Smudge update - maybe not good

sarahp

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Smudge came into the shelter on September 5th, weighing 13 oz. and having no mother and siblings (that we know of). I don't know the whole story, but someone had been hand raising her.

She was only young, but they couldn't tell her age because she didn't weigh much, but she was fairly developed.

So by my scales she hasn't put on any weight, so I took her in to the vet today and they said she looks healthy, but has indeed lost an ounce in a week.

She was a little dehydrated, so they gave her subcutaneous fluids. I'm going to change her over to Iams tinned kitten food since she came with Friskies kitten food and it kept giving her the runs. She's been loving KMR and I'm going to make more of an effort of getting her to eat dry kitten food as well.

She seems great otherwise. She's a real snuggler, and she loves playing. She's a real explorer - when she's out of her cage she checks out all of the room she's in. She goes racing after the laser pointer dot, and a feather toy and does what we call her "happy dance" where she bounds in one spot when she's about to chase my fingers.

But she may have some congenital defect which is preventing her from processing her food properly. Either that or she's got some sort of bug. She hadn't been wormed because she was too small, but they wormed her today, and I'm also going to give her Bene-Bac (some beneficial bacteria we found at PetSmart) - the vet said it was fine to try that, especially since she's had some loose stools.

She's at least 5 weeks old, maybe even 6 weeks old, but is the size of a 3 week old kitten. We're going to do absolutely everything we can to try to beat whatever is wrong with her, but the risk is there that she just may not make it no matter what we do. She'll certainly be getting lots of love and attention, and if she does pass, at least she'll pass in a loving home.
 

miss mew

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You are doing so much to help this little one...my prayers are with her that she can thrive.
 

arlyn

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When Ivory came to me she was just under 4 months, but the size of a two month old.
She was on strictly canned kitten food and homemade kitten glop.
She did finally start gaining weight, so you might suppliment her with the glop in place of the KMR.

Thought and prayers to you and Smudge
 
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sarahp

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Originally Posted by Arlyn

When Ivory came to me she was just under 4 months, but the size of a two month old.
She was on strictly canned kitten food and homemade kitten glop.
She did finally start gaining weight, so you might suppliment her with the glop in place of the KMR.

Thought and prayers to you and Smudge
What's kitten glop? I'll try anything!
 
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sarahp

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Originally Posted by sarahp

Smudge came into the shelter on September 5th, weighing 13 oz. and having no mother and siblings (that we know of). I don't know the whole story, but someone had been hand raising her.

She was only young, but they couldn't tell her age because she didn't weigh much, but she was fairly developed.

So by my scales she hasn't put on any weight, so I took her in to the vet today and they said she looks healthy, but has indeed lost an ounce in a week.

She was a little dehydrated, so they gave her subcutaneous fluids. I'm going to change her over to Iams tinned kitten food since she came with Friskies kitten food and it kept giving her the runs. She's been loving KMR and I'm going to make more of an effort of getting her to eat dry kitten food as well.

She seems great otherwise. She's a real snuggler, and she loves playing. She's a real explorer - when she's out of her cage she checks out all of the room she's in. She goes racing after the laser pointer dot, and a feather toy and does what we call her "happy dance" where she bounds in one spot when she's about to chase my fingers.

But she may have some congenital defect which is preventing her from processing her food properly. Either that or she's got some sort of bug. She hadn't been wormed because she was too small, but they wormed her today, and I'm also going to give her Bene-Bac (some beneficial bacteria we found at PetSmart) - the vet said it was fine to try that, especially since she's had some loose stools.

She's at least 5 weeks old, maybe even 6 weeks old, but is the size of a 3 week old kitten. We're going to do absolutely everything we can to try to beat whatever is wrong with her, but the risk is there that she just may not make it no matter what we do. She'll certainly be getting lots of love and attention, and if she does pass, at least she'll pass in a loving home.
I just realised this was my 1000th post
 

emily_325

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Good luck with little Smudge, Sarah. You and all three of your girls are in my thoughts.
 
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sarahp

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Every time I think about her I get all teary
She just acts so happy and healthy, but I know her looking so straggly and losing rather than gaining weight is not good, and they can go so fast once they start fading.

I don't want to be at work, I just want to be at home holding her.
 

miagi's_mommy

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I am praying that she'll gain some weight and be healthy. hugs to you both! please keep us updated.
 

yosemite

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Poor sweet baby. I can only imagine how you must feel. Sending prayers and healing vibes for this sweet baby.
 

tavia'smom

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I didn't even know you had another kitten. I hope she does better and gets well.
 
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sarahp

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Originally Posted by Tavia'smom

I didn't even know you had another kitten. I hope she does better and gets well.
She's a foster, I picked her up last week - there's photos and a video of her in Fur Pictures. I don't know how you could miss them


I feel a little more positive about her now. I have better quality wet food - Chicken Soup for the Kitten Lovers Soul, she ate that mixed in with dry food, so I'll try small amounts of that more regularly, I also got a supplement from the pet store that the lady there recommended for her kitten fosters who need fattening up. She gets the sarahp "Anti Jenny Craig" diet


She had a play with my fingers before and did her little happy dance, and is currently snuggled against my chest. We WILL fight this!!!
 

catsknowme

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Sending prayers and vibes for Smudge. By the way, some kittens seem to get more diarrhea than others, and I have found that diluting the KMR seems to help. Hopefully she will enjoy the glop & the kibble and get through this stage of runny bowels. It was a real challenge for both Joey & Andrea. Bless you for all your efforts to help Smudge grow into a healthy, happy cat
 

tavia'smom

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No don't fight the kitty, because Stumpy and Lilly need another sister. I have been kind of hazey for the last couple of days just glancing in here or there. Okay off to look at the pictures now.
 
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