Problems with nursing kitten

Sarthur2

Sarthur2

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Wow. The vet seems to lack knowledge. Cats are routinely spayed during c-sections. That way they do not have to endure another surgery and recovery. And, they are still able to nurse.

You also do not need to wait 6 months to a year to spay her. She can be spayed as soon as the kitten is weaned around 8 weeks old.

The discharge you are seeing should decrease daily and stop within a week. If it increases or she seems to be lethargic or feverish, take her to a vet asap. That would signal infection. I'm surprised you were not given instructions.

You may want to find a new vet.

The unused nipples will eventually cease producing milk.

Glad the little fellow is figuring things out.
 
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bengalgal

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I'm in England. I've found with human health care there are a lot of differences in approaches to the states. It might be the same about animals. If anything there seems to be almost more concern as a society about the welfare of animals than of all people. It takes as long to become a vet nurse as a human nurse. a single hurt wild bird brings out the RSPCA. They have a 24 hour help line for hurt, injured, or abused animals anywhere in the country and it leads to people driving 50 miles or more to rescue them at any time of the day or night, 365 days a year. To me it made sense that the big hormone drop a removal of ovaries and uterus leads to could prevent lactation and might impact the mothers instincts. Maybe she can still parent but with a higher chance of not doing it well. And further surgery might add a few days to the recovery or a few more hours till she is alert enough to care for kittens as it would be a longer surgery.

So I'm not sure this is a particular vet's policy, it was a private practice with hospitals and branches all over, so it could just be the general policy for mercer & Hughes. She isn't my regular vet, but the only emergency service that was available last night at 9:00 pm.

I see stories all over the UK web where they had to remove the uterus at the same time of birth or just after because of dead kittens or pups or undelivered afterbirth. First they try OxyCotin to induce labor, then if that doesn't work do the surgery. In many cases reported, the animal loses its milk and the babies have to be hand fed. But there are definitely vets who spay during a c section, in every case if there are no viable offspring. I tried to find out what is the usual policy in the U.K. and all I could get was a higher percentage of offspring will have to be hand raised and all depends on how long animal has been in labor, why they need the c section, if fetuses are dead, etc In the last case they always do a spay at the same time to reduce chances of infection.
 
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bengalgal

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The little guy still needs help getting the nipple. But he's very vocal when he can't find it so I was able to wake up each time and eventually with he got one. Another difference here is they recommend kittens stay with their moms for 4 months. In our case we will keep this little kitten.. Last time she didn't go in heat again til all of her kittens were gone, there was one we almost kept who was over five months old when he left. I might wait til the new kitten is really done nursing before spaying her. A year seems excessive but maybe there is some increased risk of some other disease or who knows, I will ask.
 
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bengalgal

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Despite needing a bit of help and going over four hours without feeding last night, today the little guy weighs 148 grams. He was large at birth, that was part of the problem.
 
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bengalgal

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Not sure. I will find out Monday. The vet said he was large, too large for her to birth, but not moving into the canal was also due to being the only baby, harder to squeeze just one out.
 
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bengalgal

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Everyone says you must stop her from licking the wound on her belly, but she needs to lick her kitten to bond and make him pee and poo. Any topical nasty tasting thing might also be ingested by the tiny newborn. Any ideas to stop her from licking her wound?
 
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Sarthur2

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B bengalgal

All cats lick their wounds. As long as she is not pulling her stitches out, it should be fine.

We would love to see pictures!
 
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bengalgal

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i would like to send a photo but the cat site isn't showing up as requesting access to my photos and I can't get them! Trying to figure this out...
 
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bengalgal

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Hers is another dose of cuteness, I love the paw in the air.

.
image.jpg

image.jpg

 
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bengalgal

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If the it's not one thing it's another. She hasn't peed since she had her c section Friday night. 18 hours. Or pooed but I'm not worried about that. Is not being for a while after birth normal. I remember I wasn't allowed to go home until I had peed after having my kids, but it wasn't a c section.
 
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Mom is beautiful, and the baby is precious! [emoji]128149[/emoji]

She will pee soon. Has she eaten wet food yet, or been drinking water?
 
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bengalgal

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She has been drinking water. I gave her a little cooked chicken but I can't give her wet food as it gives her diarrhea. She's been eating her dry food though less than normal. She is taking care of the kitten and seems ok until her painkiller wears off, then she growls in pain, but that's to be expected.
 
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Do you have KMR? She can have a dish of that a day. And tuna water. She does need fluids to make milk.
 
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bengalgal

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Thanks, I will try that.
 
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bengalgal

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Here he is, two weeks old. Silly momma in heat again. We've met the father, he comes running if the kitten In the window. Dad is a black Manx. So this guy is half Bengal half Manx.
image.jpg

image.jpg

 
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