Need some help concerning kitten flu.

jaz

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Hello all,
I have a question abt kitten flu. One of my kitten is infected with kitten flu and she is very weak. We brought her to the vet yesterday they told us there is nothing to worry abt as she will be fine in a few days. The vet prescribe us with antibiotic. She advice us to give her antibiotic twice a day(morning and evening) and had advice us to wean the little kitten with soft cat food (the name of the food is hill prescription) because it contain high in calories and protein that could promote speedy recovery or so i was told. She has showed a tiny improvement from yesterday but she is still very weak
I also make sure that she drink water to prevent her from feeling dehydrated. My question is , how much water does she need at least? Its difficult to make her drink because she kept refusing the syringe
We normally feed her through a bottle but she's too weak to drink from the bottle. She has started to open her eyes but like I mention earlier is still very weak. I'm worried sick.

How long does it take a kitten to heal from kitten flu? Is there anything else I need to know?

Also I have been trying to keep her warm by covering her body with a blanket but she's always avoiding the blanket. Any help and advice would be highly appreciated at this moment. Kind of desperate and worried


I read somewhere that abandon kittens usually has very low immune, which is also why I'm freaking out a little.
 

farleyv

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How old is the kitten. If she is that weak, I would certainly call the vet back this am. She may need to get fluids through an IV from the doctor. The best thing to keep the kitten warm is a heated pad. You can buy a heat disc at the pet store. Or there are other ways. A hot water bottle placed under her blanket so she can lay on it. Don't make it too hot! Covering her probably won't work, but a warm pad of some sort. They sell heated cat beds and heated pads especially for cats. I would be cautious using a human pad with her nails. Even a jar of warm water wrapped in a towel would help.

I would still ring the vet and ask about the weakness. She is going to need fluids asap.

You are so good to take such care of the little one. Please keep us posted. Another thought. Any kind of "roof" over her bed will keep the heat down at her level..A box inside another box so there is an overhang will keep the heat down by her.
 

kailie

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Poor little doll.
Yes, keeping the kitten warm at this point is a must. If you do not have a heating pad, a vet once gave me a wonderful idea to keep kittens warm. You fill a 2 litre pop bottle with hot water and wrap it in a towel or blanket. It stays warm for quite awhile.


And yes, if you are finding that the kitten is not drinking enough water and you're not seeing much improvement, ask the vet if IV fluids would be feasable at this point because they can get dehydrated VERY easily. With the antibiotics, you usually will see some kind of improvement within 3 days hun. I know it's rough. I've been there, especially where I foster shelter cats who almost always come sick Sending lots of good vibes!
 

stephanietx

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When kittens are so sick, it's all their little bodies can do to fight off the infection. I would not hesitate to take her back to the vet if you don't think she's improving like she should. They could keep her for the day and feed her through an IV and also give her IV liquids. Nursing a kitten through the cat flu is very stressful and it takes a long time for them to kick it, but it can be done.

To keep her warm, you can lay a heating pad wrapped up very well in a towel down for her to snuggle on. You don't want it to burn her, but you do want her kept warm. If you have an old blanket, towel, or comforter, let her snuggle in that. You could also put an old shirt down (worn and ready to be washed so it has your scent on it) on top of the heating pad wrapped in a towel so that she can have your smell near her. If possible, you might want to get an electric heater to put in the room where she's sleeping to keep it warmer than the rest of the house.

You can water down the canned food to a thick oatmeal-like consistency and force feed her. This way she'll get food and water. If you're here in the US, you can go to the store and get plain Pedialyte (in the baby section) and use that to help keep her hydrated. Keep trying to feed her even if she resists the syringe. You might need to get a bigger syringe with a bigger opening, too. You can try a feed store if you have one in your area, or get one from your vet.

To test to see if she's properly hydrated, pinch the skin on the back of her neck. If it snaps back down, she's getting enough to drink. If it stays up or goes down very slowly, then she's not and needs supplemental water.

You might also go over to the Pregnant Cat and Kitten forum and try to make the homemade kitten formula for her. http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=46295

Try steaming her in the bathroom while you shower or running a vaporizer 24/7 in her room so that the steam will help open up the nasal passages. Also, warm the food up just till the coolness of it is gone. Not only does it enhance the flavor, it helps her smell it better. If she can't smell it, then she won't eat it.

Will keep you both in my prayers. It's tough to see them so sick and weak
 
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