Urgent: Kitten diarrhea

I'm a little concerned with one of my 3 week old fosters. She's been having diarrhea (very small amounts, yellow or white) fairly regularly. She doesn't appear to be dehydrated and has even been drinking from the water dish. I just weighed them all and i think she might be losing weight. She's the only one i've seen like this (only one that's trying out the litter box).

She weighs 14 oz
Her sister weighs 1lb
brother weighs 1lb 4oz.

I'm not sure what to do...should i step in and supplement (KMR or pedialyte)? Or does this call for a visit to the vet? I have a call into the rescue director but she hasn't gotten back yet.

Originally Posted by Renny

I'm a little concerned with one of my 3 week old fosters. She's been having diarrhea (very small amounts, yellow or white) fairly regularly. She doesn't appear to be dehydrated and has even been drinking from the water dish. I just weighed them all and i think she might be losing weight. She's the only one i've seen like this (only one that's trying out the litter box).

She weighs 14 oz
Her sister weighs 1lb
brother weighs 1lb 4oz.

I'm not sure what to do...should i step in and supplement (KMR or pedialyte)? Or does this call for a visit to the vet? I have a call into the rescue director but she hasn't gotten back yet.

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Judging by the Kitten rescue website, she is on target for weight:

Kitten Weight
At birth, weight should be approx 3-3.4 ounces.

At age 1 week weight should be approx. 4 ounces.

At age 2 weeks, weight should be approx. 7 ounces.

At age 3 weeks, weight should be approx. 10 ounces.

At age 4 weeks weight should be approx. 13 ounces.

At age 5 weeks, weight should be approximately 1 pound.

By the end of the 8th week, kittens should weigh approximately 2.2 pounds.

Of course, all these weights are approximate. You may have a kitten that is slightly under or over these weights and still be perfectly healthy. If ever you have a concern about your kitten, or he just doesn't seem 'right', consult a vet. On the internet there is a pretty extensive kitty calendar you can use. You can access it here.

http://www.kitten-rescue.com/bottle_feeding_kitten.html

You may want to call your vet and explain about the diarrhea symptoms and see if they recommend you bring her in for a check up.

Katie

I just called the vet and it's after office hours and no one is there.

My concern is that she cries very loudly when she's going the bathroom and if she's up and around she is in and out of the litter box constantly. Just dribbles of yellow and white liquid. This is my first foster so i'm a little unclear on whether they have a vet they prefer or not.

-3 weeks is also only an approximation...and this point they should be closer to 4+ i'm guessing.

Originally Posted by Renny

I just called the vet and it's after office hours and no one is there.

My concern is that she cries very loudly when she's going the bathroom and if she's up and around she is in and out of the litter box constantly. Just dribbles of yellow and white liquid. This is my first foster so i'm a little unclear on whether they have a vet they prefer or not.

-3 weeks is also only an approximation...and this point they should be closer to 4+ i'm guessing.

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I wonder if worms aren't the culprit. Has she had the diarrhea very long?

Katie

At least the last 2 days that i've seen...maybe longer. She's back out and had another accident. I'm waiting for the on-call vet at my clinic to call me back...i may just take her in if they want without permission from the rescue.

It sounds like coccidia to me. White stool is always an emergency in kittens and requires a vet visit. At this age, dehydration can occur very quickly.
The yellow is more indicitive of coccidia, and the white stool sounds like a severe imbalance or infection in the bowels.
Both are treatable, as long as the kitten get treatment quickly.
IMO, don't wait for a phone call, and try to get the kitten in as quickly as possible.
Until you can get to the vet, I would dilute the pedialyte 50/50 with water, to make sure she does stay hydrated.

Thanks everyone. I talked to the rescue director and she agreed it had to be coccidia. I have the meds for it (man is it tough getting those little monkeys to take their meds...and not piss off mom at the same time!). And i have pedialyte which i'm supplementing them with. They are all active and squawking and getting all mad at me...so fingers and toes and eyes crossed!

all fingers, toes and hmmm eyes crossed at this end!! hope it clears up quickly - poor little mite.

I am glad you have meds, is it Albon? You will begin seeing an improvement in a few days, until then just keep an eye on her. If the coccidia has spread too much and the Albon hasn't helped to show improvement in a few days, there are other medications more affective in treatment.
Did they recommend giving it to the othe kittens too? They are likely to get it as well. The adults are more immune to it, and are rarely affected by coccidia.
I will have the babies in my thoughts, it is probably a good time to worm them as well, and continue worming every couple of weeks.

it's not albon, but i can't remember the name off the top of my head. Mom had started (and is still) having diarrhea so she's on the meds as well. Poor mom is just so small and fragile looking...i'm guessing she didn't have much of an immune system. I'll have to ask the director about the worming. She's waiting for the vets that work with her rescue to come back from holidays (if not it's $125 to just get them seen over the long weekend!). Fingers crossed...and toes...

i know one of the kittens spit back up the pill...not sure which one. I know for sure the really sick one took it...so i'll try again tomorrow and hopefully with better luck. Mom ate all the wet food that the pill was mixed in.

I think the really sick one has such a sore bum though...i feel so bad. She cries when she goes the bathroom. Is there anything that will help with that?

Yes, Neosporin can be used, it is an over the counter antibiotic cream, I am sure there are other brands, just check ingredients. You can use it 2-3 times per day, as recommended by my vet.
Poor thing, I am sure she is just fed up with being sick.
If there is a 24 hour vet that you can call, the medicine may be able to be crushed and put in water and given through medicine dropper, you will have to check and make sure that it is a medicine that can be broke up though. It is sometimes easier to give suspension than it is pills to kittens.
My prayers are with you all, I hope she is feeling better soon, and that the Momma kitty is too.

I'm very concerned and slightly panicked. The little one has lost an ounce since yesterday and is very lethargic. I'm not sure what to do now. Nothing is open at all.....

I don't want to panic you but this litte one really sounds like she is fading. There must be some vet. or clinic that has emergency hours...my vet. has met me at 1 a.m. on a holiday for a true emergency.

I think you said they were 3-4 weeks old? Do you have any canned food? If so, either use KMR to make it runny, or warm water.
You will need to supplement the kitten every 2-3 hours at first, but don't overfeed. A syringe is the easiest method for feeding a kitten this age, IMO. You may even mix up some KMR and feed him that every other time, to keep him hydrated. Also, give him a pedialyte mixture of 50% water added.
If he still seems lethargic before you feed him, rub a littly karo syrub on his tounge to pep him up.
If he is too dehydrated though, you will have to call an after hours vet for sub-q fluids, that can happen very, very quickly.
Keep us updated.

I reread your post, and saw it was a full ounce that he lost, it is probably best to get him in and seen as soon as possible, for the vet to evaluate him and give him sub-q.
You are all in my prayers.

Originally Posted by FamilytimeRags

If he still seems lethargic before you feed him, rub a littly karo syrub on his tounge to pep him up. .

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I'd do this right away. This can revive a kitten that is fading.

I don't have any karo syrup....and none of the markets are open. I'm trying to figure something out...so far the rescue refuses to pay for an emergency vet visit

i hope he pulls through. do you know anyone who does animal breeding? Ive avoided several vet visits by calling my cousin, who has doing both dog and cat breeding.

Unfortunately no...i wish i knew someone.

Well little annabelle is holding her own so far. I've started supplementing her small amounts (though she is nursing as well). I'm not certain how much to supplement. As it is, she didn't not lose anymore weight over the last 24 hours, but neither has she gained any.

Good vibes for annabelle please....she really needs to kick this coccidia