Anyone with knowledge on kitten ribcage deformitys?

twckittenmom

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One of my fosters who I have never picked up from under the chest but twice now. I usually pick her up by the scruff and hold her feet because she's scared of heights. Well anywho. When she was tiny I moved them from mommas unpractical nest to a safe warm one and I felt a bump on her chest. I didn't think twice of it just thought she was boney and I set the down because mom was getting mad. Well today she climbed up a chair and was scared to get down(of course silly kitten [emoji]128514[/emoji]) so I picked her up under her arms like I do her sisters only to notice a boney lump on her center plate. No pain doesn't really care if I touch it. I just never noticed it until now. She's 7 weeks old. And healthy. I want to take her to the vet but being it's not dire need and I just took another foster last week I'm low on funds. Anyone ever hear of ribcage diformitys??
 
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Sarthur2

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Do you work with a rescue that can help with vet funds?

I do not know about this particular issue, but she sounds healthy otherwise.
 
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twckittenmom

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Do you work with a rescue that can help with vet funds?

I do not know about this particular issue, but she sounds healthy otherwise.
no only rescue group in my area was unethically putting down cats more than fixing and releasing so I don't talk to them. But she literally has no pain what so ever it's just like a Lil bump. I'll try to feel it more once she wakes up. She's a drama queen when woken. But what it felt like to me was a rib formed down along the chest plate or her chest plate maybe just having a random bone mutation. Idk maybe it was broken during birth? Her mom did freak out quite a bit to the point of running in circles even when caged. I had to hold her down while birthing to protect kittens. Was a very very stressful pregnancy
 

jennyr

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I have never personally had a kitten with rib deformity, but a friend did, and the cat lived a normal life and died at 22! There are different types, that I know, and the most recognised form is flat-chested kitten syndrome. Here is an article about it:

[article="29714"][/article]

If you do a search through our archives, using the search facility, there are a number of threads about it.

An xray would be necessary to determine exactly what is wrong - it is sadly the case that often a deformity like this goes hand-in-hand with other genetic problems, but as your kitten seems healthy otherwise, it may go on to have a perfectly normal life. Let us know how things turn out.
 
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red top rescue

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As long as the kitten is fine and breathing well, I would not worry about it.  It could be a healed rib fracture from birth, or a slight sternal deformity, but as long as the cat is fine (no pain, no breathing problems) I would not worry about it.  I have had a flat-chested kitten before and we did physical therapy with her to help round out her rib cage and it worked, she made it past that critical age and her shape changed enough to allow her heart and lungs to fit properly.  We named her "Turtle" as a baby and she was eventually adopted out to a good home along with one of her sisters. 
 

catwoman707

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As long as the kitten is fine and breathing well, I would not worry about it.  It could be a healed rib fracture from birth, or a slight sternal deformity, but as long as the cat is fine (no pain, no breathing problems) I would not worry about it.  I have had a flat-chested kitten before and we did physical therapy with her to help round out her rib cage and it worked, she made it past that critical age and her shape changed enough to allow her heart and lungs to fit properly.  We named her "Turtle" as a baby and she was eventually adopted out to a good home along with one of her sisters. 
I agree, they are growing at a crazy fast rate now, so in a short time will tell if it straightens out at all or causes any issues, but I would most definitely be watching her like a hawk for any breathing issues, shortness of breath, panting, tiring quickly, etc.
 
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twckittenmom

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I agree, they are growing at a crazy fast rate now, so in a short time will tell if it straightens out at all or causes any issues, but I would most definitely be watching her like a hawk for any breathing issues, shortness of breath, panting, tiring quickly, etc.
it doesn't seem to change the overall structure, shape or function of her ribcage. It literally is just a little notch like maybe a extra rib or a misplaced rip grown on the outer chest plate. It's very odd to me.
 

catwoman707

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At some point, and likely best the sooner the better just to be knowing, an x-ray is really important, it sounds like it's probably a rib that is misplaced and has attached itself to the sternum, but better safe to get that confirmed.
 
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twckittenmom

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At some point, and likely best the sooner the better just to be knowing, an x-ray is really important, it sounds like it's probably a rib that is misplaced and has attached itself to the sternum, but better safe to get that confirmed.
yes I know, but an X-ray alone is $90 I also have to pay at $25 checkup fee and I currently don't have that [emoji]128542[/emoji]
 
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