Feeding Sick Animals 127 



FOOD FOR SICK ANIJ^IALS 



The food plays an important part in the treatment of 

 siek animals. In most diseases an effort must be made 

 to maintain the strength of the body during the illness. 

 If the animal can eat, then easily digestible, nutritious, 

 but not bulky foods should be supplied, especially 

 laxative foods that will keep the bowels open. Sickness 

 usually brings on constipation, due largely to lack of 

 exercise; and this condition should be overcome as far 

 as possible by proper foods. The appetite of sick ani- 

 mals is likely to be very capricious, and is often want- 

 ing altogether. Therefore, food should be offered in 

 as attractive form as possible. A small amount should 

 be given at a time, and if it is refused it should be 

 taken away at once. But the offer should be frequently 

 repeated. To force food on a sick animal is advisable 

 only in those cases when recovery depends largely upon 

 the maintenance of strength. It is seldom a good plan 

 to place medicines in the food or water, unless they are 

 tasteless and odorless, as an animal is likely to become 

 suspicious and refuse the food when it is important that 

 he should have it. 



Foods suitable for sick animals are fresh grass, 

 roots, such as carrots, or apples from the hand, bran 

 mashes, gruels and milk. These may contain beaten 

 raw eggs, oats dry or boiled, or ground oats and bran 

 mixed with cut hay and wet with cold water. If an 

 animal is very thirsty, small quantities of fresh water 

 should be given frequently until the thirst is quenched. 

 Except in rare instances, sick animals may be allowed 



