Shortened ribs on 2 month old kitten

Hi ~  I have taken this kitten to two vets to far for different opinions about her rib cage along with breathing issues. 

One vet told me not to worry about the ribs as the kitten was still developing and the labored breathing was due to an upper-respiratory and given Lysine .. I never went back

Second vet told me same thing, she will grow into her ribs.  Her litter mate does not have this. 

It feels like when I place her on her back, I feel only a few ribs coming together in between her forearms, then her tummy sticks out.  I feel ribs running down the side of her body, but it just seems the ribs inbetween her forearms are just very different then what I feel with her sibbling.

Has anyone ever heard of this, could this be congenital?

LuvMyCat6204

I can't quite 'see' what you are describing, but an wondering if this could be a case of flat-chest or funnel-chest (pectus excavatum). 

Have a look at this site and see if any of it makes sense.

My boy has pectus excavatum, which is how I know about it.

Hello Mani and thank you for responding to my post.  Indeed the way this feels, it looks like in the diagram that this is a funnel shaped rib cage.

Other than an x-ray, what is the prognosis for your kitty?

LuyMyCat6204

I am taking her in today for a good going over and see what this vet says, this will be the third vet I have taken her to.  This vet is older and has been around and is a good diagnostician.

Wish me luck.

LuvMyCat6204

Hello Mani ~ I was doing some research last night and the pictures of a funnel diagram seems to be spot on.  Initially when I brought her home, the vet blamed her labored breathing on an upper respiratory.  However, now she's very active, races around her home with her littermate and her labored breathing has stopped.  I am worried that there is no protection of ribs to cover her heart and lungs as her ribs come together very high up in between her forearms.

Other than an x-ray to confirm this, what is the prognosis of your kitty?

LuvMyCat6204

Took her in today and she does have pectus excavatum.  I have to watch her for breathing issues.  He did not x-ray but will do so in two months or if need be

sooner.

LuvMyCat6204

My 8 week old kitten was just diagnosed with pectus excavatum ("funnel chest")

Here is a definition for you: Pectus excavatum (PE) is a congenital malformation of the sternum and costochondral cartilages causing narrowing of the chest ventrodorsally or sternal depression. Chest compression may reduce pulmonary and cardiac function. In FCK, the ribcage angles sharply at the costochondral junction and the chest is flattened ventrally. I am hoping she grows out of this or she may need surgery to allow her to breathe and have normal heart rhythm. Stella has not been thriving, weight wise, which is a side effect of this condition.

When I first brought her home at age 6 weeks she had labored breathing but the vet thought she had an upper respiratory and was given Lysine.  In the last month her labored breathing has gone away and she's very active with her sibling racing around her home. But her coat is very dry and rough looking.

I have been doing some reading about this condition and as long as she receives good nutrition she could possibly outgrow this condition.  However, she has had chronic diarrhea since I first brought her home,she was a rescue kitten from a feral mother in a barn.  She has had numerous fecals and deworming and nothing is shown that she has anything. I did ask about Fluke worms but my vet indicated to me that cats do not get them, only large farm animals.   We are looking at food choices to get her diarrhea under control and she is now on Hills Prescription I/D for now to see. I add FortiFlora to her food.  I know Hills does not have the best ingredients in it, but when she was in Natures Variety Instinct Limited Diet, her diarrhea did not improve and got worse.

Yesterday she got a shot of Ivomactin and Centrine for the gastric tract, I'm giving her Pedialyte to add to her supportive intake of fluids. I have been trying home remedies but it's gone on too long and she needs veterinary support now.

Her first vet visit, she weighed 1 pound 3 ounces.  Now, one month later her weight is now 2 pounds,so she is gaining but still very tiny for her age.

Also, one more thing, kittens at a very early age may not thrive with this condition and this is what I may be fighting against.

Thank you for reading my post !!

LuvMyCat6204

I'm so sorry I haven't been back to respond, @LuvMyCat6204

 It was touch and go with my boy, but only when he was tiny.  Once they reach a certain age they're pretty safe, but there may be breathlessness. My boy is 2 and fine except he sometimes has to stop and just 'pant', and he's not so good at jumping. It really depends on how serious it is.  I know what you mean about being concerned about the ribs being protective.  You need to see an xray to understand how much that will effect your girl's life..

 The fact that your vet didn't xRay means they are not too concerned.

Please keep me posted and I promise to check more often!  

Thank you Mani for responding to this post.  I'm very worried about her right now as she has not been thriving.  It seems to come and go.  She's only 3 months old and weights 1 pound 8 ounces.  Her brother is now 3 pounds and plays hard with her.  I want to wrap her in cotton to protect her.

Vet said he will check when she comes in for a spay or sooner if she has difficulty breathing. 

LuvMyCat6204

So she still has the diarrhea?  It would be good to have an xray.  I'm a little surprised they haven't done one, but there is probably good reason.

Her diarrhea (pudding like) varies each time she poops. Her system keeps trying to regulate itself.  She has had loose stools since she came home to me on May 23rd.  I will talk to my vet on Thursday and that will be a good question to ask.  Thank you.

Also, could the diarrhea be linked to the deformity?  It seems unlikely as it impacts far more on the chest, but it's still worth asking.

Good morning Mani ~  There is a link between diarrhea and this deformanity. However, since she got a shot of Ivermectin and Centrine and has started on Hills Prescription I/D, she has been having solid bowel movements.  Now, when the drugs start to wear off by Thursday and her diarrhea returns it would suggest this may be part of her funnel rib syndrome. She is still sooo thin.  I feed her now round the clock every 4 hours last two days.  She has refused to drink the Pedalyte so had to go back to regular filtered water.

I'm worried I will loose her *tears* You said it was pretty touch and go for awhile, can you describe what went on that you did to help your cat survive?

LuvMyCat6204

It was a wait and see thing, @LuvMyCat6204  

There is the option of an operation with a splint inserted but I actually couldn't put him through it, even if it was available where I am.

Sundar would let me dropper-feed him things.  He still likes me to do it!   I was giving him high calorie nutrients the vet recommended.. and probiotics seemed to be important in his case. 

So the important thing, as you and your vet know, is to try to get good food and fluids into her.  She is gaining weight, even though it's a slow process, and that is so important.

She has found you, so she's a very lucky girl.

Good evening Mani ~ Not sleeping tonight as I am worrying about my little furry friend. Tell me, I know nutrition is key with this. I am giving her Forti Flora sprinkled on her food, but you mentioned you are giving your baby high calorie nutrients.  I wanted to add Rebound vitamins but my vet said not to at this juncture.  What high quality nutrients are you giving him?

Tonight both kittens raced around the livingroom at a high rate of speed and I saw no labored breathing, although she finds it very uncomfortable

to be picked up under her ribcage. I'm thinking the exercise and activity will be helpful for her recovery.  I know about that surgery as my vet proposed it,

but wanted me to wait and see how things go for her. 

Still I am sick with worry about this.

Oh, and the injections and change of food worked and she now is having a much bigger appetite and solid bowel movements.  My vet wants me to

contact him next Thursday to see if she is stabilizing. 

Thank you Mani for keeping up with us, support is soo important.  I did notify the rescue person who didn't seem very interested in hearing about this at all.

LuvMyCat6204.

Rescue people can be really overloaded.. but I really understand the need for support.

I don't remember what I gave him in terms of nutrients, but, to be honest, I think your vet has a really good handle on this.

And, with the vitamins, giving them is not the best idea when your vet is creating a feeding scenario that works. You wouldn't want to throw anything out of balance.

It will be interesting to see if the diarrhea returns by Thursday.. Those two drugs (I'm not familiar with them; I just looked them up, as I'm sure you have too) do different things, so if it does return it may just be a matter of the Centrine to stop spasms?  I'm just guessing here.  I had to do a lot for my boy on my own as we don't have the resources here that you have in the States.

One thing I absolutely agree with you about the exercise and activity.  I was on another cat site before I came here and left as people were giving me a hard time, wanting me to mollycoddle him and not let him do anything, but without any knowledge to back it up.  I simply did not agree.  I think, as long as she's happy doing it, exercise is really important. Sundar used to climb and reach, and I really encouraged it.  I was sure it helped his recovery.  But the obvious thing here is to be absolutely sure she's not overdoing it or showing signs of discomfort.

I would say that your girl's deformity is probably a little different to Sundar's, although both are obviously PE.  He was a lot more breathless, but he didn't mind being touched in the area.  He also has a pretty full-on spinal deformity.

Were your boy and girl from the same litter?

BTW.. if I don't get round to answering, it's because I'm often asleep when you're awake..