My kitten is not moving!! HELP!

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bibblescalico

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   Hello, I have a 4 month old female kitten named Pepper.  About 2 days ago, my dad noticed that Pepper was staggering about as if she were drunk.  We laughed then, but definitely not now! She cannot even get up, and when we pick her up she goes VERY limp like a stuffed animal.  She has always been very sleepy, and loves liver, ashes (eek!), and her kitten chow.  She keeps her legs stretched out in front of her all the time,  and we have to prop her up with a pillow to keep her head up.  She barely eats, even when we hold her up..... I am very worried about Pepper!  My family does not have enough money to take her to a vet (we have a HUGE farm, and we have 300 other animals to take care of) unless he can really DO something, not take unnecessary x-rays, tests, etc.... I do not like paying $500 and not being able to get a cure in the process.  Please do not judge, money is low when it comes to those things.  PLEASE help!! It is my 9 year old bother's kitten.  He loves her dearly, and would never hurt her.  Thank you kindly!
 

catwoman707

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I am really sorry to hear about this little kitten.

It sounds very, very serious.

The first thing you need to tell me is if she is dehydrated, I highly suspect she is.

This is what causes the limp/lethargy you are seeing.

She's young, so she will be easily dehydrated if she stops eating/drinking, or dramatically slows down.

I also want you to tell me, do you know if she has ever been sick at all, with a cold, even a mild one?

Where did she come from?

Is her tummy bigger than normal, feel squishy at all? Can you tell if she feels warmer than normal? Her ears and paw pads will feel warmer than your fingers when you touch them.

Also, never any judgements here!!
 
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bibblescalico

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She might be dehydrated (we have been syringing water into her mouth), and i think she had a tiny cold for a few days.  She came from a beloved family cat who sadly died a couple weeks ago due to a fox. :(

Her mom had feline herpes when she was pregnant with her, but this stuff that Pepper has going on is not showing up in the two brothers from the litter.

Her tummy is a LITTLE bit bigger, not much, but I only noticed when you asked me.

she doesn't feel warmer than normal.
 

catwoman707

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Just so you know, I have a cat rescue group so I am not one to run to the vet easily. Not only the cost, as my rescue is a non profit, but the fact that I have most of the meds needed for the common cat issues, and as far as kittens, I have the hands on experience that is nearly impossible to find in a vet.

I have to tell you the way I see it, and I am suspecting this is FIP.

Age and symptoms are appropriate, and sadly, there is no cure. None.

There's not even a sure diagnosis. Vets see enough of it though, that they will draw a bit of fluid from her tummy and by the looks of it alone will usually know, although they will measure the specific gravity, etc. to see that it matches fluid contents of a typical FIP cat.

I really hope not, a 9 year old should not have to feel loss of life so young.

She is critically sick though, so in her case I highly advise taking her to a vet ASAP, and if it does look like FIP, please do the kindest thing and have her gently put to sleep, and spared the suffering she is and will go through before she dies on her own. It's an awful, sneaky, horrible thing.

I'm so sorry to have to tell you all of this.
 

catwoman707

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It comes from the coronavirus, which is extremely common, pretty much all cats have been exposed to it at some time or another.

Kittens in multi cat homes or situations will get it. It can show as a mild cold for a short time, this is usually what kittens will show when exposed.

Adults may not even show signs at all.

Coronavirus is not dangerous, however, while the majority of cats and kittens will pass it away as any other virus, occasionally the virus doesn't leave, but hides away, and mutates in to FIP.

There are still many unanswered questions about why it happens to some and not to most, nobody knows.

So in her case, I really do want you to get her to a vet as soon as possible. If it is infact FIP, she is suffering.

It affects breathing as well, which can be why her arms are stretched out.

I would love to tell you different, that it may be some passing virus and she is just dehydrated and weak from it, but I can't. If she is that weak that she must be propped up to hold her head up, she is gravely ill.

I'm very very sorry. It's just the worst thing ever.
 

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If you want to check for FIP, look for these blood test results:
Code:
HIGH neutrophilsLOW to low normal Lymphocytes……later in illness it will be lowHIGH GlobulinsLOW to low normal ALbumin………. later in illness it will be low
Most VETS do not understand they can check FIP from the blood test results. My cat had more than 4 vetenarians with advanced blood testing (all of them did blood testing).....yet they did not suspect FIP. After my cat died, I looked at all the blood reports.........I could clearly see it was FIP.

The standard "mantra" is to put down a cat that has FIP. No one is interested in trying experimental treatment.

If you are interested, this VET treated more than 3000 cats (50% success) with FIP:

http://www.angelfire.com/fl/furryboots/fipcase.html  (case study)

Research:

http://www.angelfire.com/fl/furryboots/fip.html
 
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bibblescalico

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I am okay. I have looked up ALL over the internet, and it really looks like something else. I wonder what?  As for the FIP, she only has about 2 symptoms.  And those are symptoms in lots of other cat diseases.  
 

catwoman707

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Yes it can be something else, but with my experience with kittens this age, there are only a few things that might cause a kitten to get so extremely sick like this, and FIP jumps out at me. No vomiting or I would think something else, nothing else, just limp/lethargic/lack of appetite/activity?

Yes a UTI will do the same, but is very uncommon for a 4 mo old, same with several other illnesses. 

Of course FIP would be the worst, as there is no cure, if her tummy is bigger and feels squishy, that's fluid. If there is not much fluid but a small amt, it can still be drawn out and checked out, looking for color and consistency, as well as protein, etc. consistent with FIP.

There is a wet and a dry form, the dry is much harder to diagnose too.

I am curious at the lack of fever though, usually there is at least a low grade fever, although you may not be able to feel it and would need a rectal temp taken to pick it up.

Bottom line is, it really is important to take her to a vet. It's up to you how much testing that is done, to control the costs of course, but she should have an exam, listen to her heart and lungs, and antibiotics, hear the vet's opinions but if the antibiotics do not make her improve by the 5th dose, then FIP needs to be considered.

Can you post a picture of her, and of her face with her eyes open?

Good luck!
 
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bibblescalico

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I'll try to get one to you ASAP.  I looked up FIP, and the only symptom she has is lethargy.  could this be a neurological thing?
 

catwoman707

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The neurological part is also a symptom of FIP, dry form. Neurological issues other than FIP as the cause are basically trauma or injury caused.

Purring to comfort herself.

Her fur shows dehydration, the ruffled look, she appears to have lost weight as well.

Do you think you can get her seen?

Meanwhile syringe feed her chicken or turkey baby food mixed with pediolyte to keep her going.

At least a full jar a day, about the same amt of pediolyte too.
 
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bibblescalico

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how much do you think the vet bill will be? we can barely afford it.  Everyone is just saying its easier to put her down :....(
 

catwoman707

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If she is seen, the visit is anywhere from 35-50 on average. It varies of course depending on where you are and the vet themselves.

It sure doesn't hurt to call a few to find who is the most affordable.

Vet will do an exam, make a comment at the right time that money is very tight right now and he needs to consider this in his treatment.

Ask if he thinks it's fip, and if he has seen many with fip before too.

He will likely say he can try antibiotics, see how it goes. If he does think it's fip, then skip the antibiotics and go for the fluid examination to help confirm the probability, you can't euthanize just on the 'well it looks like it' verdict, ask if there are other possibilities.

Antibioitic will be around 25. Fluid test might be about the same, but not sure on that one.

She needs fluids though, so unless he really believes it is fip, it will likely be the visit, antibiotic, and fluids. Under 100 or about.

If you do have to have her put down, take her little body home to bury, much cheaper than them 'disposing' of her remains.

There is nothing at all wrong with not being freely able to spend a fortune, so don't be embarrassed, if everyone who took an animal to the vet were totally honest, about 90+% would say it hurt them to spend that amt of money. So vets do get it.
 

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On a very very side note, since you said she had cold like symptoms which can also be related to a herpes flare up, lysine will treat that. You can find lysine treats in most pet stores. They are pretty inexpensive, like 10 bucks for a bag of them in treat form. However, this sounds more severe than simply herpes.
 
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bibblescalico

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Sorry everyone.  Pepper died last night.....

We had a PM done on her, and we found out that she actually had cancer, lukemia, and some stomach issues.  We're going to get a new kitten for my little brother.  According to the vet, she did not suffer much.   thank you everyone so much for your help!
 

catwoman707

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How sad, I'm sorry to hear this!

CANCER? I have never ever seen or heard of a 4 month old with cancer, leukemia.
 
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