Congested Sounds After Bottle Feeding

[DrinkeroftheWind]

Hello all!

So I have been bottle feeding kittens for 6 or 7 years now. I am a vet tech and have recently run into an interesting, and sometimes alarming, scenario with my bottle babies: occasionally after nursing on the bottle or the syringe, my bottle babies will sound like they inhaled the milk. They will sound congested and feel like they have a rattle to their chest. It clears up in about 5 mins or so but is quite worrying.
Since I'm a tech, the doctors I work for have recommended nebulizing 2 to 3 times daily. We have even prescribed antibitoics to be safe.
I don't know what causes this and neither do they. The kittens nurse on their bellies with heads elevated. They nurse well and cause suction on the bottle themselves. I do not squeeze it.
Any thoughts? Anyone else have this problem?
All kittens grow up and get adopted out with no problems. Just alarming qnd wanted to see who may know what it is causing this.
Thanks!

 

[StefanZ]

Interesting to read your post. It confirms, sometimes such rattling is without bad consequences. As yes, it does happens now and then and we get scared every time.

And yes, sometimes they get pneumonia for real.

Nebulizing, is feeding with a sond directly into stomach? This is of course effective, but you must know how to do. And I have noticed even some vets dont know how to...
But its useful knowledge to get for someone whom often do rescue weak kittens.

 

[DrinkeroftheWind]

Interesting to read your post. It confirms, sometimes such rattling is without bad consequences. As yes, it does happens now and then and we get scared every time.

And yes, sometimes they get pneumonia for real.

Nebulizing, is feeding with a sond directly into stomach? This is of course effective, but you must know how to do. And I have noticed even some vets dont know how to...
But its useful knowledge to get for someone whom often do rescue weak kittens.

Nebulizing is the use of a machine to deliver medications as a mist inhaled by the lungs. This is often used to help clear up congestion and help treat things such as upper respiratory infections, pneumonia, etc.

Fortunately, the kitten I have currently is nursing well and doesn't need to be tube fed which I think is what you're referring to? I've only had to tube feed really weak or sick kittens. They typically sound fine afterwards. It seems to just be the older kittens (2 to 5 weeks) who sound congested after nursing.

 

[DeweytheLion]

Maybe their fat bellies are the problem!
If it's sort of a grunting noise, that's probably the case. But you're doing everything right by them and it doesn't sound worrying at all!
In my own experience in puppies and kittens, I feel I've had similar situations. Especially the older babes.

 

[Furballsmom]

The kittens nurse on their bellies with heads elevated.

I got to thinking, are their heads too elevated?

 

[DrinkeroftheWind]

I don't believe so...I can try to lower their heads just to see. I'll let you know at next feeding. Thanks!

 

[StefanZ]

I did some thinking. We see there are somethimes rattle and almost congested, in healthy a little older babies. Withouth them having inhaled the milk or someting. [Of course, the sound as such its alarming and sometimes they DID have got inhaled, but we arent talking about it now].

I have got thinking on my personal experiences with rattling in the chest and sounding congested... It happens sometimes yes, usually when eating a lunch buffe a little too quickly and a little too much. (Often also much spices)...

It may be the same phenomena exists with these kittens. Being healthy and strong, and getting bottle its easily to happen they suckle in a little too quickly... And voilá - here we got the "wet throat" and rattling sounds...


What do you say? Sounds this try for explanation as plausible?

 

[DrinkeroftheWind]

So I tried lowering her head and elevating her head more. Neither change made any difference. We are weaning now so hopefully that all goes well .

We took some xrays at my work of her before and after nursing to see if we can figure this out. We will be having a radiologist take a peek at it today. I'll keep everyone posted. She seems to be thriving really well. The post nursing sounds are just a tad scary. It even freaked the doctors out.

I also think that maybe she is just nursing too quickly. I've been feeding her more often to see if that will slow her down.

 

[Furballsmom]

Thanks ever so much for the update, I've been thinking about you

 

[DrinkeroftheWind]

Okay. So this kitten I have been discussing with you all on here may have megaesophagus. The radiologist said there is also a touch of pneumonia started so it's good we put her back on antibiotics. The best thing to do at this point is wean her off liquids and ensure her food is mixed well. She may grow out of the megaesophagus and she may not. It's a waiting game.
This may be why mom abandoned her too. I'll keep everyone posted.

 

[Furballsmom]

Oh my goodness!!

 

[Kitty_Oliver]

Hello all!

So I have been bottle feeding kittens for 6 or 7 years now. I am a vet tech and have recently run into an interesting, and sometimes alarming, scenario with my bottle babies: occasionally after nursing on the bottle or the syringe, my bottle babies will sound like they inhaled the milk. They will sound congested and feel like they have a rattle to their chest. It clears up in about 5 mins or so but is quite worrying.
Since I'm a tech, the doctors I work for have recommended nebulizing 2 to 3 times daily. We have even prescribed antibitoics to be safe.
I don't know what causes this and neither do they. The kittens nurse on their bellies with heads elevated. They nurse well and cause suction on the bottle themselves. I do not squeeze it.
Any thoughts? Anyone else have this problem?
All kittens grow up and get adopted out with no problems. Just alarming qnd wanted to see who may know what it is causing this.
Thanks!

Hi there! I have a 4 week old kitten, almost 5 weeks and so far she's been doing great, she's had 2 vet visits and has gotten a clean bill of health. However, the last 3 days the exact same sounds you're describing is happening to her after each feeding. She's very active and seems perfectly fine after, but the sound is alarming. I'll be taking her tomorrow for a vet visit, I'm hoping it's not what you've come to find out in your follow up post. Please keep us posted. Good luck, I hope your kitty is ok.

 

[Sarthur2]

Kitty_Oliver

Yes, get kitten to a vet for antibiotics ASAP. It’s always serious when you hear clicking. Start your own thread if you need further help.

Check out this more recent thread with similar issue:

Questions about my very young Kitten