I have an almost six week old kitten with failure to thrive. It has been in my care for 5 days. It weighed 7.4oz when it arrived and was cold, staggering and had diarrhea. He was started on Clavamox at once and 48 hours later was having firm stool but the colour was/is very dark. (I should mention that he has two brothers who are thriving and weighed over 14oz when they arrived.)
As of this morning he is hovering between 8.5 and 9.0 oz. His energy and strength has improved greatly. He uses the litter box faithfully.
However... I am using corn stalk bits as litter as I find clumping very messy for these tiny guys. The strange thing is..his urine clumps in the corn bits! I have never seen this before. Usually, it pools at the bottom and the kernels will get wet.
Anyone have any thoughts on why his urine would be so different? He is eating very well but will not eat on his own. I have to syringe food and water in. I'm slowly trying to get him off the syringe but his health is so compromised I don't want to force it.
He still has the big belly and skinny face and butt look. They have been dewormed with Profender.
If he hasn't started to gain a bit better my Monday, I will take him to the vet.
The three are barn kittens that mother would not feed but had human intervention and were hand raised.
(yes, I've considered perhaps mom knew best??)
Sorry for the long post..
As of this morning he is hovering between 8.5 and 9.0 oz. His energy and strength has improved greatly. He uses the litter box faithfully.
However... I am using corn stalk bits as litter as I find clumping very messy for these tiny guys. The strange thing is..his urine clumps in the corn bits! I have never seen this before. Usually, it pools at the bottom and the kernels will get wet.
Anyone have any thoughts on why his urine would be so different? He is eating very well but will not eat on his own. I have to syringe food and water in. I'm slowly trying to get him off the syringe but his health is so compromised I don't want to force it.
He still has the big belly and skinny face and butt look. They have been dewormed with Profender.
If he hasn't started to gain a bit better my Monday, I will take him to the vet.
The three are barn kittens that mother would not feed but had human intervention and were hand raised.
(yes, I've considered perhaps mom knew best??)
Sorry for the long post..