Vomiting, not eating or drinking, unhappy with vet

Not sure force feeding a kitten this sick is a good idea. You may be making her more miserable. Please look at her needs, not yours, even if that is difficult right now! Whishing you strength and wisdom.

@Orientals, I have considered stopping feeding her and stopping getting her poked by needles, but I still have to try. What if she could have survived,but didn't only because I stopped trying?

I know this is hard! And impossible to suggest anything at this distance. That's why I said look at what is best for her now, and you have to make the difficult judgement what that is. Just try to be realistic. Again my thoughts are with you!!

I think if there is any chance of her surviving she needs to keep getting nutrients.

You need to be VERY careful when force-feeding liquids, as there's a risk of aspiration - where the liquid gets breathed down into the lungs instead of going into the stomach. This can be fatal on its own.

I really, really hate to say this, but her chances are looking increasingly slim For me, once a cat reaches the point where it can't even swallow when syringe fed, that's a very clear signal that it's probably time. This bug they all had sounds truly nasty, and kittens this young are so much more vulnerable in any case

If I'm reading this right, Dollsy has now gone 4 days without any food? Liver damage from lack of food may already have set in (see [article="32369"]​[/article] and [article="33011"]​[/article]). I am so, so sorry, but I think it may be the time to let her go. You have gone above and beyond for this little girl, but sometimes, despite our best efforts, the disease is too strong. [article="29662"][/article]

I'm so, so sorry

Willing her on - she is a determined fighter to hold on this long.    

@Columbine, it kills me to  force her to do something she doesn't want to. Poor baby squirms and thrashes and I have to hold her down :'( I am being careful to not choke her, and I've been worried about hepatic lipidosis as well, but feeding her seems like the only way to reverse it. Also, euthanizing her is not an option. The vets here don't have that facility. She'll have to starve herself to death. I am not sure I can bear that. Do you still think I should stop feeding her?

@MServant, thank you dear. I hope you're right. 

I wish you the best possible outcome...having young and helpless kittens get seriously sick is a terrible thing. I will keep all of you in my thoughts and prayers.

Jim

Keep her warm and comfortable and stay with her as much as possible. Keep water and food nearby. Miracles can happen, she may start eating on her own. This way she may have some strength left to fight her virus. The force feeding at this point sounds more like a torture for her than a help.

@JMarkitell, thank you. @Orientals, I did keep water nearby. She sits down beside it, sniffs and meows. Doesn't drink. 

@Columbine, thank you so much for all your expertise and help. Could you tell me a little about viral diseases in cats in general? Vet says it's cat flu, but isn't that like having a cold, with runny nose and sneezing and coughing? None of them had any of that. Also, is there anything I could have done to prevent viral diseases, other than vaccination? Thank you again.

Capt Claw said:

@Columbine
, it kills me to force her to do something she doesn't want to. Poor baby squirms and thrashes and I have to hold her down :'( I am being careful to not choke her, and I've been worried about hepatic lipidosis as well, but feeding her seems like the only way to reverse it. Also, euthanizing her is not an option. The vets here don't have that facility. She'll have to starve herself to death. I am not sure I can bear that. Do you still think I should stop feeding her?

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I had no idea that euthanasia wasn't an option for you You're right that feeding is the only way to reverse hepatic lipidosis, but broth isn't going to do it. The only thing I can think of is to smear some sugar syrup (4 parts sugar dissolved in 1 part warm water) onto her gums int the hopes that the energy boost will give her the strength to swallow. The try again with the chicken puree, but see if you can get her to lick it off your fingers. If that doesn't work, goats milk is a much better option than broth at this point, as it has a much better nutritional profile.

I am so, so sorry you're in this position. I really, really hope you can pull her though, but it really isn't looking good at this point Sending mega for Dollsy

@Columbine, thank you again. You've been incredibly supportive. I'll definitely try the sugar solution, and I'll take care of her as long as there is a her to take care of

More    from me too.

Dollsy could have picked up an illness at birth or shortly after and there's no guarantee vaccinations would have helped prevent this situation.  If a cat or kitten has been in an environment where a virus is present there is a high chance they will be at risk.  The younger they are and where there are any other health issues the more the risk is present and a virus likely to take hold and show symptoms.   You should not feel there is anything else you could have done to prevent what is happening.  

Dollsy is lucky to be in a loving home with someone who is continuing to care for her and to do what they can to keep her comfortable and with a chance at life despite resources being limited.   Giving your time and your heart to a tiny cat like this is precious. What ever happens, Dollsy is experiencing love and care in her life and there are many cats (and other living creatures / people) who never have this.    

@MServant, thank you so much for your kind words. 

I asked the question for future reference actually. I wanted to know that if I had another baby in the future, is there anything I can and should do to prevent such infections?

p.s. Dollsy is still hanging on. Mama's brave little warrior <3

My baby purred! My baby purred for the first time in 5 days! 

On second thought, that might mean she's in pain  

She may be in pain (if you were sick enough not to eat or drink you probably would be too), but it might be a slight positive regardless, in that she has the strength to purr. You're both in my thoughts

I've just read through this thread, it sounds like what the vet is calling cat flu is cat parvo, technically called panleukopenia, and is deadly.

Vomiting and diarrhea are classic signs. 

I also know from experience that trying to feed a kitten sick with panleuk is about impossible, harder than any other I have ever syringe fed, I don't know what it is, but they really fight food badly.

However, that said, it will be sealing her fate if she does not get steady nutrition in to her, she is a kitten and has very limited reserves, and is of course completely dehydrated again, the vet's fluids go away pretty fast.

One trick I have done when force feeding is to put the kitty in to a pillow case, so that the top only has hear head sticking out, this does give good control.

I also suggest getting some baby formula. I doubt you will find baby kitten formula, so get some human baby formula, that will be very, very helpful if she has any chance of making it through.

Panleuk is extremely deadly in kittens, even when hospitalized with fluids, nutrition, warmth and antibiotics, but I have seen 2 survive. So it's not out of the question, but at this point, doubtful, I'm sorry to say.

It's really only supportive care they desperately need that can increase the chance of surviving this virus. But it's tough, no doubt about it, and at this point she has not had any nutrition in so long.........

Very sad, it's just tragic.

Vaccines prevent this virus from taking the kids away from us.

I wish you all the luck and just know they know they are loved.

The forced feeding, holding her down, making her use up what strength she has left to fight the food, it just make me so sad. She is not an adult cat sick from an upset stomach that has gone off her food, she is a tiny kitten that has not had proper nutrition for days and is dying from a deadly virus. She doesn't want the food, she knows she is near her end. It is extremely heartbreaking but I so feel Dollsy deserves some peace and to die with diginity.

Orientals said:

The forced feeding, holding her down, making her use up what strength she has left to fight the food, it just make me so sad. She is not an adult cat sick from an upset stomach that has gone off her food, she is a tiny kitten that has not had proper nutrition for days and is dying from a deadly virus. She doesn't want the food, she knows she is near her end. It is extremely heartbreaking but I so feel Dollsy deserves some peace and to die with diginity.

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'Dying with dignity' in this context means euthanasia - something that the vet doesn't offer. As this is the case, it seems worse to not try to feed her than to try - I very much doubt that you could sit back and do nothing in this position. I know I couldn't. It's an awful situation to be in

This is terribly hard, I agree with Columbine, but things are so different around this world of ours.  Stay with your kitten @Capt Claw, and follow the  additional bits of advice catwoman707 has shared here along with that grain of hope.  Treasure that little purr. 

If this is Parvo / Panleuk then very thorough cleaning of your home when all is settled is the best you can do, along with vaccination of any future kittens or cats if this is possible in your area.