Dehydrated orphan needs fluid quickly - homemade normal saline an option?

[crowinghen]

It seems like I always find myself here on holidays and weekends. This morning I picked up a litter of 4 kittens between 5 and 7 days old. Their mom ate rat poison and died last night. Three of the kittens are doing okay. They're 5.1, 5.2, and 5.7 oz, eating, and active if a bit vocal.
The other was cold when I picked them up, weighs only 4.1 oz, and is weak, lethargic and struggling to eat. I thought it may be aspiratory, but the woman who found them said she thought he was dead when she found the litter. So apparently he was like this before he was picked up.
I warmed him, gave him some corn syrup, and got a bit of milk in him (and by milk I mean KMR). He did latch and nurse a little. I thought he was a goner there for a while, but he's hung in there. Anyway, my question comes down to hydration. I've given lots of lactated ringers injections for dehydrated kittens, but I don't have any fluid. I don't think he can drink enough to rehydrate to recovery without support. There's no vet open in range. I can make a homemade (and sterile) normal saline solution. Is that a reasonable alternative to get him through the next day? I think the dehydration is the immediate threat to his life, so I'm inclined to risk it. But what complicating factors should I watch out for?

 

[StefanZ]

It seems like I always find myself here on holidays and weekends. This morning I picked up a litter of 4 kittens between 5 and 7 days old. Their mom ate rat poison and died last night. Three of the kittens are doing okay. They're 5.1, 5.2, and 5.7 oz, eating, and active if a bit vocal.
The other was cold when I picked them up, weighs only 4.1 oz, and is weak, lethargic and struggling to eat. I thought it may be aspiratory, but the woman who found them said she thought he was dead when she found the litter. So apparently he was like this before he was picked up.
I warmed him, gave him some corn syrup, and got a bit of milk in him (and by milk I mean KMR). He did latch and nurse a little. I thought he was a goner there for a while, but he's hung in there. Anyway, my question comes down to hydration. I've given lots of lactated ringers injections for dehydrated kittens, but I don't have any fluid. I don't think he can drink enough to rehydrate to recovery without support. There's no vet open in range. I can make a homemade (and sterile) normal saline solution. Is that a reasonable alternative to get him through the next day? I think the dehydration is the immediate threat to his life, so I'm inclined to risk it. But what complicating factors should I watch out for?

Yes, homemade saline should be ok.

You tell, you are injecting this lactate ringers.
Are you going to inject this saline solution? Do you know the exact dosage / concentration of salts?

My mom, whom was a medic when younger, before blood transfusions were standard, talked often about
physiological solution of salts. Ie a saline solution, possibly with added a shade of glucose sugar.

If you manage to do it sterile, injection should be OK and plausible.

IF you manage to get him to drink, its of course easiest.

 

[StefanZ]

Ps. you know, vets when injecting fluids into dehydrated cats, dont give them into a blood vein, as my mom did. They usually give it just under the skin on between the SHOULDERS... Slowly. The fluid dissolves itself into the tissues.

 

[StefanZ]

you use corn syrup as glucose source. In practice it works ok. but if you can get real glucose sugar / dextrose - its even better, and safer to use.
Also, real glucose sugar isnt much sweet, so you can often give more of it, without risking anything. (even if somebody told me
cats dont feel sweet). also, glucose sugar goes into blood directly from the mouth.

You can buy dextrose / glucose sugar from Amazon. Bakery shops should have it; or you can surely lend from some bakery.
Your vet has probably some. Also, sport shops do probably have. Its quick energhy for sport people too.

 

[crowinghen]

Thank You for your help! I was able to make a normal saline with sodium chloride and boiled water. I have syringes in the house thank heavens! He is doing much better. I gave him 2 ml earlier, and he was more active and less limp a few minutes ago. I gave him another 2ml (under his skin, not in veins - I would be scared to even try to do an intravenous injection on a 4oz kitten!) I think that if he continues to improve he may be able to take the rest by mouth.