I have yet another foster kitten brought to me today, but she's in extremely bad shape! She is covered in maggots! She has them in one eye, one ear, and rectum. I'm not sure what to do or if I can even help her. Please help!
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Emergency Help Please!
- Thread starter fatedone
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Im myself not entirely sure what to do. I suppose you shall try and take the maggots away as far as you can manage it....
But it isnt necessary as bad as it sounds. The maggots have some antibacterial properties, so the bacterias arent eating up her, and there is no decay either.
I remember members of a field ambulance in war telling when they collected wounded soldiers days after battles... They found the wounded in bushes, with wounds full of maggots... But. These wounds werent infected, and no gangrene nor blood poisoning, and thus - most of them could be saved...
Edited some phrasing and spelling. The contends exactly the same.
continuing
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- #3
How do I get them out of her eye? When I open her eye, the maggots retreat. I gently squeezed her ear and I'd say 100 or more came out. The maggots aren't eating her alive, right? I am in quite a panic!
The best is if you do have access to a good vet, who is used to help emaciated, weak cats...
But if you dont have, I shall try and write some ideas how to help a weak, emaciated cat.
In the time, describe more, is she handleable? does she seems to be a dumped homegirl, or is she defensive? Her age? Write any info you may have, it may give me more ideas...
But if you dont have, I shall try and write some ideas how to help a weak, emaciated cat.
In the time, describe more, is she handleable? does she seems to be a dumped homegirl, or is she defensive? Her age? Write any info you may have, it may give me more ideas...
I would wash them off with a gentle shampoo or Dawn detergent soap and a soft cloth or paper towel. Do not use any insecticide, of course. Try and find out if she has any injuries or skin condition that they are breeding from and then see if that can be treated. How old is she? Can you post a picture?
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- #6
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I estimate that she is 7-10 days old. She was lathatgic when she was brought to me, I fed her, she became a bit more active, mewing. She was found on the road, alone.
I think its easiest with tweezers / forceps... You can perhaps at least phone a vet, to get advice re the maggots? I hope they are just locally where they are...
But I understand she is handleable....
I will continue now how to try and keep life in an emaciated cat.
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- #8
OK, she is probably dehydrated. Giving her pedialyte - bough, a flavorless pedialyte for babies is best. But if a flavored one is the only one you can get when in hurry, you can use it to begin with. Otherwise a home made is exellent. For example, have a BOTTLE of good minerale water, open it and ltet the gas out... Add some glucose sugar "dextrose", or white caro syrup, or honey - and voilá, you do have a working home made pedialyte.
Use a needleless syringe if necessary. "forcefeed". In the corner of the mouth, a few drops at a time, so she swallows safely.
If she is very weak, smearing some of the glucose sugar (or alternatives mentioned) on her lips or gum, works nicely. Glucose goes into blood directly from the mouth, it doesnt need to be digested at first.
As a nourishing and easy digestible food, is RAW goat mil excellent. Bottled full fat goat milk is OK too.... These you can also use for the kittens when they come,if necessary.
Otherwise, you can use some kmr. Dont buy Hartz or Sargeants, most other brands are better...
Pet Ags KMR in powder is best, Royal Canin has too a good kitten mothermilk replacement .
Be sure you give the cat a nice and friendly atmosphere. Singing soflty, giving her comfort and human warmth... Talk a lot with a friendly voice.... It encourages her will to fight for life...
Be sure there is nicely warmth. Not too warmt, but all sick people do freeze a lot...
Perhaps continue...
ps. I see its a little kitten, not an preg adult as I thought at first. Still, all the advices here stands essentially fast.
Use a needleless syringe if necessary. "forcefeed". In the corner of the mouth, a few drops at a time, so she swallows safely.
If she is very weak, smearing some of the glucose sugar (or alternatives mentioned) on her lips or gum, works nicely. Glucose goes into blood directly from the mouth, it doesnt need to be digested at first.
As a nourishing and easy digestible food, is RAW goat mil excellent. Bottled full fat goat milk is OK too.... These you can also use for the kittens when they come,if necessary.
Otherwise, you can use some kmr. Dont buy Hartz or Sargeants, most other brands are better...
Pet Ags KMR in powder is best, Royal Canin has too a good kitten mothermilk replacement .
Be sure you give the cat a nice and friendly atmosphere. Singing soflty, giving her comfort and human warmth... Talk a lot with a friendly voice.... It encourages her will to fight for life...
Be sure there is nicely warmth. Not too warmt, but all sick people do freeze a lot...
Perhaps continue...
ps. I see its a little kitten, not an preg adult as I thought at first. Still, all the advices here stands essentially fast.
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OK, phone back and ask about the maggots in the eyes...
Re the maggots in the ears, you can probably do as with mites, have a little drop or two with a common food oil. They suffocate in the oil.
Ah, a little kitten, not a high preg as I imagined at first.
Thus, my advices re goat milk and the kmr stands still.
And also, the pedialyte and the the glucose on the gum....
If she survives the crisis, you will contnue with a more or less normal care of an orphan.
Do you have earlier experiences with this?
I will gladly submit some links, for example, www.kitten-rescue.com...
Ah, carrying at the chest, cangaroo mode, is very efficient helping small kittens...
Do you have earlier experiences with this?
I will gladly submit some links, for example, www.kitten-rescue.com...
Ah, carrying at the chest, cangaroo mode, is very efficient helping small kittens...
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- #13
THANK YOU! I will follow your advice for the weekend. You're a life saver! Doing glucose immediately.
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- #14
Y
This is my second orphan. I remember daily weight checks are important.
Poor baby girl ending up in such a state, thank you so much for taking her in and giving her a chance.
I would say a vets advice is definitely needed about the maggot situation, whilst it is very true they will eat away infection my worry would be they had got right inside of her via her eyes/ears/anus and I am not sure how you would be able to remove them or exactly what damage they will be doing. Poor poor baby
I would say a vets advice is definitely needed about the maggot situation, whilst it is very true they will eat away infection my worry would be they had got right inside of her via her eyes/ears/anus and I am not sure how you would be able to remove them or exactly what damage they will be doing. Poor poor baby
Yes, please return to the vet and request treatment for the eye and ear maggots. It cannot be healthy to have maggots living inside a kitten. She perhaps also needs an antibiotic. She may also need an eye ointment. Be very careful of squeezing her eye.
She needs 8 mL of kitten formula for every ounce of weight at each two-hour feeding. Let us know her weight and we can advise the exact amount. She must be burped and stimulated to go wee and poo.
Do you have a heat source for her? A heating pad on low under her blanket, or hot water bottle? She absolutely must stay warm to eat and digest, esoecially with her fur shaved.
Please let us know her weight and if she is feeding well. Thank you for caring for this kitten. I sure hope she pulls through!
She needs 8 mL of kitten formula for every ounce of weight at each two-hour feeding. Let us know her weight and we can advise the exact amount. She must be burped and stimulated to go wee and poo.
Do you have a heat source for her? A heating pad on low under her blanket, or hot water bottle? She absolutely must stay warm to eat and digest, esoecially with her fur shaved.
Please let us know her weight and if she is feeding well. Thank you for caring for this kitten. I sure hope she pulls through!
Two more tips: you can use Nutri-cal, which is an vitamine paste, (there are other similiar pastes too, I guess most are OK). and also the probiotic BeneBac, made by PetAg. While there are many useful probiotics, the BeneBac was constructed especially for orphans. It contains even an equivalent of colostrum.
@fatedone
@fatedone
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- #18
Unfortunately, the kitten did not make it. Although she was gaining and eating fine, the maggots were just too much. I put all of my best efforts towards her.
I am very sorry to hear that she did not make it. You did everything you could for her and she had a very loving, caring time with you before she passed. She is no longer suffering.Thank you for caring for this kitten. And thank you for letting us know.
I am so sorry the kitten didn't make it. Thank you for caring for her.
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