One of Tigger's kittens is trying to die!?!

That is true.. No one but us knows..

I'm so sorry you're going through this and I'm sending prayers for the remaining four that they can kick this!! Little does that vet know how determined and passionate you are to save these little ones. Sending prayers and good vibes your way!!!

I would ask the vet for lessons on tube feeding and giving sub-q fluids at home. If he's being that negative, he may be a pain about it, but make it clear you really want to try.

I've seen sub q done dozens of times and I was a practicing nurse for 9 years. It would be nice to have such things on hand.

They have been feeding well tonight. I was finally brave enough to weigh them and was pleasantly surprised. The three that received fluids were the same weight as yesterday evening. The tabby girl, Sky, who didn't recieve fluids had gained 1/2 an ounce.

They all seem strong tonight and God willing they will see another day. I'm hoping the sulfa if given a chance will be the catapult these little ones need.

I am determined to make that vet eat her words.

Imho as a health care professional, that vet is utterly unprofessional and unethical even to make such a negative assertion about those adorable needy mittens she must realize you are working heart and soul to save! I would report her to their Assn 's ethics committee. I serve on. an ethics committee for my specialty and we hear all kinds of complaints. I personally would take that one very seriously. How can she be interested in the welfare of the kittens when she smmakes such desultory remarks!!! Keep up the good work! I agree re dextrose based tube feedings - anything with glucose (I have seen people I
in dire situations use honey or as Hissy recommended, corn syrup combined with other other electrolytes) . I only k.ow how to keep people alive but the loss of basic electrolytes -and I have a Vet textbook in digital format if that will help re the treatment of kittens and a section on ill kittens.
You are giving them essentially devoted ICU care so that vet should en courage you!! I will think good thoughts for these babies!!! If they are keeping on weight, that is an excellent sign. Take care!

Levi68 said:

I've seen sub q done dozens of times and I was a practicing nurse for 9 years. It would be nice to have such things on hand.

They have been feeding well tonight. I was finally brave enough to weigh them and was pleasantly surprised. The three that received fluids were the same weight as yesterday evening. The tabby girl, Sky, who didn't recieve fluids had gained 1/2 an ounce.

They all seem strong tonight and God willing they will see another day. I'm hoping the sulfa if given a chance will be the catapult these little ones need.

I am determined to make that vet eat her words.

Click to expand...

I'm surprised he didn't show you.. I'm also a nurse and have had to do sub-q's and tube feedings several times before with my fosters and my own cats. The humane society had no problem showing me how to do it and when my own cat needed sub-q's my own vet showed me again. It's not that tricky of a thing to do, and as you said, very nice to have on hand.

Please keep us posted on how they're doing today!!

If you dont have anybody to show you how to tube, and you are enough desperate, you can google for it.

I made myself a quick seach on "kitten tube feeding", and there come up quite many sites.  Read on them at least several as Some seems to describe OK enough. both what gear to use, where to get if if you have time, and where to get emergency gear if you dont have time, etc...

I suppose you can also seek on youtube.

It is not the same thing as a good, slow showing with explanation and feedback, but as said, if desperate enough...

I suppose the same is for injecting fluids.  I suspect it isnt that difficult for somebody who can think and plan, the big problem here you must have the right gear, ie a real injection.  And of course, a sterile one.

A sterile pedialyte is also an big advantage.

Good luck!

Well, they all made it through the night They have been feeding well. The a bit concerned about the little tabby boy. He's the only one that lost weight (not much ..but) He is still screaming loudly to be fed and having diarrhea that just shoots out. The two girls are doing very well for weight. Tiny little Ben is back fighting the fight.

They have had their second dose of Sulfa. The vet recommended giving them Strongid as well but I'll wait til later tonight.

I'll upload some pics of the buggers
 

<3 So sorry about Lewis, I hope all of the other kittens survive.

Why don't you buy some Baycox?  It is hard to find in the US, but you can buy it from another country as well.

I went through coccidia with my kittens. It took 3 treatments with Albon to clear up. I swore that if I ever rescued more I would buy the Baycox as the other treatments are just plain ineffective.

Here is a place in the US that sells it for horses. Not sure if you need a script or not. That is cheaper than another vet visit!  Although you would need to figure out how to dose it for kittens and whether it needs to be diluted down or not.  A good vet will write a script for a non-FDA approved product (or off-label use).

http://horseprerace.com/toltrazuril/toltrazuril-for-epm-200ml/

Last time I checked you had to order it from Europe for 2x that price. Glad to see the price has gone down.  here is some more information on dosing and diluting:

http://books.google.com/books?id=A5...#v=onepage&q=baycox for sale for cats&f=false

A vet in town has said he would sell a bottle of it at cost to the shelter. But unless I pay for it...they won't. Extremely tight on money even though it would save in vet bills down the road.

I've already told them to call him and I'll pick it up, pay for it and they can keep it at the shelter. It has a long shelf life and the dosage is so small. It should last quite a while.
 

Photos :

The runt - Little Ben


His sister Jenny


Sky


Argo aka Mr. Yappy

Ohh myyy gosh they are too precious <3

Awwww they are so cute!!! Little Ben! He's so teeny and sweet!! How are they doing today?

They are doing better!

Weights on Sunday March 3

Jenny: 6.50 oz

Sky:     6.70 oz

Argo:   6.50 oz

Ben:    5.10 oz

There weights on Tuesday night after the vets at the start of the Sulfa were:

Jenny: 6.40 oz

Sky:    7.60 oz

Argo:   6:40 oz

Ben:    5.60 oz

Last evening:

Jenny: 6.80 oz

Sky:    8.15 oz

Argo:   6.40 oz

Ben:    5.95 oz

This morning:

Jenny:  7.05 oz

Sky:      8.20 oz

Argo:    6.70 oz

Ben:     6:30 oz
 

So, Ben is really worrying me. He was gaining not to bad but he's not feeding as well as he had and his weight gain is minimal. He also has the skinny everywhere, bloated belly thing still going on.

They have been dewormed and had three doses of sulfa so far.

They are still with momma. Both boys seem to still have diarrhea. Any ideas?

I really don't want to lose him.

They are 3 weeks on Sunday, can I try him on a bit of pumpkin?
 

5.95 to 6.3 = .35 oz = 9.92g = OK in my book - it's well less than 24 hours between the weighings.

Yes, I agree but that was yesterday. His weight tonight is only 6.25 oz. He's got watery diarrhea.

Are you giving them with diarrhea pedialyte with dextrose and salts?

Basic pedialyte is not difficult to make at home.

Such a pedialyte is the main weapon against the manslaughter cholera, alone cutting the death rate from 80% into perhaps 10, or 20% at most.  It should help kittens too.

Reusing an older post: 

"During the time, keep on what you are doing, ie forcefeeding if necessary, and force watering with pedialyte.

If you can get hold on goat milk, use it too. 

If  salmonella in eggs is no problem at your place, raw egg yolk (the yellow of the eggs), is good.

You can use a home made pedialyte, which may perhaps even be better than the industrial made:

1 litre water,

1 soup spoon of dextrose = glucose sugar (best) or honey or white caro syrup. Common sugar may be used, but the other alternatives better. Dextrose clearly best.

1 teaspoon kitchen salt.  If you can choose among different sorts, take the so called mineral kitchen salt, ie with several different iones, not only the most common salt NaCl, but also K, Mg, etc...  This sort can be found in Sweden (and dextrose too), so I suppose you can find it in your country too.

Use common water? With heavy diarrheas,  he has surely big drainage of electrolytes. "

A little baking soda may also be added, to increase electrolytes content. but not necessary for the basic recipe.

If this pedialyte is the main source for keeping life, you can have a little more dextrose in.

Edit 1. 

An alternative are some commercially buyed waters, gased or not, but containing different salts.

If gased, let the coldioxide out before you use it.

Add of course the glucose for best measure.

Edit 2.

The given dosages of  glucose and salts may/shall probably be bigger.

Double them.   

I have used Oral Rehydration Solution on cats and kittens many times, always with good results. The recipe I use is the UNICEF one. . .2 tablespoons (6 teaspoons) of sugar and half a teaspoon of salt per quart of water. Dehydration is the biggest problem with diarrhea, so hopefully that will help him. . .poor little guy .