Very sick Kitten #2

halfamill

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So this is kind of a continuation of this thread http://www.thecatsite.com/t/322983/very-sick-kitten

Last week my wife took in a sick kitten and it died. Afterwards on Sunday my wife took in the other 2 kittens because they weren't being taken care of well and made a cozy bed for the kittens and the mother as well. She was rejecting the kittens at first but then accepted her kittens back and fed them well. Their stools were normal as well. Now one of the last 2 kittens left is breathing very slowly and can't stand up. The eyes also look very disoriented. The stomach is very swollen and overall the kitten looks very lifeless. It is very difficult to get a vet service on this island because it is non existent. This island is in the central american country of Nicaragua.  Again these kittens are 8 weeks old. As a last ditch effort my wife called a free lance non-official vet who works mostly on farm animals to see if anything can be done.  I'm wondering if there is any last minute thing that she can do to help this kitten and prevent the third kitten from going through the same things? 
 
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halfamill

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Never mind the kitten has passed away as well.  I want to at least prevent the death of the third one who is having signs of weakness as well. Should the last kitten stay away from her mother?
 

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Is the mother getting enough to eat?  They need other food, mom's milk is not going to be enough at this age.  Boiled chicken, fresh fish, scrambled or cooked eggs.
 
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halfamill

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Is the mother getting enough to eat?  They need other food, mom's milk is not going to be enough at this age.  Boiled chicken, fresh fish, scrambled or cooked eggs.
I gave her that advice but she said they won't eat. The last kitten is very weak but is still breathing.The guy came in and gave the kitten and the mother a dewormer hopefully that can help?
 

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H halfamill

I hate to say it, but you will probably lose this last kitten too. They probably all have the same thing, and I'm guessing feline distemper or FIP. They both take down kittens quickly and suddenly because their immune systems are weak.

You can try to syringe feed the kitten with goat's milk or kitten formula, if you can get either. Or you can make a homemade pedialyte using water, a sprinkle of salt and sugar and try to feed this. Putting honey on the gums may perk the kitten up temporarily.

I'm so sorry you are losing the kittens. It's very sad at 8 weeks.

Are you able to acquire antibiotics such as amoxicillin? If so, you can always try it.

Keep us posted.
 
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StefanZ

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Yeah, it sounds bad. I agree with @sarthur2   A direct conclusion is, your wife´s home is from now a contagion zone.   I hope she had them separated in ONE room, using especial clothes with them.

If so, it makes it easier to clean off everything - wash in virkon or something similiar  antiviral / antibacterial agent.

Anyway, for several months she cant visit other cats, cuddle with other cats, etc, etc...  The only cats she may possibly dare to touch, is healthy adult ferales / homeless streetcats.  

Because a succesfull streetcats does has the immune system high above average, and also, almost surely already met these viruses without becoming sick.

Washing off everything scrupolously shortens down this  sanitar-cordon period, of course.  But still, dont take risks even with thoroughful washing.

It may be worth to analyse what they died off - distemper or FIP.  For me it sounds as FIP but I dont really know.  If you have possiblility to let a vet give an opinion by what you already wrote... Shorten the story, just All the symptoms..

I mean, FIP istn that high contagious, the danger is biggest in your home.

While distemper is highly contagious, and you can carry the virus on you too...   BUT  many cats are vaccinated,  so it may be possible to meet a healthy home cat, with just basic precautions.

Last little advice from me.   Making a homemade pedialyte, if you have honey home, its better to use honey in the recipe than the usual table sugar.  The WHO recipe uses common sugar, because they want anybody even in a poor willage can make homemade pedialyte in just a few minutes.  It shall also be possible to make large amounts at once, if there is a diarrhea outburst taking many people.  But honey or glucose sugar proper is better. Works quicker, and doesnt not need any digesting.  Thus works also when the sick one is coldish, or the organs had already began to shunt down.
 
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halfamill

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@Halfamill

I hate to say it, but you will probably lose this last kitten too. They probably all have the same thing, and I'm guessing feline distemper or FIP. They both take down kittens quickly and suddenly because their immune systems are weak.

You can try to syringe feed the kitten with goat's milk or kitten formula, if you can get either. Or you can make a homemade pedialyte using water, a sprinkle of salt and sugar and try to feed this. Putting honey on the gums may perk the kitten up temporarily.

I'm so sorry you are losing the kittens. It's very sad at 8 weeks.

Are you able to acquire antibiotics such as amoxicillin? If so, you can always try it.

Keep us posted.
Thanks I'll give her that advice in the morning.
 
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halfamill

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Yeah, it sounds bad. I agree with @sarthur2   A direct conclusion is, your wife´s home is from now a contagion zone.   I hope she had them separated in ONE room, using especial clothes with them.

If so, it makes it easier to clean off everything - wash in virkon or something similiar  antiviral / antibacterial agent.

Anyway, for several months she cant visit other cats, cuddle with other cats, etc, etc...  The only cats she may possibly dare to touch, is healthy adult ferales / homeless streetcats.  

Because a succesfull streetcats does has the immune system high above average, and also, almost surely already met these viruses without becoming sick.

Washing off everything scrupolously shortens down this  sanitar-cordon period, of course.  But still, dont take risks even with thoroughful washing.

It may be worth to analyse what they died off - distemper or FIP.  For me it sounds as FIP but I dont really know.  If you have possiblility to let a vet give an opinion by what you already wrote... Shorten the story, just All the symptoms..

I mean, FIP istn that high contagious, the danger is biggest in your home.

While distemper is highly contagious, and you can carry the virus on you too...   BUT  many cats are vaccinated,  so it may be possible to meet a healthy home cat, with just basic precautions.

Last little advice from me.   Making a homemade pedialyte, if you have honey home, its better to use honey in the recipe than the usual table sugar.  The WHO recipe uses common sugar, because they want anybody even in a poor willage can make homemade pedialyte in just a few minutes.  It shall also be possible to make large amounts at once, if there is a diarrhea outburst taking many people.  But honey or glucose sugar proper is better. Works quicker, and doesnt not need any digesting.  Thus works also when the sick one is coldish, or the organs had already began to shunt down.
We got 3 four month old kittens who we hand raise since they were 4 days old and they received one shot of the triple feline vaccine back in May and we also have  an older 3 year old cat that received her first triple feline back in May and again in June. Should these cats be safe
How is the kitten doing today?
In the morning the kitten looked a little more lively. My wife's little brother removed 2 four inch worms from the kitten an hour ago. Can these worms actually cause death to a 8 week old kitten?
 

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Oh my!

Yes, it is quite possible, but they are not likely tapeworms.

What did they look like?
 

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That would be hookworms. They can cause failure to thrive.

You should have the mom cat wormed by your friend, because she will have passed the worms to her kittens through her milk.

You will also need enough medicine to re-worm both the kitten and mom two weeks from their first worming to kill any worms at a different stage of the life cycle.

I hope the kitten continues to get better!

Keep us posted!
 
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halfamill

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That would be hookworms. They can cause failure to thrive.

You should have the mom cat wormed by your friend, because she will have passed the worms to her kittens through her milk.

You will also need enough medicine to re-worm both the kitten and mom two weeks from their first worming to kill any worms at a different stage of the life cycle.

I hope the kitten continues to get better!

Keep us posted!
Yes the mother has been getting the same treatment and the guy will come back again to do the same treatment again. I will give you guys updates. Thanks for the help here. You, handsome kitty, and stefan were very helpful at helping me raise the 3 four day old kittens that I took in. Now they are over 4 months old. I appreciate the help from you guys.
 

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We got 3 four month old kittens who we hand raise since they were 4 days old and they received one shot of the triple feline vaccine back in May and we also have  an older 3 year old cat that received her first triple feline back in May and again in June. Should these cats be safe

In the morning the kitten looked a little more lively. My wife's little brother removed 2 four inch worms from the kitten an hour ago. Can these worms actually cause death to a 8 week old kitten?
With an massive infection of these worms its possible yes. Not common but entirely possible.  Esp if the kitten has some other problems too.
 
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halfamill

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Small update: 2 more four inch worms removed and some fleas as well.
 

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This is clearly what killed the other kittens. It sounds like the worm medicine is working well. Is the kitten feeling better now?
 

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So it seems we have learned something new.  A massive infection of worms - roundworms or others - may give symptoms look alike a FIP-outburst...

Next danger here, killing them off makes big masses of decaying tissues inside the kitten.  So probably best not to kill them all at once...  And how to get rid of them?  Help the body to expel the dying and dead worms?  When they are that many, they are many enough to block up the intestine...

So the kitten isnt out of woods yet, even if it were the cause, and he got dewormers...
 
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halfamill

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This is clearly what killed the other kittens. It sounds like the worm medicine is working well. Is the kitten feeling better now?
 It has a bit more energy today.
 
So it seems we have learned something new.  A massive infection of worms - roundworms or others - may give symptoms look alike a FIP-outburst...

Next danger here, killing them off makes big masses of decaying tissues inside the kitten.  So probably best not to kill them all at once...  And how to get rid of them?  Help the body to expel the dying and dead worms?  When they are that many, they are many enough to block up the intestine...

So the kitten isnt out of woods yet, even if it were the cause, and he got dewormers...
Yea that is becoming a big worry now. They just removed 6 more worms.
 

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Let's hope the worms keep coming out. When is the next worm treatment due?

And how is the mom cat doing? Is she expelling worms also?

This was a very bad worm situation!
 
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