Emergency! Sick kitten! Cannot see a Vet!

[indie-n-button]

Will I be able to wait until Monday to start the antibiotics? That's when Mum comes home. The infection won't get worse until then right?? Should I let him breath in some steamy water too? He's still active and playing and he surprisingly doesn't scratch his ears as much as I thought he would?? He only shakes his head every so often

Oh and another thing, would it be beneficial to warm some water and wipe his nose with it? Will this help unclog any boogers?

 

[foxxycat]

 
Will I be able to wait until Monday to start the antibiotics? That's when Mum comes home. The infection won't get worse until then right?? Should I let him breath in some steamy water too? He's still active and playing and he surprisingly doesn't scratch his ears as much as I thought he would?? He only shakes his head every so often

Oh and another thing, would it be beneficial to warm some water and wipe his nose with it? Will this help unclog any boogers?

yes.

If he is shaking his head-that's one giveaway sign of ear infection. Usually clavamox is given and its a suspension-its a powder that gets water or other whatever they add to it at the pharmacy-usually is sweet tasting-some cats like it-some don't-you just have to give him the right dose that the vet says=can you call the vet and talk to him/her over the phone and describe the junky stuff and head shaking? would they let your mom get the antibiotics to give to kitten? even if its infection-they usually still eat and play =but you don't want to wait longer than a day or so=make sure to keep him fed and warm and encourage drinking of water=steam baths can be done 3 to 4 times a day=how ever often as needed. it wont hurt him. it will help break up whatever junk is in his sinuses-they are so young and I am amazed how resilient your kitten is!

 

[indie-n-button]

He normally shakes it so much that he falls over! He falls over a lot tbh, mostly when he's drinking his milk or eating his food to vigorously (I still feed him the mushy soup out of a syringe if I feel like he's not eating enough). Also sorry I disappeared, I went to feed the little fluffer. He ate a rather large piece of raw chicken all by himself, and accidently ending up almost taking half of my finger with him! I'm happy that he's at least eating by himself now. He really loves eggs and liver and chicken, and he loves his mushy soup when his tongue is hurting and not letting him chew.

I'll start the steam baths tomorrow, it's a little ate for me here and I should be in bed. I just checked his ears and the bleeding has stopped, it still feels 'squealchy' though, so I'm going to not clean them for a few days and hopefully he'll shake all the squelch out.

I know that he's getting better because I found him like this earlier today. He was purring like crazy and mewling at me to rub his stomach!

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• indie-n-button
• Apr 23, 2016

 

[Willowy]

Zithromax is fine, that's what my vet gave the lst time I had a sick kitten. It's made for humans, too. . .anyway, it's pink and smells like bubble gum or cherry flavor, so I assume that's made for children! I think I still have the bottle, let me check the dosage. . .OK, it says it's 100 mg per 5 ml, and my vet has the dosage instructions of: 1 ml per 8.8 pounds, so that means 1/4 (.25) ml per kg. It's not cheap like amoxicillin (it was around $30 for the bottle), but it is much wider spectrum so is probably the better choice.

If you ever need to check the dosage of something your vet has prescribed, look up www.merckvetmanual.com ---it's the full vet manual that vets use so you can find just about anything you need to know.

 

[indie-n-button]

Zithromax doesn't come up on the website? I found the dosage for Amoxicillin, though, it's 4mg once or twice a day. But does anyone know how LONG i should be giving the antibiotics for. Should I give them to him until his symptoms start to clear up or should I continue to give them to him a few days after the symptoms have gone, too?

Also @Willowy, what was exactly wrong with your kitten?

He's still bleeding from his nose, as well. When he sneezes he splatters my hand with his blood. It also drips from his nose too, though it's more reddy-white than full red, it's pinkish I guess? I don't understand how he didn't have any symptoms of a URI when he first came though.

He's also eating by himself, I just have to force-feed him milk every so often, though he absolutely LOVES his raw chicken. He seems to sneeze/snort the most when he's eating though, could the food be too cold? His ulcers don't seem to be going down a lot, though they must have improved if he's eating, right? He also has an ulcer behind his top front teeth, I just noticed it last night, before I went to bed. Also, no poops today.

Also, will I need to keep him warm? He is a little warm to touch anyway, but would I still need a heat source for him to snuggle up to?

 

[Sarthur2]

The nose bleed is not good at all! It may be worse from the homeopathic remedy. Regardless, the kitten has a problem that needs treatment asap. Antibiotics are usually given for 10 days. You do not stop when symptoms clear. You finish all of the medicine. By the way, how old are you?

 

[indie-n-button]

The homeopathic medicine apparently has no side-effects, but I've stopped giving it to him anyway, he's eating on his own so I don't see the problem. Though his ulcers are still there :-(

I was wondering about something. Seeing as his ears are bleeding could the blood someone seep to his nose? He hasn't got a head tilt or anything, though the ear that is badly infected is kind of 'tilted' like an aeroplane wing. Alright thankyou! I'll give him 4mg once a day. Also, if it comes in tablet form will I have to crush the tablet and use a tinie little speck and dilute it with water to give it to him? That was how I gave Butty his medicine when he had a bad stomach.

And I'm 15! Turning 16 this coming May.

 

[indie-n-button]

Also, seeing as he fel into a pool of literally ****-filled water could this be the reason why his ears feel 'squelchy', because they're full of water? The actual debris that's coming out honestly reminds me of a sewer, and it is rather runny and shiny looking? I will try and get a picture of it today but he moves a lot when I touch his ear :-( Could the dirty water have entered his ears while he fell? He was in there for a very long time before he was finally rescued.

 

[indie-n-button]

Update: I steamed him just now and he seemed to like it (I put a little hat on his head made out of a rag so his ears didn't get irritated or worse, as suggested by a user). He sneezed a lot and a lot of snot came out, is this normal? There was only a teeeeeeny bit of blood from one of his nostrils. It isn't like actual bloody red blood it's just like a pinkish tinge to it. He's moving around a lot more too and is curious about things. I can still feel his ribs though, as well as his legs bones. I'm massaging his muscles and he seems to like it a lot (he stretches out his legs), as another user (Stefan, I think?) suggested.

Also, I have some warm water that I use to soak a flannel and hold against the bridge of his nose for a while. He sniffles a little afterwards and I wipe away the snot that dribbles out of his nose once this is done.

GEDC2921.JPG

• indie-n-button
• Apr 23, 2016

 

[Willowy]

The kitten I used the Zithromax for was brought to me by someone who found her on the side of the road. . .so sick, eyes crusted over, nose crusty and runny---well, just a usual upper respiratory infection that wasn't treated, I suppose. She's also missing an eye because the infection got it. She's fine now and just got spayed. But she was so sick at first, poor thing. I fed her baby food and pedialyte with a dropper for a week, then she was well enough to eat on her own.

Zithromax is a brand name. Azrithomycin is the actual medication name. I'll see if it's on the website. . .OK, it's mentioned here: http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/pharmacology/antibacterial_agents/macrolides.html#v4693281
It only has the dosage for dogs, at 5-10 mg per kg, but since my vet recommended 5 mg per kg I guess it's the same for cats.

 

[indie-n-button]

Aww the poor thing, I'm glad you took her in though! Mine hasn't got a crusty nose or eyes, however, maybe it's because I'm obsessively cleaning them every hour. Could this be the beginning of a URI? There's no wheezing or anything and I'm a bit confused. I have a stethoscope that I used to listen to his breathing and nothing sounded abnormal? I'm going to get him some antibiotics tomorrow though, just in case. There won't be any side-effects if I give him the antibiotics and he hasn't got an URI will there?

Okay, thankyou! It was given orally right? Did she foam at the mouth at anything because of the taste? I think Amoxicillin will be more readily available over here, but I'll look into both of them. If one doesn't work after 10 days should I use the other? I think I'll give Amoxicillin first and then Azithromycin if it doesn't work. Fingers crossed it works, though! I just wish I could find an actual vet to guide me through all of this.

Speakig of that, I actually messaged a few rescues and vet clinics back in England. Hopefully they will get back to me soon and let me know what they reccomend!

Another thing, her stomach feels a little plump and she hasn't pooped at all today. Should I wait for a little while before feeding her her next meal to let her do a poop? She's peeing alright, still hasn't grasped the concept of a litterbox yet but we're getting there.

Oh and there IS water in her ear. She shook her head and I got splatter with some and I got confused. I squished the bad ear a little and a load of water came out of the little hole at the front of her ear. I cleaned it all away with a cotton bud and her ears a little less squelchy. It's still scabby though, but I'm hoping that they will heal themselves and fall off (fingers crossed!)

 

[Sarthur2]

Amoxicillin will work fine. Your cat DOES have a URI, whether she's wheezing or not. She needs amoxicillin ASAP to get better. It will take care of her ears and her Upper Respiratory Infection. When she gets healthier, her coat will look better. She looks very rag-tag right now because she is unwell. The steam serves to loosen mucus. Do you attend school during the week?

 

[indie-n-button]

Mum should be back by either tonight or tomorrow morning, so we'll start Amoxicillin tomorrow. With Amoxicillin will I have to clean up her ears at all or will it kill the bacteria and then her ears will go back to normal eventually? Will the scabs heal and fall off like scabs that we get do?

And no, I don't go to school, I'm home-schooled :-) I have my finals (My A-Levels) in about two weeks though, so I have to study for them, I'm near enough ready though so I have plenty of time to care for her. Mum isn't very into this kinda thing, we've only really got cats because I love them so much and because they kind of found us, we didn't find them.

Ahh alright, that's probably why she was so snotty afterwards. I'll just be doing the steam twice a day is that alright (we have a gas problem over here and don't get gas all the time, so the water can't be boiled whenever). And I just held her under for 15 minutes, should it be for longer?

Another thing, the little ulcer behind her teeth was bleeding a little this morning, is this a sign that it's healing? I remember hearing that ulcers bleed and then they cover up and heal. I think the tarry poops was also due to the ulcers, perhaps? Because there's no vomiting or other worrying signs.

Also, does Amoxicillin come in tablet form or in syrup? If it's in tablet form how will I know for certain I'm not overdosing or underdosing her?

 

[Sarthur2]

Her ears will scab and heal with amoxicillin. It should be suspension, which is liquid. Twice a day for 10 minutes is sufficient steam. Her ulcers will hopefully heal as her entire system gets well. The poor kitty has a lot of issues. It's difficult to know what has caused what. She just needs medication to get well and thrive.

 

[foxxycat]

do you have olive oil or canned plain pumpkin? you can add a few drops of oil to her "soup" to help assist with poops. The canned pumpkin is 1/8 teaspoon a day to help her poop=it also works on diarrhea. some cats hate canned pumpkin-its usually in the baking lane with pie crusts and other canned "fruits" to make pies with-just be sure the pumpkin has no added stuff to it-make sure its by itself. this can be given once a day=some eat it right off your hand others wont.

 

[indie-n-button]

Alright I'll make sure Mum gets the suspension. Will she foam at the mouth with it? I know Butty foamed when he was given flagyl for his stomach problems :-( I hope they do! I can't wait till I can see her happy and fluffy and lovely again :-) Also is it alright to keep Indie and Butty separated from her? She's in my bedroom and I've been disinfecting the room she's in every other day since she's been here.

We have olive oil, yes! No pumpkin though, I don't think they grow over here. We only have native fruits and they only come in when they're in season. Now I think it's time for strawberries, melons, mangoes and banana's! I will put some olive oil into her next feeding though, thankyou for the tip! Her stomach is still nice and firm and rounded, not bloated though. I think maybe she's just eating to make up for all the days she hasn't eaten.

 

[indie-n-button]

Update: The scabs in her ear are starting to fall off! I was rubbing the base of her ear (it soothes her) and I realise that a big chunk of scab was hanging off of her fur. I gently moistened it and tugged it off, luckily the skin underneath is nice and pink and healed! She has a trillion other scabs in her ears, but I'm hoping that with time they will all heal. Can't wait till I can upload pictures of her chubby and healthy!

 

[indie-n-button]

Update: I realised that his breath is a little stinky. The white bits on his ulcers are clearing off though. Could the stink be due to the ulcers? They're healing now though, and the white bits are a lot less than they were before. I'm guessing (and hoping!) that it was due to the burns and not due to calcivirus.

Also, I would like a second opinion on the Amoxicillin dosage for the little tyke. Would @catwoman707 or any other rescuer be able to step in to guide me? Also, are there any potential side-effects I should watch out for? If you have any other recommendations for antibiotics, they'd be much appreciated too!

 

[ginny]

Personally I wouldn't worry about his breath right now.  I'd just concentrate on starting the antibiotic at the right dose once your mum gets it for you.  That will probably take care of the stinky breath problem as well as his URI.  I would be glad to hear the opinion of @catwoman707  and @StefanZ  about the antibiotic.  

I just want to say that you are doing a really good job looking after this kitty.  You have good intentions, that is obvious.  But it's also obvious by his pics that he is sick and will take some time to get well.  Even so, please don't worry too much about him.  I think it's good that you are quick to notice every little thing about his progress, but don't let worry consume you. Try to relax a little bit.  Easier said than done, I realize.  One way I calm myself down when upset is I visualize the best possible outcome.   We tend to subconsciously gravitate toward the outcome we picture in our minds.  I know you want the best for this little one.  So, listen to the good advice you have been given and will be given, and disregard any harsh comments.

 

[indie-n-button]

Hmm alright, well Mum's back home now so we'll be getting the antibiotic today/tonight (it's 5:30pm here)

She said that it'd be more likely that we find the capsules rather than the suspension. How would I go about giving him the capsule? They're 250mg capsules. Would I just break open the capsule and use the tiniest pinch I can muster, wrap it in some chicken, and give it to him? Also will I be able to save the rest of the capsule or will I have to throw it away? My Mum doesn't want to get the actual syrup because she feels like it would be wasted as he will only need a little bit of it. I will do my best to pursuade her to change her mind.

Thankyou! This is the second cat that I've rescued and brought back to health. The first was Cipher (who sadly passed away due to suspected kidney disease and/or old age a few weeks ago), who literally walked right into my house, covered in mange. I got him to about 95% health in about 2 months, he really was a sweetie :-) I'm hopeful that this little tyke will get better to! I'm giving him lots of love to know that he's cared for and he seems to enjoy the constant tummy rubs, because he's almost always purring!

And another thing that I'm worrying about, he's only eating two pieces of raw chicken every hour or so. He's very tiny so will this be enough to sustain him? I'm not used to having kittens so I'm not sure how much they need to eat. My tomcats eat heaps more so I'm a little worried that he's not getting enough. He eats on his own though, and will stop when he gets 'full' and when his tummy is nice and round. I'm hoping this means he's getting enough nutrition?

Also I added some oil to his food today too (coconut oil) and he still hasn't pooped! Unless he's done it under the beds and I just can't see it! He's peeing fine though and goes every few hours, mostly straight after he's woken up :-)

I will try to relax though, I don't want him to somehow sense my worry and that make him even sicker! I think he appreciates my help, he's grown attached to me and follows me around when I more around the room to get his food and clean his bowls :'-)