Help - Sick kitten

I have an 8-day old kitten who is too weak to nurse, and has gone into convulsions several times in the past 3 days. Giving it a small amount of honey or glucose gel seemed to solve the convulsion problem, but there are still occasional mild convulsions. I am feeding it KMR formula every 2 hours, or rather I should say *trying* to feed it. It will only take a few drops of formula at a time and will not nurse from the nipple on the feeder bottle, nor from an eyedropper or syringe. I have tried everything. Its sibling, who was also weak and not nursing from the mother, is nursing from the bottle and is doing much better, it was also having convulsions. But this kitten just will not drink any formula. It is heated properly, and I'm following all the correct procedures but cannot get it to ingest more than a few drops of formula at a time, which I just don't think is sufficient nutrition to bring it back to health.

I've called 4 veterinarians in my area, none of them seem to care much. I was told, and have read online on several websites that a kitten can be given fluids under the skin if it is dehydrated, but the vets are telling me that cannot be done, which I think is a lie. I have also heard they can be given a nutritional suppliment by vets as well, but the vets are telling me that is not the case. I am not concerned in the least about the cost, but they just will not help me and don't seem to care. They merely tell me to feed it formula, etc., everything that I am already doing. I had a bad experience with one of my vets when I boarded 6 cats when I had to go out of town during a family emergency. They never told be they boarded cats in the same small room where very sick cats were also kept, and 4 of my cats died as a result. The vet was very callous and unapolgetic. I have also had 2 cats die at another vet right after being spayed, I assume from too much anaesthesia, as all my cats, which are exclusively indoor cats, were in perfect health before going to the vet. So I am very reluctant to have this mother cat spayed, which of course resulted in these new kittens.

I would really appreciate any advice or tips on what to do about this kitten who will not nurse or take very much formula being hand fed. The veterinarians in my area just do not seem to care much at all, not even the Humane Society would offer me any assistance, but they were closed down by the authorities in the past for some serious violations, so it's no surprise. It seems there is so much corruption and lack of compassion nowdays, at least in the area in which I live. Thank you for your help!

 

Hi and welcome to Auspet. The only advice I have is to get all the cats/kittens to a vet asap. If you don't like any of the vets in your town, then bring them to another vet in another town. Vets are not always going to be very helpful on the phone, as they feel people should be bringing in sick animals to the clinic, as that is the only place they will receive proper care. I'm sorry you have had bad luck with a vet, but they are the kittens best chance of survival. As for the momma cat she really does need to be spayed. I wish the kittens and mama cat all the best. Let us know how things are going.

 

Thank you for your reply. I was a member of the old message board for quite a long time. I am in a very rural area and there isn't another major town for at least 100 miles. Twice before I have taken a small kitten all the way to town to a vet, only to have them tell me there is nothing they can do, and for me to just give it formula. The last time I went to 3 different vets, dragging that poor sick kitten all over and none of the vets even examined the kitten, I was given instructions on how to feed it KMR, which I already knew, and told there was nothing they could do for it. The moment I returned home that kitten died. I realize this situation I have here with veterinarians may sound bizarre, but it is the truth, and is the reason why I am so frustrated. They just do not care or can't be bothered! I've never known veterinarians anywhere else to turn away paying customers, but they do here.

The weakest kitten is doing a little better now, but only slightly. I gave it pedialyte and then KMR, but it will only ever nurse for a couple of minutes at most each time. The other kitten is greatly improving and nurses from the bottle enthusiastically and for a lot longer. Since giving them pedialyte neither kitten has had any further convulsions/seizures except once yesterday and that is a huge relief. Not getting much sleep lately with the feeding schedule I need to maintain, but I am determined to do everything possible to help them survive. I definitely plan on having the momma cat spayed. Thanks again for your help.

 

Hi. What was your old member name here? Welcome back. I sure hope both kittens pull through. That would be wonderful. I'm also glad you will be getting the mama cat spayed. Keep us posted on how they are doing. I wish them all the best.

 

I hope the kitten continues to improve but please keep in mind sometimes we can't save them all in spite of how hard we try.
It simply could be a matter of fate - perhaps this little one wasn't meant to survive if he doesn't.
I hope he does since you are trying so hard to help him.
But vets deal with realities of animal care. It's not probably they don't want to help but they might just see the futility of it - or see it in that respect.

 

I wish the kittens well. I have lost a kitten while fostering and I don't have the courage or the stamina to foster more kittens. :cry:

 

Ohhh Vene...(((((((HUGS)))))))

 

Thank you Chezza. There was nothing the vet could have done to prevent Blackie's death. She had congenital kidney disease and failure. Here's a pic of my son with Blackie and Fluffy in 2004. Scruffy is not pictured but he and Fluffy got adopted as a pair and it was so rewarding to see them go to a happy, forever home. I'm saddened that Blackie wasn't meant to be.

 

Awwwwww So tiny...Sorry to hear that...Its heart breaking when things like that happen.. :cry:

 

Update on the kittens

Sorry for the delay in posting an update, I've been extremely busy trying to care for the kittens pretty much around the clock. I took them to the vet that week, they were given a dewormer and amoxicillin for the respiratory infection, but unfortunately the tiniest one (that would not nurse from the mother, nor from the bottle or eyedropper) passed away a few hours after I returned from the vet. I tried and tried to give it milk, but the most I could ever manage was a few drops at a time, she always put up a fight and didn't want to drink any milk. I also tried 3 different brands of kitten milk replacer. Really a sad situation. I took the other 3 remaining kittens back to the vet yesterday, as the amoxicillin just didn't seem to be doing any good at all. So, the vet prescribed Clavamox, 0.1cc every 12 hrs. However, now that seems to have affected 2 of the kittens appetites, they haven't nursed from the mother since the Clavamox (and more dewormer the vet gave them again), and will not drink very much KMR from a bottle or eyedropper. Are these effects from the Clavamox or the dewormer only temporary? I'm really getting worried because they were doing well and active before I took them back to the vet yesterday, and now they're all listless and barely will drink any milk. It seems that drugs often do more harm than good (in both humans and pets). Just not sure what to do anymore, I've spent hundreds on vet bills and now it seems they're doing a lot worse since they switched to Clavamox. The kittens are 26 days old now. My username was the same on the old message board. I'd really appreciate the help of any advice, thanks.

 

please post an update. I don't come on here much casue this board is so slow for me it makes me crazy.
The Clavamox can make them have a belly ache and not want to eat. It that is still the case I would stop using it and consult your vet. They need to eat. In order to make them less congested you could use the OTC product called Little noses. It's nose drops to help children/infants breathe when they ahve colds. It's simply saline solution and has no chemiclas in it an is safe for kittens. But make sure it's the product that is only saline solution.
I have used it and it's only a temp help but it gives the kitten a break from the nose congestion.
the other thing you can do is run a vaporizer (no vicks) for help clear up their congestion. not forever but 20 minutes of the steam helps. No vaporizer steam up your bathroom and put them in there for 20 minutes and feed after (while their noses are clear).
When I've had congested fosters I put them in a carrier and put them in the bathroom while I shower and feed them after - they eat everytime.
Also in order to perk them up you could put a drop of Karo corn syrup on the end of the kitten(s) tongue. Gives them a temporary sugar buzz long enough to get them to eat. Kicks their system up. Just a drop will do.
Please let us know if you got this post and how they are doing.

 

Hi Mary, thanks for your reply. I have been back to the vet with them two more times in the past week. The vet gave them more sub-cu fluids and said to continue the Clavamox, even though it doesn't seem to be doing any good at all. I've been reading on the internet that Clavamox mainly just helps prevent secondary infections and does nothing at all to treat the actual virus. Maybe the amoxicillian was better, I just don't know. I've been using the saline solution for their noses, the vet also said that would help, but the one will still not drink milk and has to be force fed. It seems every time I go to the vet they end up in worse shape than before I took them in. Now the other one that was nursing has no appetite, and they are both very weak and listless (though not dehydrated). They were a lot more active prior to taking them to the vet yesterday. I've tried a vaporizer but it only helped a little. I've also been doing the Karo syrup on a daily basis for a couple weeks now, and also Pedialyte but still that does little to stimulate their appetite. The first kitten who was ill prior to these other two getting sick is doing great now, she's now over twice the size of the other two siblings and has an incredible appetite. But I'm very worried about these two sick ones as they seem to be getting worse, and weaker after every vet visit. I just don't understand it and cannot bear to lose another one. I'm thinking of calling the vet when they open today and ask if I can discontinue the Clavamox. The most I can get them to drink is approx. 3 cc's of formula a day which the vet said was good, but it seems to me they're just not improving at all. They're now 33 days old.

 

Also, would it help the kittens if I brought them out in the sunlight for awhile each day so they can absord vitamin D? It's only around 60 during the day here lately, would that be too cold for them? I've also been giving them Liqui-Tinic vitamins each day, but the vet said to only give them a couple drops per day since it has iron. Is that the proper amount to give them? Sorry if these seem like dumb questions, but I really don't know and am just so worried, exhausted and frustrated. Thanks.

 

I have to wonder if the Clavamox is making them sick. Maybe just cutting back on their dosage would make them feel better. If they get the Clavamox on an empty stomach they are going to feel really bad.
Also they might have somethign wrong with them that isn't going to matter what you do.
I'd cut back the Clavamox dosage or stop for a couple of days just to see if that makes a difference. Sounds like at this point it won't matter either way.
A little bit of NutraCal might help too.
Or start making them a gruel and syringe feeding them.
A really good quality wet cat food (AD is good for this vet carries it)
mix with NutraCal, Pediatlye.
Make it really soupy and syringe feed it to them.
They should be old enough now they can have something more solid

 

It is with great sadness I post this update, they both passed away :'( the first one early Saturday morning, and the second one today. The last time I took them to the vet, when they bought them back out to me the kittens were both soaking wet and shivering!!! I asked the attendant what happened, and she told me they had accidentally spilled fluids on them. I was kind of shocked they didn't even bother or care to dry them off. By the time I got home they were very listless, in the worst shape they had ever been in, and never recovered. I had been syringe feeding them regularly. Prior to going to the vet that day they were active and in a lot better shape than they were after the vet visit. I have lost several family members and good friends all due to the incomptence of the medical establishment in this country, and the pharmaceutical cartel that pushes dangerous prescription drugs like candy. These kittens were sick, yes... but the vet getting them soaking wet in their condition surely contributed to their deaths as far as I'm concerned. I was also told that veterinarians are not even taught how to care for very young kittens in veterinary school. My vet even had to leave the room to go look up in a book if they were old enough to be given Clavamox. It is amazing the lack of quality medical care in America, for both humans and pets. The U.S. ranks 37th on the list of countries with the best medical care. It's an absolute disgrace! I would much rather it had been me than those poor beautifull little kittens.

 

hugs to you Justin....you tried and that is more than so many people can claim.

 

I'm so sorry about your kitties. :cry:

 

I am so sorry :cry: you did everything humanly possible, that is much more then many others would do, but sometimes it's just not up to us. I hope you'll be okay, and that you'll find a vet that you're happy with in the future. When they treat you and your kittens the way they did, it must make you not want to go back with any other animals you might have.

 

Big hugs. I'm so sorry to hear about your kittens. :cry:

 

Hi. I am sorry this is so late, but I just wanted to say how sorry I was that the kittens passed away. :cry: You did everything you could. They were lucky to be loved by you for the short time they were here. I know how sad it is to lose these kittens. When I was a foster Dad I had a litter of very sick kittens and no amount of vet care or love could save them. Only one survived. I ended up adopting him. He was my best pal, Handsome. So sorry you and the kittens went through so much hardship. Hang in there.