Deworming newborn kittens

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...

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)

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?

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.

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.

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.

tinahaj... they don't have a mom... they have been found in a garbage can.

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.

They were found in a garbage can? No wonder they're full of worms! Poor little guys....

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: ).

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.

How cute. I really hope they survive all this. Lots of healing & growing for the babies.

I am glad you did it... I hope it all works out!

Will send vibes for the little one - great that you have a sub mom to help out for the time being.

I'm glad you tried that too. It seems like it is much better than just letting them die. Good luck to the kittens!

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?

for the little cuties! Bless you for taking them in and helping them.

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!

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...

Yay! It's sounding like you did great!

Originally Posted by KatKisses

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?

Click to expand...

They are doing great!

And if you love pitts and cats... just check one of the movie I made with Sweet, on youtube: