Underweight 3 week old kittens

[HeyKat]

This says that if it's a time-release tablet then no, don't crush it, but if it's the chewable kind you can:
Can Amox-Clav tablets be crushed?

Oh dear. Any tips for getting the pill in their mouths? I know how to give a pill to a bigger cat, but these guys are so little I couldn't even get my pinky in there, and as I said before, I'm scared of hurting them with the tweezers.

 

[Willowy]

Ugh, too bad it's a weekend. Why would a vet give big tablets to little kittens? Are you sure it's the time-release kind?

If you think it's not too big for them to swallow, but you're just having trouble getting it in them, I've had success propping their mouths open with one hand and then poking the pills down with my pinky finger, follow up with a dropper of water and it should be good. I wouldn't risk using tweezers though.

 

[HeyKat]

It's only a quarter tablet so it's not so big. It's just that the kittens are so small, plus the tablet starts breaking up every time they spit it out. You wouldn't expect such hidden reserves of strength to fight medication in such weak little bodies!

How do you keep their mouths open without getting a fingertip bitten off?

 

[Willowy]

Oh if the tablet is already broken then it's fine to crush. Yeah, mix that up with some food and syringe it, much easier.

 

[HeyKat]

Thank goodness!

Two of the kittens are still having bad diarrhoea. I'm giving them meds for it, which is helping, but not enough. I'm concerned that their food is too rich for their sensitive stomachs (a mix of Hills a/d, for the calories, combined with formula or Royal Canin kitten mousse, depending on if I'm bottle feeding or giving a plate). I've tried grinding up dry kibble and mixing it with the wet food, but they were completely uninterested.

I'm boiling some plain chicken for them right now, but I'm not sure how to give it. Will the change in food aggravate their stomachs? Should I mix it with the wet food, or serve the chicken by itself?

I'm desperate to stem the tide of diarrhoea. If only I could stick a cork in them

 

[Sarthur2]

Shred or cut up the chicken into tiny pieces. You can serve it mixed with cooked white rice and a little broth. Hope they go for it.

 

[HeyKat]

I haven't seen the kittens eat with such enthusiasm in ages!

Hopefully their digestive tracts are equally pleased.

I'm not sure how to incorporate the chicken into their diets. I know it doesn't have all the nutrients they need, so how often/how much should I give them?

 

[Willowy]

Do they still get formula? If so, you could go longer since the formula will provide the vitamins. Otherwise, maybe a week. . .honestly, if this gets them past their crisis I wouldn't be in a hurry to change it, although of course you would have to eventually. I know adult cats can go several weeks on plain boiled chicken without harm, of course growing kittens may be different, ask your vet.

Do add a little bit of rice (I'm not sure if you did or not) as rice is well-known to be a binding agent for humans with diarrhea.

 

[HeyKat]

New concern. On top of the liquid diarrhoea, which was mostly just clear slime last I saw, one of the kittens is now wetting herself too.

Could it be a UTI caused by the diarrhoea? She keeps herself clean, and she's already on antibiotics. Or could it be something else?

Her appetite is still good, she drinks water, and while she's not as active as her healthy brother, she's still playing a bit and exploring their pen.

 

[HeyKat]

Or could the problem be the antibiotics? Yeast infection or kidney damage.

The kittens are getting prebiotics already.