Kitten with a small issue

purrito

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Background info: I am currently fostering a mother cat and her three kittens. I was present during the entire birthing process and when the second kitten came out, I noticed her placenta was already gone! I know momma cat did not eat it up immediately after her birth, because I actually had to assist in the delivery of this kitten. The only thing I can think of is that the placenta was delivered before the kitten and momma ate it then or that the placenta was detached internally and came out with the next kitten. The placenta was not retained, as I took the momma and the litter to the vet the day after delivery, because I was concerned about the lack of finding the placenta. The vet gave momma cat a shot of oxytocin, just in case, but nothing was produced. This was 9 weeks ago, so I am pretty sure that a retained placenta would have caused complications by now.

The kitten was born pretty much lifeless, but I was able to revive her with the "throw" and massage method. (Throwing her was not actually throwing, it is where you cup the kitten in your hands, belly down, and make a gentle, throwing motion to expel any membranes/fluid). She cried and was nursing within 10 minutes. The only thing notable about her younger weeks was that she always had her hind legs crossed. They were not twisted in any way, just crossed. I helped keep them uncrossed by adding a small, rolled up, piece of felt between them. This was necessary, due to her favorite teat being on the top row, and her mother only nursed laying on one side. Kind of hard to reach the top teat if your legs are crossed. Eventually, this sorted itself out.

Current issue: This same kitten, 9 weeks old now, walks odd. She has been to the vet, who thinks she has a mild case of hip dysplasia, but won't subject her to an x-ray until she is at least 16 weeks, because she is not having problems and because it may resolve on its own . And she doesn't. She can hop, jump, roll, do the cute sideways-stomp, and run. It is just that her gait is odd, almost like she is a bit bow-legged. And her hind end is more toward the ground than her front end, like an ever-slight crouch. She has no spinal issues or scoliosis, per vet.

Has anyone else seen anything similar? I am hesitant to adopt her out at 12 weeks with just a tentative diagnosis of very mild hip dysplasia. I know I can always make a re-visit to the vet (she will need her next round of vaccines at 12 weeks, so we will be going anyway) and request an x-ray then, but there is no guarantee that the x-ray will show such a mild case, and it doesn't seem to affect her at all. She just walks funny. I'm more worried about long-term implications.

I will post a picture or a video as soon as feasible.

Thanks in advance :)
 

ondine

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Oh, thank you so much for helping them!  I would just make sure that when you get ready to find her a home, to just make sure you are up front about it.  Having the xrays and other vet paperwork will certainly help the potential adopters make a decision as to whether they can handle the situation.

And until the vet says for sure what it is, I wouldn't worry too much about it.  She sounds like she's coping well and developing fairly normally.  It certainly adds to her uniqueness and may help get her a home, actually.

Hopefully it isn't anything too serious.
 
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purrito

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Oh, thank you so much for helping them!  I would just make sure that when you get ready to find her a home, to just make sure you are up front about it.  Having the xrays and other vet paperwork will certainly help the potential adopters make a decision as to whether they can handle the situation.

And until the vet says for sure what it is, I wouldn't worry too much about it.  She sounds like she's coping well and developing fairly normally.  It certainly adds to her uniqueness and may help get her a home, actually.

Hopefully it isn't anything too serious.
I always inform potential owners of any possible health issues.

I don't think it's something serious, which is great news. We do have a lady interested in her and her sister. Just gotta get them their last vet visit and the spay voucher set up.

And you are definitely right about unique! This little one has got some moxie! She climbs up our six foot cat tree like no problem!
 

Her mother is a purebred Oriental, papered and everything, surrendered because the previous owner didn't make the effort to secure her inside prior to breeding. From what I understand, she was going to breed momma with a papered Oriental tom, but momma escaped and bred with an unknown male, and as a result, we have moggies. And this lady had the nerve to say she didn't want momma because she mated with "dirty lineage"...her ACTUAL words!  I mean, I could understand if this lady had un-vaccinated kittens in her home or something and didn't want to risk the possible spread of communicable diseases, but she didn't want momma anymore because she had been exposed to a common tom! What?!

I certainly hope this is not common in the breeder world!
 

StefanZ

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The kitten was born pretty much lifeless, but I was able to revive her with the "throw" and massage method. (Throwing her was not actually throwing, it is where you cup the kitten in your hands, belly down, and make a gentle, throwing motion to expel any membranes/fluid).
I wont argue with success, as you apparently saved her life with your action, but the slunging "throwing" is usually done the other way around:

You take the kitten with backside down into your hand. The top of the fingers steadies and supports the kittens head and neck.  You turn the hand inside up to the ceiling, kittens belly up, back down, and quite quickly stroke the hand with kitten down, in a semicircle to your legs backside, the backside of the hand first.  The water and membranes are centrifuged out "slunged" out.

Try and train some first. If done unskilled it is dangerous for the kitten!

Of course, if you are sure there is water in the kittens lungs, you must do something. If not slunging so try and suck out the water. Which has ITS dangers.

But being desperate and in need, allows you to take risks you wouldnt take otherwise. And this way, the first, most difficult occasion, is done.   :)

To your question in next post

"she was going to breed momma with a papered Oriental tom, but momma escaped and bred with an unknown male, and as a result, we have moggies. And this lady had the nerve to say she didn't want momma because she mated with "dirty lineage"...her ACTUAL words!  I mean, I could understand if this lady had un-vaccinated kittens in her home or something and didn't want to risk the possible spread of communicable diseases, but she didn't want momma anymore because she had been exposed to a common tom! What?!

I certainly hope this is not common in the breeder world!"

Nay, I dont think such a rascism is common among the breeders world. Although they do work with races and breeds. They try not to mix the breeds in our breeding, but they usually dont have bad feelings against other breeds, nor against "common moggies".   Quite a few are participating in rescuing work for homeless ex ferales, as long as they dont risk contagion [from diseases or parasites]. Those who ARE anxious for contagion, try to help out in other ways. Donations of money and gears to shelters nearby, advices on Forums, using their connections to help find adoption homes, etc... Not all, but many do so.

But, such "rascism" you describe is still quite common among people.  Say, the old "custom" a raped girl was no longer interesting for marriage...  And if she after all was accepted for marriage, her status was much lower than otherwise.

So, Im sorry, I dont think this lady is representative for cat people, But she is not entirely unique among people as such...   *sadly smiling*
 
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goholistic

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Since the kitten has had this condition at such a young age, it won't know any different, and she'll learn to do everything in her own way. She may, however, develop severe arthritis or soreness as she ages, and the caregiver will need to be prepared for that. She may need "pet steps," have a litter box on every floor of the house (if multiple levels), etc.

I've never had a cat with this condition, but have known other cats with similar bone and/or growth deformities. Even with x-rays, can anything really be done about it? I wouldn't think they can "re-break" bones like they can with humans, right?
 

StefanZ

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 Even with x-rays, can anything really be done about it? I wouldn't think they can "re-break" bones like they can with humans, right?
Probably they can, but its difficult AND costly.

And because it is costly, it is also done very rarely. The surgeon thus dont having much experience with it. So, it is not enough to find a surgeon who is willing to take the payment and do it, you should preferably also find a surgeon who is experienced with such ortopedic re-breakings and aftercare.

Perhaps somewhere at a vet university??  (although, if a vet university find the case interesting, they will surely give a discount).

Nay, it may be the best way to do as GoHolistic suggest, use the "conservative" treatment.

As home pet, she will surely do all right.
 

maewkaew

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purrito,    thanks for taking care of those babies.  

We've talked here before ( most recently just today)  about kittens born with twisted legs.  and those can be helped by massage, stretching or if necessary bracing.  

This sounds like it may not be the same thing. but what you mentioned about how when she was very young , having the hind legs crossed,   does remind me of that.   It  may be too late. but I wonder if there would be any good from bracing the legs   or if any of the other tips might help.... 

http://www.pandecats.com/x/caring-for-a-kitten-born-with-a-twisted-leg.shtml

http://www.pandecats.com/x/bracing_twisted_hindlegs.shtml

You might consult a veterinary orthopedics expert.   

or just adopt out with  with the X rays and vet evaluation and recommendations of some of the things to try to make life easier.

Stefan,    good description of  the "throwing" .  

Re "dirty lineage "   
       Is this breeder like 100 years old?  I agree with Stefan,  this attitude of that Oriental breeder is NOT common in the cat fancy .     I will add that this kind of thinking   -- that  breeding with a moggy would somehow mean that  not only this litter but the queen's  future progeny  would be moggies  -- was  part of an old  myth that used to be believed by some silly very unscientific breeders -- not just cats  but dogs and  other species,  and in fact   not just about animal husbandry but about  humans.  Some ignorant people used to actually believe that if  a woman had sex with a person of another race,   that would somehow affect her future children even  with the father being a member of her own race,  the kids would somehow be  "impure".    This is that same kind of ridiculous thinking.  

 It's rather funny, too,  since Orientals were  started by people breeding Siamese to moggies.  
 
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