Green diarrhea, brand new bottle feeder, vets unavailable until at least Monday (warning - poo pic enclosed)

[crowinghen]

I'm trying to help a neighbor out, so I apologize if my information is not complete.

She's been bottle-feeding a pair of kittens (about 3 - 3.5 weeks old now). She's new to this, but she's trying. Kittens developed diarrhea a week ago. When I saw them it was absolute liquid, and had blood in it. Kittens were wormed and started on Albon a few days ago. They showed modest improvement (stool was still soft, but more like oatmeal than dirty water, and no more blood.) They put on 2 oz each in the last week.

Then today she sent me this pic (below). She also said the babies were lethargic and didn't show any appetite at their afternoon feeding.

Any ideas what's going on or what she should do? It's Friday night - she won't be able to see a vet before Monday, and we all know that babies aren't always resilient enough to wait that long.

 

[Furballsmom]

Hi!
Let me see if I can find a member who knows more than I do . .. ..

 

[Sarthur2]

Green diarrhea is often a symptom of severe bacterial infection and needs treating with an antibiotic - preferably a gram positive and gram negative one such as clavamox. Clavamox comes in a suspension form to make giving it to kittens easier.

I would see about getting the kittens to an emergency vet who can get the kittens started on it right away.

In the meantime, for lethargy, smear karo syrup or honey on the kittens’ gums, and syringe small amounts of unflavored pedialyte throughout the day. Better yet, use the pedialyte to mix the powdered formula instead of water. The lethargy is caused by dehydration and loss of electrolytes from the diarrhea. The pedialyte will help replace the lost electrolytes.

You’re right about not waiting until Monday. This is a serious situation for such young kittens and needs emergency treatment. Kittens may need an anti-diarrheal med to control the diarrhea until the clavamox kicks in good, which is usually around the third day of treatment.

Please keep us posted!

C crowinghen

 

[Furballsmom]

How are things?

 

[crowinghen]

How are things?

Thanks so much for asking! They've got their appetites back, and are energetic, but still have troubling stool. They've not lost weight. I did ask her to monitor their weight in grams for the next few days to make sure we catch any losses early. She put some rice cereal in their bottle last night to help slow their digestion down a bit. If it's bile we're seeing, that may help. If nothing else it helped them sleep well.
The local rescue was full, but someone from there did provide some Metronidazol to try for a few days. I hope so much that it helps. It's her first time bottle feeding, and I know how hard that is.

 

[Furballsmom]

 

[Sarthur2]

Metronidazole will treat parasites and certain intestinal bacterial infections. I hope they continue to do well.

 

[iPappy]

If they're 3-3.5 weeks old, has she tried introducing them to "solid" (pate kitten food offered as a slurry) food or are they still being 100% bottle fed?

 

[crowinghen]

If they're 3-3.5 weeks old, has she tried introducing them to "solid" (pate kitten food offered as a slurry) food or are they still being 100% bottle fed?

She put some rice cereal in their bottles for the first time yesterday, and I did recommend she try some wet food. They're biting at the bottle now, so there's a chance they may take it. I'll follow up with her at a more civil hour today and see how it's going.