Genetics, and Aging Project
Hailey Booker
M210327JS0
5/22/2026
, Nutrition, reproduction, genetics, and aging should always be considered at any life stage
of any animal. Nutrition plays an essential role in how every animal functions. Proper nutrition is
essential at all stages. Knowing reproduction and the cycle is essential for farmers and for
owners with pets experiencing their first heat cycle. Genetics allows for the anticipation of what
certain species are predisposed to, enabling proper medical care and breeding considerations.
Aging is the natural process every animal experiences. Knowing how animals are affected by
aging and how owners can help their pets improves the quality of care for both patients and
owners.
The first part of this essay covers guidance in caring for a twelve-year-old dog who is in
advanced renal failure. This dog was also hit by a car and then hospitalized with a jaw fracture
and an inability to eat. Prior to this incident, this patient was unwilling to eat for three days.
A patient having a decreased appetite and unwillingness to eat indicates the need for a
feeding tube, especially if the patient has experienced a traumatic event. During healing,
nutritional support is important as it will aid in healing times and decrease the likelihood of
dehydration. A consideration in feeding tube choice is the amount of time the tube is needed and
if there are any physiologic issues to consider (Bassert, 2022). Healing time for a fractured jaw
can be long, thus indicating the need for an esophagostomy tube, which can be used long-term.
These tubes are best used in patients who have trauma to the nasal or oral cavity, which is this
patient. These tubes bypass the oral and nasal cavities, which is why it is beneficial.
Esophagostomy tubes can be used at home with owners and used with a variety of diets
(Esophagostomy Tube Information, n.d). Because these tubes can be sent home with owners,
they can reduce hospitalization time. As mentioned previously, esophagostomy tubes allow for a
, variety of diets, which allows for flexibility when providing food at home. An additional benefit
is the ability to administer medications, such as pain control for the fractured jaw. Patients in
renal failure may also require additional supplements or medications, which can be given using
the tube. The only downfall of using this tube is the anesthetic risk for this patient. This patient is
in renal failure and is potentially malnourished or dehydrated, all of which pose risks for
anesthesia. Despite this, the patient can be supplied with fluids and other diagnostic therapies to
ensure a safe procedure. Feeding tubes and additional fluid therapies can greatly improve the
prognosis of the patient, but they are not without risks or complications.
Feeding tubes are great for providing nutritional support to ill patients at home.
Complications with the feeding tube can include mechanical complications or user error.
Common mechanical complications include premature removal or dislodgement from the site
and obstruction of the tube itself (Wortinger, 2010). Premature removal can happen in cases
where patients have access to the suture site and are able to rip them out or in cases of infection
or skin irritation at the site, causing the tube to protrude from the site. These complications can
be prevented with appropriate safety measures, such as wrapping the site or using a surgery suite
to prevent access. Obstruction of the tube can happen when food is not small enough to fit in the
tube, foreign material enters the tube, or if food is not followed with a water or saline flush.
Prevention of obstruction is as simple as ensuring the food is small enough to fit through the
tubing. Another way to prevent obstruction is to build a routine of flushing the tube after every
feed. Keeping all tubing and ports clean can prevent other complications, such as infection at the
site. While mechanical complications are common, there are other concerns with metabolic
complications.
Hailey Booker
M210327JS0
5/22/2026
, Nutrition, reproduction, genetics, and aging should always be considered at any life stage
of any animal. Nutrition plays an essential role in how every animal functions. Proper nutrition is
essential at all stages. Knowing reproduction and the cycle is essential for farmers and for
owners with pets experiencing their first heat cycle. Genetics allows for the anticipation of what
certain species are predisposed to, enabling proper medical care and breeding considerations.
Aging is the natural process every animal experiences. Knowing how animals are affected by
aging and how owners can help their pets improves the quality of care for both patients and
owners.
The first part of this essay covers guidance in caring for a twelve-year-old dog who is in
advanced renal failure. This dog was also hit by a car and then hospitalized with a jaw fracture
and an inability to eat. Prior to this incident, this patient was unwilling to eat for three days.
A patient having a decreased appetite and unwillingness to eat indicates the need for a
feeding tube, especially if the patient has experienced a traumatic event. During healing,
nutritional support is important as it will aid in healing times and decrease the likelihood of
dehydration. A consideration in feeding tube choice is the amount of time the tube is needed and
if there are any physiologic issues to consider (Bassert, 2022). Healing time for a fractured jaw
can be long, thus indicating the need for an esophagostomy tube, which can be used long-term.
These tubes are best used in patients who have trauma to the nasal or oral cavity, which is this
patient. These tubes bypass the oral and nasal cavities, which is why it is beneficial.
Esophagostomy tubes can be used at home with owners and used with a variety of diets
(Esophagostomy Tube Information, n.d). Because these tubes can be sent home with owners,
they can reduce hospitalization time. As mentioned previously, esophagostomy tubes allow for a
, variety of diets, which allows for flexibility when providing food at home. An additional benefit
is the ability to administer medications, such as pain control for the fractured jaw. Patients in
renal failure may also require additional supplements or medications, which can be given using
the tube. The only downfall of using this tube is the anesthetic risk for this patient. This patient is
in renal failure and is potentially malnourished or dehydrated, all of which pose risks for
anesthesia. Despite this, the patient can be supplied with fluids and other diagnostic therapies to
ensure a safe procedure. Feeding tubes and additional fluid therapies can greatly improve the
prognosis of the patient, but they are not without risks or complications.
Feeding tubes are great for providing nutritional support to ill patients at home.
Complications with the feeding tube can include mechanical complications or user error.
Common mechanical complications include premature removal or dislodgement from the site
and obstruction of the tube itself (Wortinger, 2010). Premature removal can happen in cases
where patients have access to the suture site and are able to rip them out or in cases of infection
or skin irritation at the site, causing the tube to protrude from the site. These complications can
be prevented with appropriate safety measures, such as wrapping the site or using a surgery suite
to prevent access. Obstruction of the tube can happen when food is not small enough to fit in the
tube, foreign material enters the tube, or if food is not followed with a water or saline flush.
Prevention of obstruction is as simple as ensuring the food is small enough to fit through the
tubing. Another way to prevent obstruction is to build a routine of flushing the tube after every
feed. Keeping all tubing and ports clean can prevent other complications, such as infection at the
site. While mechanical complications are common, there are other concerns with metabolic
complications.
