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Deworming newborn kittens

post #1 of 34
3/11/09 at 1:19pm
Thread Starter 
Hi,

I need your help... I am volunteer at a cat shelter in Portugal. I have now in my care, 2 newborn kittens ( they still have their eyes closed). They were 3 but one died, the day before yesterday. They are full of internal worms, I have never seen something like that.

They are drinking their milk and I have been stimulating them, but the only thing they are expelling are worms, worms and more worms. No faeces... What can I do? Normally we deworm kitten when they have 3 weeks, these guys are way too young for that. And we don't have a queen that could stimulate them ( better then me of course).

It's not the first time that I raise kittens this young but I have never seen so many worms...
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post #2 of 34
3/11/09 at 1:32pm
Thread Starter 
The survivors:

http://studio224.labarbouille.com/ba...adores/a_2.jpg

http://studio224.labarbouille.com/ba...adores/a_9.jpg


And some of the worms:

http://studio224.labarbouille.com/ba.../parasitas.jpg

http://studio224.labarbouille.com/ba...parasitas4.jpg

http://studio224.labarbouille.com/ba...parasitas6.jpg

(on this last photo, the red circle is around the head of match to give an idea of the size of these things)
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post #3 of 34
3/11/09 at 1:48pm
I've never had to deal with worms with my kitties, so don't know what age is safe to deworm. Is there a vet who works with the shelter? What does he/she say about it?
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post #4 of 34
3/11/09 at 2:07pm
Thread Starter 
She says we can't do anything before they are 3 weeks old.

If I don't do anything they will die of the worms. If I deworm them, they can die from the dewormer... I m thinking I will take the risk of deworm them. If I don't do anything, they die. If I do, they will die also.

Anyway, it's terrifying.
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post #5 of 34
3/11/09 at 3:17pm
Oh the poor little things. I don't know what to tell you or suggest other then prayers they can survive to 3 weeks old. Such a horrible situation! I've never had to deal with worms on any of my cats.
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post #6 of 34
3/11/09 at 3:55pm
I have no experience with this whatsoever. I have a question: If you give the mommy a dewormer, will the kittens get it in a mild form through the milk? I saw that they're being fed through a bottle, so maybe that's not even an option, but I was just curious if anyone has heard of that working? I just know that everything we put into our bodies when we're breastfeeding gets passed to our children. Oh gosh...I wish you the best of luck.
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post #7 of 34
3/11/09 at 4:24pm
Thread Starter 
tinahaj... they don't have a mom... they have been found in a garbage can.
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post #8 of 34
3/11/09 at 4:34pm
Oh, I see. Poor little kitties. Thank you for trying your hardest to care for them. I'm so sorry and wish there was something that could be done.
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post #9 of 34
3/11/09 at 5:11pm
They were found in a garbage can? No wonder they're full of worms! Poor little guys....
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post #10 of 34
3/12/09 at 9:43am
Thread Starter 
Desperate times call for desperate measures. They die if I do, and they die if I don't...

So last night I gave each one of them a few drops of dewormer then gave them milk to be sure that the dewormer would be absorved. Against the advice of the vet, of course, but... who knows...

And I have also enlisted the help of my friend's dog, a female rescue pittbull that loves cats ( she has already helped a 2 months kitten regain confidence and happiness, if you have some time jut watch this movie I made of both of them: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3aPzhkVaD4 ).

Anyway, Sweet is helping me by stimulating the babies with her tongue (of course, she is also going to be dewormed). Just see:

Here licking the little female:

and with her brother:


So far, the babies are ok, it seems to me that Sweet's tongue is much better in stimulating the babies them me, they finally started to expell some real poo and not worms. Of course, it's too soon to know but we can always hope...

The kittens are never left alone with Sweet of course, she licks them, the drink their milk, she licks them again, more milk, and then go back to their warm bed...

The little female has started to open her eyes, so she is probably around 10 days old.
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post #11 of 34
3/12/09 at 9:53am
How cute. I really hope they survive all this. Lots of healing & growing for the babies.
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post #12 of 34
3/12/09 at 9:55am
I am glad you did it... I hope it all works out!
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post #13 of 34
3/12/09 at 10:02am
Will send vibes for the little one - great that you have a sub mom to help out for the time being.
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post #14 of 34
3/12/09 at 8:41pm
I'm glad you tried that too. It seems like it is much better than just letting them die. Good luck to the kittens!
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post #15 of 34
3/13/09 at 3:37am
Awww, I looove Pits! Now that is heart warming-need to show those pics to all of the "ban pit bulls=they are evil" people!

Glad to hear that you didn't just let them die-and gave them a chance.

How are they today?
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post #16 of 34
3/13/09 at 8:20am
for the little cuties! Bless you for taking them in and helping them.
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post #17 of 34
3/13/09 at 9:36am
They sell a mild dewormer you can buy over the counter. I would just use that. I see you did that. Just don't forget to deworm Sweet when you are done with her "services".I've taking in a fair share of strays and feralls myself and I HATE worms, I don't mess with them. Like you said: if you don't do something they will die for sure, if you do something, they may or may not live, but at least try it, they will die anyway.
Best of luck!
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post #18 of 34
3/13/09 at 12:19pm
Thread Starter 
Sweet has already been dewormed once, and she will be again when she "finishes" her duty...

SO far so good, the little one are holding up, drinking their milk and finally gaining weight, not enough but it's a beginning...
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post #19 of 34
3/13/09 at 1:27pm
Yay! It's sounding like you did great!
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post #20 of 34
3/13/09 at 2:01pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by KatKisses View Post
Awww, I looove Pits! Now that is heart warming-need to show those pics to all of the "ban pit bulls=they are evil" people!

Glad to hear that you didn't just let them die-and gave them a chance.

How are they today?
They are doing great!

And if you love pitts and cats... just check one of the movie I made with Sweet, on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3aPzhkVaD4
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post #21 of 34
3/13/09 at 6:21pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Studio224 View Post
They are doing great!

And if you love pitts and cats... just check one of the movie I made with Sweet, on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3aPzhkVaD4
What a sweet dog! What a sweet kitten! that kitten looooooooves the dog -- quivering tail, rubbing, kneading!

Did the kitten find a home? Is Sweet your dog now?
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post #22 of 34
3/13/09 at 6:33pm
Thread Starter 
LOL.... They were both for adoption... and both remained with my friend... She could'nt bear to part from them, the pit and the cat...
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post #23 of 34
3/13/09 at 6:47pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Studio224 View Post
LOL.... They were both for adoption... and both remained with my friend... She could'nt bear to part from them, the pit and the cat...
Are the pit and the kitty still best of friends?
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post #24 of 34
3/13/09 at 9:26pm
Thread Starter 
Yes, they are. And he still nurses on her, when he is in the mood. He loves her, he purrs when he is with her...
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post #25 of 34
3/15/09 at 9:02am
Aw, what beauty!

You are from Portugal, a catholic country right?

Im born in Poland, another catholic country. There we had a saying: Gods Mother and the Jesus kid are happily smiling and rejoicing at this!


This story here, although partly sorrow, is a typical example.
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post #26 of 34
3/15/09 at 9:34am
Awww such precious little babies I hope they pull through and what a sweet and nice dog
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post #27 of 34
4/15/09 at 6:40pm
Thread Starter 
Sorry for not getting back sooner to you with news... It's been hectic at the shelter.

Fortunately, I am back with good news. These 2 babies have survived!!! Though they had to be dewormed 3 times before having the right age for that. Against all medical advice, still we are convinced that without that they would have died...

Here are the most recent photos of these 2 little guys...

Dumont:





and Caroline:





And these 2 little guys had the luck of being adopted by a Mom cat that we rescued from the street, who had 3 babies of hers, almost the same age...

Here is the whole family, happily growing until adoption day:



And just one last picture of adoptive Mom and Dumont:

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post #28 of 34
4/15/09 at 6:56pm
I am so happy to hear they both made it and it is great that a mama cat accepted them as her own They are all beautiful.....Great job
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post #29 of 34
4/15/09 at 7:14pm
Oh, that is such good news. They are adorable and look very healthy.

The adoptive momma-cat is just gorgeous!!!!!!

ETA: and I love that Dumont has food all over his nose!
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post #30 of 34
4/15/09 at 9:06pm
I'm glad this story had a happy ending! All of the babies are adorable! Thank goodness you were there to take a chance and save their lives!!
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