Help needed with mom and babies

I did take them to the vet this morning and bought scales too. They were a little smaller than we thought but they are doing ok. One in particular is a bit of a worry but im being optimistic.
This morning they weighed
Black and white (the smallest and most difficult to get to drink) - 74 grams (2.61 ounces) and tonight weighs 77grams (2.71 ounces )
Ginger and white- 80 grams (2.82 ounces ) and tonight 83 grams (2.92ounces)
Full ginger - 83 grams (2.92ounces) and now 87 grams (3.06ounces)

My vet recommended possibly glucose . Can anyone tell me what that does?
We discussed how small the kittens are and she said she doesnt believe they were more than 3 days premature bit maybe a little undeveloped

It is good that they are all gaining - that is the important thing, every day. Glucose is an easy way to increase their calory intake, and given in water, it is tasty and can also help fight dehydration which is a great danger for baby kittens. Did the vet give you instructions on how to give it to them?

You are doing very well indeed.

JennyR said:

It is good that they are all gaining - that is the important thing, every day. Glucose is an easy way to increase their calory intake, and given in water, it is tasty and can also help fight dehydration which is a great danger for baby kittens. Did the vet give you instructions on how to give it to them?

You are doing very well indeed.

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I read that premature kittens do take longer to gain wait until they are at their full term gestation day so I'm hoping they start gaining more in the next few days. The littlest one has no interest in feeding at all unfortunately but we are getting there.no, she just said it could be a good idea to help them along given how small they are.
Thankyou. Im trying my absolute best. I was up most of last night feeding them even though I had an operation today (hubby fed them while I was having it). I truly love these little guys and im doing everything I can for them.

Also have managed with a lot of time and effort to get one latching on to mumma and she has produced the tiniest amount of milk. No way enough to sustain them but any mumma milk is better than none right?

I'm wondering if you're wasting their energy getting them to suckle from mom for now. You want them to be sleeping pretty much whenever you're not feeding them. If they're not getting much from her, I think it may be best to wait until they're a bit stronger. Otherwise you're also making them less likely to accept supplementing from you.

tiger91

I disagree. I think any and all suckling is positive. It helps the kittens learn to suckle (their only real job right now), it may bring mom's milk in, and also provides them with comfort. Helps mom stay bonded to them as well.

They should be getting enough formula to stay strong, and should gain a strong suckling instinct any day now.

The fact they have gained weight is excellent. The more you feed them the easier syringing will get. Once they begin suckling in earnest, they will be much easier and quicker to feed.

How's mama kitty doing, and how is the feeding going?

Also, glucose is an excellent idea. Goes straight to the bloodstream to perk them up.

Did you get glucose? If not, honey will work. When a kitten is ill or fading, we always recommend glucose or honey. A few drops through the syringe before feeding or in between feedings will help a great deal!

Kittens do sleep a great deal, but will usually mew when hungry. However, DO wake them for scheduled feedings. They must not miss a feeding at this age!

tiger91 said:

I did take them to the vet this morning and bought scales too. They were a little smaller than we thought but they are doing ok. One in particular is a bit of a worry but im being optimistic.
This morning they weighed
Black and white (the smallest and most difficult to get to drink) - 74 grams (2.61 ounces) and tonight weighs 77grams (2.71 ounces )
Ginger and white- 80 grams (2.82 ounces ) and tonight 83 grams (2.92ounces)
Full ginger - 83 grams (2.92ounces) and now 87 grams (3.06ounces)

My vet recommended possibly glucose . Can anyone tell me what that does?
We discussed how small the kittens are and she said she doesnt believe they were more than 3 days premature bit maybe a little undeveloped

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3-4 grams adding during 12 hours is OK, as they shall add 6-8g a day.  If they were bigger their ratio would be 8-10g, or even 10+, but for these smallish its OK.  IF you proceed during the other half od day too, of course...

Yes, glucose is good, easy and quick perking of energy, esp if they begin to become lethargic...  Just smear it on the mouth, it doesnt need to be digested.

Its also a base for homemade pedialyte.

I think I wrote about it earlier here, but I wonder if some posts hadnt  disapeeared.

Nay, they cant be more than 3 days too early, they wouldnt survive.   Although I confess one forumite had one survivor born 4 days too early - but this must have been a record.

Two days perhaps, is my guess.

sarthur2 said:

tiger91

I disagree. I think any and all suckling is positive. It helps the kittens learn to suckle (their only real job right now), it may bring mom's milk in, and also provides them with comfort. Helps mom stay bonded to them as well.

They should be getting enough formula to stay strong, and should gain a strong suckling instinct any day now.

The fact they have gained weight is excellent. The more you feed them the easier syringing will get. Once they begin suckling in earnest, they will be much easier and quicker to feed.

How's mama kitty doing, and how is the feeding going?

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Mum is doing amazing given the circumstances. She absolutely adores them and is doing everything she is meant to. Shes cleaning them, helping them wee and poo and cuddling up to them. She is however a little antsy and cries alot to come out of the room

sarthur2 said:

Also, glucose is an excellent idea. Goes straight to the bloodstream to perk them up.

Did you get glucose? If not, honey will work. When a kitten is ill or fading, we always recommend glucose or honey. A few drops through the syringe before feeding or in between feedings will help a great deal!

Kittens do sleep a great deal, but will usually mew when hungry. However, DO wake them for scheduled feedings. They must not miss a feeding at this age!

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I'm off to get some right now. So they only need a teeny bit?
They do sleep in between feedings. I wake them up every 2 hours and as long as they are very warm they are starting to suckle. Not much at all but so much better than they were. They have 2 suckles and then just sit their with it in their mouth so im having to coax them alot to take more.

StefanZ said:

3-4 grams adding during 12 hours is OK, as they shall add 6-8g a day.  If they were bigger their ratio would be 8-10g, or even 10+, but for these smallish its OK.  IF you proceed during the other half od day too, of course...

Yes, glucose is good, easy and quick perking of energy, esp if they begin to become lethargic...  Just smear it on the mouth, it doesnt need to be digested.

Its also a base for homemade pedialyte.


I think I wrote about it earlier here, but I wonder if some posts hadnt  disapeeared.

Nay, they cant be more than 3 days too early, they wouldnt survive.   Although I confess one forumite had one survivor born 4 days too early - but this must have been a record.
Two days perhaps, is my guess.

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Thano you. They are still a little underdeveloped for their gestation I think but im wondering if that is because mum Is quite small herself?

tiger91 said:

Thano you. They are still a little underdeveloped for their gestation I think but im wondering if that is because mum Is quite small herself?
 

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Yes and no.  A smallish mom will tend to get somewhat smallish kittens, true.  but these here are somewhat premature not because they dont weight very much, but because we can visible see they arent really fully cooked, the bare skin on the legs for example.    Fully made are hairier and rounder.  Even the smallish ones on about 70-75.  They will be shorter, but rounder.

We had here kittens of over 100g, whom by most signs were premature, so even if its better for a premature to be 105 than 60, its the being premature which is the real problem, not the weight as such.

As said, 75-80 is the very lowest segment of the normal, but still quite a few vere that weight and entirely healthy, making it with just a little extra care, usually help not to be set aside by bigger siblings.. 

tiger91 said:

Mum is doing amazing given the circumstances. She absolutely adores them and is doing everything she is meant to. Shes cleaning them, helping them wee and poo and cuddling up to them. She is however a little antsy and cries alot to come out of the room

I'm off to get some right now. So they only need a teeny bit?
They do sleep in between feedings. I wake them up every 2 hours and as long as they are very warm they are starting to suckle. Not much at all but so much better than they were. They have 2 suckles and then just sit their with it in their mouth so im having to coax them alot to take more.

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Yes, its so effective its just some few amount.  Esp if they get lethargic, smear on their lips and gum - its ofthen the trick.   Prob best with liquid.  Or blend in with this kmr.

If you cant get glucose / dextrose / dextropur proper, so white caro syrup, or glucose syrup contains much solved glucose.. Even honey if you dont find anything better.  Warm up the honey some, so it wll be fluid and solve easier.   Raw honey from a local producent may even be extra healthy, contains some natural antibiotica and enzymes.

Thankyou so much everyone for all your help. I really couldn't be doing this without your help and support . I appreciate it so much

You really need to be using a syringe on these tiny kittens since they are not suckling well yet. The beauty of using a small syringe is that you are able to drip the milk into the side of the mouth drop by drop, allowing time for them to swallow and breathe. A couple of drops at a time. Slow going but they will get more than with the bottle right now. They will graduate to a bottle soon enough once they begin to suckle well.

If they do not get 2 mL's every 2 hours they will go downhill fast and you will lose them. I urge you to switch to a syringe immediately.

Just thought I'd update.
I'm about to take them to a neonatal foster carer. I feel like this is the best thing I can do to give them a chance at survival. Im crying my eyes out but I know I need to do it. If they survive, I can have them back in a month to continue caring for them. She specialises in this

Will the foster care be able to keep them with mom? That seems like such an advantage in this case.

I think you are doing the best posible thing for the kittens. It's really all about them at this point.

Is this someone who has a foster mom for them, or who simply specializes in feeding and caring for newborn kittens?

Either way, you should consider taking your mama cat to them too, so they still have their mama and she still has her babies. Then, as soon as possible, you bring them all back to your home together when they are weaning. Otherwise, mama will grieve her kittens terribly, and they will grieve her. Not good.

If you've already taken them, consider taking mama over too for 3-4 weeks only. They need their mama and she needs them.

I applaud what you are doing, just please include mama kitty too if possible.

And please give us the update.

Mumma kitty has gone with them. She encouraged this so that is good. She specialises in neonatal animals and has cared for kittens with birth weight as low as 60 grams.
Unfortunately I just got a message that she is rejecting the little black and white kitten (the one that feeds less) so she is caring for him separately

It does sound like they're in the best possible place, and you've done the very best for them. Please continue to update!

I'm glad to hear that mama went too. Hopefully that kitten will get stronger and can return to his mother too. Sometimes mama cats will reject a kitten when they sense there is a problem. In this case it sounds like he's a runt and does need special care.

Let us know if the kittens are getting bigger and stronger. Will you be able to visit?