Just as I thought that everything that could go wrong with Cleo's litter already had, we got a new problem. Two of the kittens had started using their back legs, standing up and even walking, but Shaun's back legs remained flat and splayed out like a seal's flukes. I started trying to massage them and position them into place a couple times a day, figuring he was just a bit behind in development and would catch up. Then I started poking around online to see what others have done for slowed leg development, which led me to finding out about "swimmer kittens" and the sometimes associated Flat Chested Kitten Syndrome. So I checked Shaun's chest and, sure enough, it's flat.
Now that I know about this, thinking back, the brown tabby that passed away when they all got their URIs must have had this as well. I have photos of him swimming, but they were blurry so I didn't use them.
I can't tell how severe Shaun's chest is, I don't think his sternum is inverted but I can't rightly tell. He is more lethargic than the other kittens, he doesn't nurse as long (so I've started supplementing him again), and he does breathe twice as fast as the others. I'll try taping his back legs together like I read one family tried with their swimmer kitten, but other than that, I don't know what more to do nor what his chances are.
Now that I know about this, thinking back, the brown tabby that passed away when they all got their URIs must have had this as well. I have photos of him swimming, but they were blurry so I didn't use them.
I can't tell how severe Shaun's chest is, I don't think his sternum is inverted but I can't rightly tell. He is more lethargic than the other kittens, he doesn't nurse as long (so I've started supplementing him again), and he does breathe twice as fast as the others. I'll try taping his back legs together like I read one family tried with their swimmer kitten, but other than that, I don't know what more to do nor what his chances are.
