Coccidia and roundworm - very sick kitten

I was given a found kitten a few weeks ago and everything was going well until a few days ago - I could feel his spine and ribs although his appetite seemd OK. Of to the vet we went and he was diagnosed with coccidia and roundworms. He has yellow-coloured watery diarhea and vomits every now and again (I saw roundworms in his vomit once yesterday).

1- He was treated with Revolution for the roundworms yesterday
2- He had a first shot of Tribrissen (shot, not pill since he is vomitting) yesterday and a pill this morning which he kept down
3- I am doing sub-Q fluids 3 times a day, 25 ml each time (he weighs about 1 1/2 lbs - 638 grams to be exact)

So today is day 2 of treatement, I tried to give him KMR and I won't do that again cause as soon as I had finished he puked it back up )poor baby). I haven't seen him go potty today but from what was in the litter this morning, it's still diarhea. He is skin and bones, has not eaten in 2 days, does not want to be held, petting seems to be OK though, he is a very sick kitten !

So here's my question ! When, if at all, can I expect an improvement in his condition ? The vet wasn't sure he'd make it through the night but he did - he's just no better than yesterday. Anyone have any experience with this ? Once meds have been started to kill parasites, how long does it take to combat the effects ?

Also - if you have extra healing vibes available - send them our way ! His name is Orange (you guessed it - orange tabby boy)

Thanks
Julie

Did he vomit the round worms before or after givin the meds? To be the point of vomitting them its really bad. Usually with round worms 24 hours. But with the other problems it could be a week before hes better.

he vomitted the roundworms very shortly after giving the meds - maybe an hour or so - they were still alive nad squirming so the meds hadn't "kicked in" yet.

Julie,

Kitties with roundworms are quite common (unfortunately). The roundworms multiply so quickly in the intestines that the kitty can become blocked and feel full- which might be why he is vomiting the KMR. He will vomit roundworms and they will pass in his stool as well. Be sure you scrub out the litter pans and discard the soiled litter immediately until he is over this.

I would go to diluting babyfood (chicken or turkey) down to a watery paste with pedialyte. Take a feeding syringe, and drip the mixture into his mouth, on his tongue. Don't give him a lot, pause between feedings, rub his tummy gently. Make sure you are feeding him with his paws on the floor. Two days of no food is NOT good for a small kitten.

Roundworms are nasty parasites, it is likely this little one needs several treatments before he feels better. Keep up the sub cu liquids because dehydration is a quick way to lose a kitten.

You should take him back to the vet and discuss putting a feeding tube in him as well. Understand that whatever you do for him, however hard you fight for him, he may fade away anyway. It will be nothing you did or didn't do, it is just what happens sometimes. He is fortunate that he landed in your care.

Also KMR can cause diarrhea in a lot of kitties, but it is still the only thing that will help an orphaned kitten through the rough patches.

Good luck!

Thanks Hissy - I'm still beating myself up that I did not catch this quicker ! If only , if only...

How about the coccidia ? Anything else I can do for that ? How long after starting the meds can I expect (hope !) for some improvement ?

Poor baby...

I stay on the meds the vet give, but I also start adding GSE to the formula, water, food. I buy the liquid (Grapefruit Seed Extract) it is quite bitter and two drops will suffice. This kills off all bad bacteria in the system and replaces it with good bacteria. It is a routine part of my kitten care package now. for $9.00 at a health food store, you can get a large bottle that lasts a long time.

Also if he were mine, I would have the vet put a stomach tube in him and feed him that way. But that is just me, two days of no food, he may be in much trouble already.

Good luck-

Sorry to read about your ill kitten. Hope the little one gets better soon with the right treatment and lots of love!

I vouch for GSE....one of my kittens was quite ill with worms....after the vet treated her, a monthly dose of panacur and GSE in all the kittens food seems to be keeping them fit and healthy (touch wood!)

My kitten had coccidia a month or so ago and it was sure scary how fast he went downhill. 48 hours on the meds made a huge improvement...but he was fat and healthy going into it.

If nothing else in the way of food and water is going down, you might dilute down that KMR so it isn't so rich. It wasn't the ideal food when my kitten was sick but it *was* the one thing he would take.

Bless you, Julie, for the life you're giving to this little boy! As a little encouraging note, Serenity had a nasty case of round worms when she joined us, requiring three treatments to fully eliminate them, and you see what healthy little ball of energy she is now! Like Orange, Serenity also vomited the worms. I couldn't bring myself to eat spaghetti for months!

Orange, sweetie, my girlies and I send you gentle snuggles and extra courage and strength to triumph over this!

We've had mixed results with coccidia. 2 years ago we adopted a kitten from an area animal control, and we were told he was healthy. That same day he had diarrhea and wasn't going in the litterbox but on the floor. Obviously we had already planned to take him to the vet, as we do any new kitten, but this was all on a Saturday. We didn't catch it in time (or actually the animal control "vet" didn't catch it in time, it was too late by the time he joined our family), and after spending 2 nights in an emergency animal center on IV fluids and meds, he passed on at home four days after adoption. On the other hand, the litter of strays that we rescued from outside had coccidia about 6 weeks ago. We treated it with albon and it completely cleared up within a week. Every cat we've rescued (and that's quite a few!) has started out with roundworms. A couple of them took 4 treatments and vomited up a few before they were totally gone. Personally I'd follow the advice of consulting with your vet about feeding tubes and IV fluids - especially the fluids, as with coccidia they can dehydrate in no time. Our huge feline family is sending psychic healing waves - or trying the best we can to! Thank you for caring enough to try to save kitty, and I'm sure kitty is thankful as well!!