I Need Everyones Help!

[jane_vernon]

Ok, I have a 3 week old kitten who I'm hand rearing.

1. She was originally pooping ok for the first 2 days. She was on a formula that was giving her diarrhea. So I switched her to Biolac (recommended my vet) and she started to have solid poos.

2. She stopped pooing and I took her to the vet who gave her a enema and cleaned out some really hard solid poos - He recommended I give her a bit of vegetable oil to loosen things up and to dilute her formula a bit. So I did both of these things - No pooping. I also tried so pured cooked pumpkin but this didn't seem to make a difference either.

3. Back to the vet for another enema - Really solid poo came out, then runny poo. Vet recommened we go back to old formula as its better that the kitten have diarrhea than constipation.

If she continues to have constipation her colon will stretch, she will be unable to control her bowel properly and they suggested we would have to have her put down if this happened.

I DO NOT want to put her down!! I have had her since 3 days old and I really love her and she is such a personality!

She is eating like a horse, walking around fine, and is even starting to sort of wean (she has eaten a little solid cat food today).

It has been around 31 hours since her last enema and she has yet to pass any faeces. She is weeing fine and significant amounts. I have been feeding her her old formula for around 24 hours.

What should I do? What can I give her to make her go to the toilet? I'm so worried!!

Please HELP!!

 

[huggles]

maybe a silly question as you may have done this, but have you tried to stimulate her yourself?
http://www.kitten-rescue.com/pooping_and_peeing.html

 

[cyberkitten]

Orphaned kittens always need to be manually stimulated with a cotton ball or a paper towels (prob preferable b/c it more clsely resemb,les mama's tongue (if the kitten was with her, she'd do it). AS the above post noted, you may already be doing that since you are working in tandem with your vet). If not, she may have some digestive problem but I'd think the vet would have foiund that. I woner if the new food is causing constipation now - assuming you are helping her eliminate?

 

[jane_vernon]

Yes, I have been manually stimulating her. I think the second food we put her on was making her constipated.

She is no longer on that food now and is back on the original food.

But what can I do to make her go to the toilet? I'm getting desperate.

 

[doc-n-samsmom]

I hand raised a little guy, and I used um...a warm wash cloth, did the trick! Not to sound gross, but i had to do that after every feeding...ewwwwww!

 

[huggles]

can the vet not offer any advise as to why this is happening? Should you check out a different vet?

what forumla are you giving him?

http://www.kitten-rescue.com/what_to_feed.html recommends
"If you are using a commercial formula, add a quarter of a teaspoon of full fat yogurt to the first bottle of each day. This will aid in your kitten's digestion"

or you can make up your own "kitten glop"

sorry - i cant really help much as I have no experience, but just thinking of things that I have read on this site...

 

[hissy]

3 week old kittens may still need to be stimulated - if you go to www.kitten-rescue.com there are tips on how to help this little one move her bowels.

 

[emb_78]

Originally Posted by Doc-n-SamsMom

I hand raised a little guy, and I used um...a warm wash cloth, did the trick! Not to sound gross, but i had to do that after every feeding...ewwwwww!

I have always found this to work... Keep tryin until you see something comin out. Then you can pinch it off kind of... and keep doing that!!!

 

[huggles]

www.kitten-rescue.com is a site that was developed by a member here so i have alot of faith in it

 

[jane_vernon]

I'm stimulating her for quite a while - She is weeing fine. Her kidneys are just taking all the water out of her stools making them almost impossible to pass.

 

[meower]

I read on some website about kittens having a problem with clay litters and their insides getting clogged up with the clay...just a thought. good luck

 

[jane_vernon]

She's not using a litter box yet - So I know its not the clay litter.

 

[huggles]

so the vet says its a problem with her kidneys? but he doesnt know what to do now? is that what your saying?

 

[jane_vernon]

Its not a problem with her kidneys per se. Her kidneys are just working so well, that they are sucking the water out of her faeces and so they are getting stuck.

He also thinks it may be a congenital problem and that she could perhaps grow out of it - He has recommended that I continue feeding her diluted food and giving her vegetable oil (orally) to help lube things up. I asked about laxatives but he said this would result in her getting a lazy bowel. So he has recommended I give her enemas for the mean time and see how things go. Its possible that she could have megacolon which is REALLY bad.

I just wanted to know what other people have done with kittens who have been very constipated.

 

[huggles]

I sure do hope she grows out of it. Thankfully she looks like she is in good hands with you and you care about her very much. Thats great!! she is very lucky.

I would keep giving her the vegetable oil and the pumpkin that I know you have tried... I am sure it all wouldnt hurt. I have a suggestion but dont want to post it on the boards it case its not a good one - let me pm someone who will know, they may call me a moron though LOL

 

[jane_vernon]

Thanks Huggles! Much appreciated.

I will continue with oil and pumpkin - I also have some probiotics that I will give her as well - I may try some yoghurt as well.

 

[jane_vernon]

Ok an update.

I gave her an enema yesterday (under vets intructions) and she didn't have any hard poop, just some soft poop and some diarrhea - So it may be that she has forgotten how to go poopie! This is something she may grow out of.

Other than that she is going really well - Eating fine - Has even started to eat cat food (but still likes the bottle as well!) She is walking and starting to run and jump! She has even started to play fight and will bite you a little!! Its good training for when she has to fend off her brother!!!

Jane

 

[huggles]

such a positive update Jane

we are all thinking of you sweet little Portia

stay strong little one

 

[stampit3d]

My suggestion would be to PM Hissy as ask her if there is anyway to massage this kitties tummy to encourage her bowels to move on thier own.
Linda

 

[stormycat]

I hope she will be ok. Not to go against what your vet said or anything, but from my learnings pumpkin helps to stop diahrea....maybe she is getting constipated because of the pumpkin. Just a thought.
~Wendy