One of Tigger's kittens is trying to die!?!

[levi68]

I'm really freaking out. I know that it's hard to raise healthy orphans but I don't want to lose any!

Lewis was always the quietest one. Tonight he seemed quieter than usual sleeping alone with his head down. He did eat but then he just seemed too quiet.

I bundles him up to give him cuddles and he had a very weak constant cry..he looked like he was fading in front of my eyes.

So, I took him to his momma (she has been separated due to severe mastitis)

She hasn't seen him in a week but immediately started to groom him. He perked up a bit but his nose is cool to touch.

Is there anything I can do?

 

[Willowy]

Keep him warm. Sugar water to perk him up, then try to feed him right after to keep his blood sugar steady. But especially keep him warm. If he makes it to tomorrow and still isn't eating, have your vet show you how to .tube feed.

 

[levi68]

Will Bene Bac plus help him?
 

 

[Willowy]

Probably not. Wouldn't hurt though. But you need to get his blood sugar up and probiotics won't do anything for that.

 

[hissy]

Give him some straight karo syrup - don't mix it with water. Use the clear stuff, put a small dollop in his mouth, not a lot, just a taste. When he finishes licking it up, give him a bit more. make sure you keep him warm.  You can check out my website for more tips about kittens without a mom or access to the mom-

 

[bentliy]

Keep him warm. Sugar water to perk him up, then try to feed him right after to keep his blood sugar steady. But especially keep him warm. If he makes it to tomorrow and still isn't eating, have your vet show you how to .tube feed.

This. ^ Heat up a water bottle or perhaps a heating pad and wrap it in a towel to keep him warm. Being near momma's body heat will also help. I hope he gets well soon!  Please keep us posted.

 

[levi68]

Is that like corn syrup?
 

 

[levi68]

I only have blackstrap molasses, honey and corn syrup

 

[catnamedpanda]

Yes, Karo is white corn syrup.

 

[levi68]

I gave him a tiny dab of corn syrup. He seems warmer but still lethargic. I've got to get some sleep but if anyone has a moment, send a prayer our way.

lewis2.jpg

• levi68
• Mar 4, 2013

 

[StefanZ]

Best of these emergency sugars is probably dextrose (glucose sugar). 

Wet a little, and put on the gum.  Or stir into your basic pedialyte.

Glucose goes directly into blood, and into the cells.

If you havent, try to get it, it is useful in different cat emergency combinations including home made pedialyte. The same pedialyte is useful for humans, including kids.

I find dextrose sold as powder in Sweden in the common food shop on the bakery shelves, so I suppose it is useful in baking too...

Honey is prob useful too if you dont have white corn syrup/Karo, nor dextrose.

Honey does contains much glucose.

Common sugar is probably OK too if you havent anything else, I had seen it mentioned by several good experts.

But dextrose is of course better.

Keep warm, as said, but careful, not TOO warm either.

Good luck!

 

[orientalslave]

He MUST be warm before being fed any milk - if he is cool he can't digest it and it stagnates.  It sounds like he is cold, probably dehydrated and hypoglycaemic.

Let us know how he gets on.

PS I should have said - make sure any fluid you give him is at body temperature, otherwise it will cool him down further.

 

[levi68]

He's gone.

Now I'm worried about the runt. He seems quiet. He's always had the big belly but no fat. I've seen this in

kittens with coccydia. He's obviously not absorbing the KMR well.

I'm looking into getting them some sub q fluids. I just have this feeling there going to die one by one unless I can

figure something out.
 

 

[StefanZ]

. He's obviously not absorbing the KMR well..

If KMR doesnt work well, you can perhaps try with goat milk.  Processed is OK, but raw is better.

Sorry for the one who left.  Keeping thumbs for the rest.

Good luck!

 

[lindz2785]

Oh, Levi... I'm so sorry to hear about poor Lewis. I just read about Tigger and her horrific mastitis. I'm so sorry that you (and mama + kittens) had to go through this. You are an angel for fighting for Tigger and her babies.

I've seen coccidia way too much with my foster kittens. Are they having diarrhea?? Losing weight? Vomiting?

 

[levi68]

I am taking them all to the vet this afternoon when Tigger gets her laser treatment. When I went in this morning, Tigger was still laying with Lewis and reached out to him when I picked him up. Right now, the remaining four are suckling away even though there is no milk and momma is in heaven, purring away.

They have been gaining but not as much as I'd like to see. They have the look of coccydia with full bellies but not much on the skeleton. Two have always looked like that. I'm going to try and take in a poop sample.

They are sometimes hard to get latched on and fight the process.

I already have homes for 3 of the 4 ... if I can keep them alive.

 

[levi68]

Can momma start lactating again with constant suckling? Even somewhat?

 

[StefanZ]

Can momma start lactating again with constant suckling? Even somewhat?

I think so.  If she is healed enough etc, so.  Im rather sure of it.

 

[levi68]

I'm thinking they have coccydia...saw some bright green diarrhea. At vet in an hour.

 

[levi68]

What a day. I spent 3 hours at the vet!!! They basically put everyone before us. Eventually, they gave three out of the four

subq fluids. Put them all on Sulfa and dosed them. They all frothed and when I finally got them home wouldnt take the syringe.

The vet said they will all die anyway. Man..did that irritate me.

You know we put our heart and soul into these little beings. These Dime a Dozen that society labels them.

No one but us knows the heartache when we lose one.

Man..life sucks sometimes.