6 week old kitten not eating/URI

[sebseb]

hello everyone, giving an update.
hobbs is active and running around. he still has the sneezes, but no discharge around his eyes.
junior's condition hasnt changed. she slept on my face/neck last night, which is a bit new. kept her warm, and i could hear her through the night which kept me awake but relaxed. she made it another night and thats a blessing in itself.

you talk about the honey water? Its rather strong - ie intensively sweet. Its not harmful, and gives lotsa of needed calories, but she may perhaps have the taste too strong and intensobr... So perhaps dilute more.
The usual is to give barely sweet. Although, if you happen to have real glucose sugar; glucose sugar is less sweet than honey, and thus, you can give more glucose sugar with the same taste... But if she takes so she takes, hurrah!

Comment re the diluting of the medicine. IF its difficult to take the pill into small parts of it; I presume you can try to solve the pill capsule contains in water, shake it thoroughly so its evenly distributed in the water, and take small parts of the water...

You ask about what kmr I recommend. Its in part depending what do you have... Do avoid Hartz products, otherwise most brands should be OK to use.

We typically recommend PetAgs KMR in powder. Observe, their brand of the ready diluted isnt as good.
Or some goats milk based kmr. I know GNC has such a one.

Almost all goats milk are OK to use in a pinch, but my recommedation, especielly for the pointed kitten is to use raw goats milk, as it has some potential health propertises. It does come from an lvining momma, no? Pricey, but may be worth it.

Yes, I presume you will handfeed this, at least to the point. Red tabby will pehaps manage to eat himself.


And re praying... If praying as such really works, may be discussed. But it helps to give YOU strengh, endurance, patience, and the ability to manage these streonous hours and days you are going through...

In a hospital they are changing out the personnel, so nobody gets totally exhausted. But you are alone, nobody gives you relief nor a few hours calm sleep....
You will need your prayers.

I hope your parents are at least helping you with the overall service; ie serving you food, washing your clothes, taking care of the other cats, etc...

i might just dilute the honey water, but she takes it with no fuss (sometimes) so I'll dilute the next cup i make.
goats milk will be a bit difficult to aquire, but i do have some relatives that own a ranch.
i think a good cry helps me best. in this i am a lone man. they get upset at me for not caring for the other cats, and they often complain about how im ignoring them and avoiding them all.. when really im just trying not to get them sick too. i care about the cats because i raised them all, i can never ignore them. but when a situation is this dire i have to set priorities, and just hope my parents see the urgency and understand because explaining it only makes them more irritated. i slip out of the room while junior sleeps to make myself a meal. she's doing okay, watching me and crying out sometimes. nerve wrecking, but i know her airway is clear.

more update on junior: she used the litter box big wet spot. however her mouth smells like sour milk .

more uodate on junior: current weight 1 lb 1 oz

so sorry for the triple posts, i should wait to compile everything lol

 

[Sarthur2]

It’s good she used the litter box!

Do not dilute the honey water too much. She needs the water but the honey itself is food. In fact, will she eat anything today?

Relieved to hear she is hanging in there!

Are they taking their meds?

 

[sebseb]

both took their meds, its unlikely that she'll eat solids today because her nose is still very plugged up

 

[StefanZ]

more uodate on junior: current weight 1 lb 1 oz

so sorry for the triple posts, i should wait to compile everything lol

Im not used to Oz weights. So she weights now more than when you got her? Good.

DOES she Junior eats? If not, the raise MAY be because of swelling up... Which isnt that good...
Anyway, massage her with forefinger or a little brush, perhaps a toothbrush, so it gets the fluids going around...

this massaging feels good and IS good, whatever reason and condition. She will feel it alike moms licking.

 

[sebseb]

Im not used to Oz weights. So she weights now more than when you got her? Good.

DOES she Junior eats? If not, the raise MAY be because of swelling up... Which isnt that good...
Anyway, massage her with forefinger or a little brush, perhaps a toothbrush, so it gets the fluids going around...

this massaging feels good and IS good, whatever reason and condition. She will feel it alike moms licking.

312g -> 482g in ~2 days, I'll keep note to weigh her in grams. she still isnt eating however, just honey water. jr does appear to be better and shes moving around a little more.
i give her kisses and rubs periodically, especially throughout the night to soothe her.
right now i have her sitting in the restroom with me as im about to shower and while im writing this she just found the strength to jump up on my lap for love! what a doll.

 

[sebseb]

okay, i have the kmr and two bottles. how do i entice her to use them?

 

[Sarthur2]

Well, first see if she will lap the KMR from a small dish on her own. If she does not, you can try the bottle (you must puncture a slit in the nipple). If she does not take the bottle, you can try to syringe small amounts in the side of her mouth.

It sounds like she is slowly improving, but being clogged up makes smell and taste difficult, so do not force anything she rejects right now. I’m hoping with continued meds she turns the corner in another day or two. She should stay on the meds a full 7 days.

 

[sebseb]

Well, first see if she will lap the KMR from a small dish on her own. If she does not, you can try the bottle (you must puncture a slit in the nipple). If she does not take the bottle, you can try to syringe small amounts in the side of her mouth.

It sounds like she is slowly improving, but being clogged up makes smell and taste difficult, so do not force anything she rejects right now. I’m hoping with continued meds she turns the corner in another day or two. She should stay on the meds a full 7 days.

i plan to give 1/2 ml/hr like the honey water, but i dont know how to hold her while i syringe some into her mouth. i pinch her scruff and hold her head level so it doesnt go into her lungs, but she gets nervous and tries to pull away. do i wrap her? i just gave her a ml.

 

[Sarthur2]

Yes, you can wrap her up like a burrito, with only her head out. Then gently give her like 1mL in the side of her mouth. Give her time to swallow and breathe. If she takes it and seems to want more, give more. I’m hoping once she regains her smell and taste, her little appetite will pick right up.

 

[StefanZ]

312g -> 482g in ~2 days, I'll keep note to weigh her in grams. she still isnt eating however, just honey water. jr does appear to be better and shes moving around a little more.
i give her kisses and rubs periodically, especially throughout the night to soothe her.
right now i have her sitting in the restroom with me as im about to shower and while im writing this she just found the strength to jump up on my lap for love! what a doll.

That raise isnt possible, not even if she is swelling up.... And because she IS slowly but surely improving, lets presume it wasnt swelling
, it was some sort of mix up when weigting.

Yes, tx, please continue weighting in grammes. Its easier to directly notice the daily differences.

Re the other questions, SArthur gives excellent answers, and in better english than mine.

 

[sebseb]

no worries, your english is good
weighed her right now, shes at 493 g. i just gave her a ml of kmr and a ml of honey water separately, as well as the amoxicillin and nose relief.
tomorrow will be a big test for the both of us. I'll be gone around seven hours and she'll be left alone.. hopefully she sturdies up overnight and gets some appetite back. before i leave home I'll give her 6 ml or so of kmr and nose relief.

 

[Sarthur2]

I agree that her earlier weight must have been wrong. I do hope she commences eating soon. If not, she’ll need much more KMR.

 

[sebseb]

hi everyone, just got back home. junior is doing well and she's showing a high interest in food, even the dry kibble. she ate two pieces but couldn't get more, most likely because of her stuffed nose. this morning she was very calm when i gave her 4 ml of kmr. im just about to give her the amoxicillin and nose relief

 

[sebseb]

junior took a full 7 ml like a champ. im upping the syringe size from 7 to 15 ml, but I'll wait around half an hour or so to give her 15 ml. shes following me around and crying a lot, which is new overall; the first few days we had her she was very quiet. is she hungry still, or looking for comfort? i was just about to set her down with a blanket and her heating pad.
oh and i forgot to say, this morning she did the number 1 and 2! it wasnt very large by any means, but it was poo.
im looking at a chart for kmr, and according to her weight it says to give 18-22 ml every 6 hours. I'll start following it today.

 

[sebseb]

update: SHE IS EATING ! i dont know what got in her, she scrambled out of her blanket and ran to her dish. she ate some of the kibble and paté i had set down for her brother. with how quick she ate i honestly expect her to puke up some. my goodness im happy

 

[Sarthur2]

She was probably hungry! It’s very exciting that she’s eating again! You can still offer the KMR.

 

[Sarthur2]

How are the kittens doing now?

S sebseb

 

[sebseb]

theyre doing great, jr weighs 624g and her brother is 907. shes still very small compared to him, but shes looking a whole lot better. I'll send pictures later

 

[sebseb]

all right here she is! im not kidding when i say shes more social than her brother. my goodness, how their personalities have switched. shes crazy, and what a lovebug!