Help with my sick kitten

[Vellamint]

I have 5 5 week kittens with mom. Mom has had diarrhea since I got her over 6 weeks ago but I was told she couldn’t have antibiotics since she’s pregnant and after when she’s nursing. Eating and drinking fine.

4 days ago 4 kittens started dry heaving first then vomiting white foamy stuff.

3 days ago 2 of them seemed better but 2 have declined.

One has almost white poop and is crying all the time. The other one cries but his poop is fine

I still see them nursing but they have both lost a few ounces …

Took to the vet yesterday and they prescribed metro for mom and those two kittens. Bloodwork showed slight infection in mom.

I’m scared I’m going to lose him and don’t know what to do. How long for the metro to help if it is going to help.

Oh and the foster coordinator believe moms milk was off when this started which makes sense but I still feel I should be helping him. It seems his belly hurts him so much.

 

[Kat0121]

If mom is sick it can affect the milk and the kittens. The first thing I would do is make sure they get the meds the vet prescribed then I would get the kittens on KMR. It couldn't hurt to give it to mom too. I wouldn't let them nurse while mom is sick. 5.5 week old kittens should be able to bottle feed. If you can't get KMR where you live goat milk is a good alternative.

Sarthur2 StefanZ

 

[Sarthur2]

The metronidazole should begin to work in 2-3 days.

Did mom or the kittens have fever? Are the kittens eating soft foods yet? Are they having any diarrhea?

Are you able to syringe KMR or unflavored Pedialyte into the sick kittens? It sounds like they may be a bit dehydrated.

It may be a virus that metro will not help. It’s difficult to say, but give supportive care to help them over this.

Also, mom can have antibiotics. The kittens only get a little in mom’s milk and it won’t harm them.

 

[Vellamint]

The metronidazole should begin to work in 2-3 days.

Did mom or the kittens have fever? Are the kittens eating soft foods yet? Are they having any diarrhea?

Are you able to syringe KMR or unflavored Pedialyte into the sick kittens? It sounds like they may be a bit dehydrated.

It may be a virus that metro will not help. It’s difficult to say, but give supportive care to help them over this.

Also, mom can have antibiotics. The kittens only get a little in mom’s milk and it won’t harm them.

No fever
Not eating solids yet. I’ve been trying
Diarrhea yes the 2 sick ones
I literally just syringed them chicken baby food with karo that’s someone suggested to me and they immediately nursed after.
They did not like the syringe but I can and have done it before. Maybe I’ll mix up some kmr with pedialyte in a few hours for them?

 

[Sarthur2]

Yes! White poop indicates intestinal infection, which the metronidazole should help. Metro is strong though and may put the kittens off their appetite, so KMR mixed with clear pedialyte instead of water would help.

 

[Vellamint]

If mom is sick it can affect the milk and the kittens. The first thing I would do is make sure they get the meds the vet prescribed then I would get the kittens on KMR. It couldn't hurt to give it to mom too. I wouldn't let them nurse while mom is sick. 5.5 week old kittens should be able to bottle feed. If you can't get KMR where you live goat milk is a good alternative.

Sarthur2 StefanZ

I don’t see how I can stop them from nursing unless I remove them from Mom. Their siblings are also nursing…
I DO have kmr…. I’ll ask my foster coordinator …. Ty ty

 

[Sarthur2]

They can and should continue nursing mom. They are still getting her antibodies and will also get a bit of metro which will not hurt them.

V Vellamint

 

[Vellamint]

They can and should continue nursing mom. They are still getting her antibodies and will also get a bit of metro which will not hurt them.

V Vellamint

Ok. Ty ty

 

[Kat0121]

They can and should continue nursing mom. They are still getting her antibodies and will also get a bit of metro which will not hurt them.

V Vellamint

Passing on antibodies is a good point.

I'm not a kitten expert but my main concern was if mama isn't feeling well she may not want the kittens on her and push them off so I'd probably have KMR and goat milk at the ready just because kittens are so vulnerable and I'm paranoid.

 

[StefanZ]

Are you able to get raw goats milk? It may be pricey if you must buy it in fancy shops, but raw goats milk has some potential advantages. Is traditionally prescribed as remedy for cat animals when they have troubles with intestine ailments...

Im not giving any quarantiees it will help here, but worth to be tried. Cant hurt, may help.

More common pasteurized goats milk or goats milk powder is as mentioned, an OK alternative to kmr... Not better than a good kmr, but useful alternative if you by any reason want to try something else. And its cheaper.

 

[Vellamint]

I have kmr. Powder and liquid. Baby is still nursing with mom so I haven’t fed him that. His brother is much more active today….. so is he except this is what’s leaking out of his butt. (Day 2 of metro). I just syringe fed him the karo/ baby food combo and he happily ate 8 mls of it)

 

[Sarthur2]

Oh my! My guess is it’s from the meds, but have the vet look at the photo. If he is suckling and otherwise doing well, I’m hoping he’ll be okay soon.

 

[StefanZ]

If he is active and happy, I too hope its the meds,
not digestion stopped and the kmr running through not digested...

Anyway, standard trick when digestion HAS stopped (not here, but I mention it just to be prepared)
is to let him be just on pedialyte / glucose sugar solution... this doesnt need digestion, but has some calories, and thus may buy some time...

IF there is some difficulty with kmr indigestion, a switch to goats milk may possibly help...

Again, this is what to try with IF... Do consult your vet, but I think and hope its NOT anything dramatic.
V Vellamint

 

[Vellamint]

If he is active and happy, I too hope its the meds,
not digestion stopped and the kmr running through not digested...

Anyway, standard trick when digestion HAS stopped (not here, but I mention it just to be prepared)
is to let him be just on pedialyte / glucose sugar solution... this doesnt need digestion, but has some calories, and thus may buy some time...

IF there is some difficulty with kmr indigestion, a switch to goats milk may possibly help...

Again, this is what to try with IF... Do consult your vet, but I think and hope its NOT anything dramatic.
V Vellamint

The kitten is still nursing with mom and has never been give. Kmr.

 

[Vellamint]

My foster coordinator just suggested that I keep them from nursing as it may be moms milk… but wouldnt they all be sick? I can separate but they aren’t eating solids and I hate to see them lose more weight…..one will take the syringe but the other not do much…..

 

[Sarthur2]

I disagree. I do not think it’s mom’s milk, and in fact have never heard of pulling kittens off mom unless she has mastitis.

And yes, if it was mom’s milk, I would think all the kittens would be sick, and they are not.

When kittens are pulled, they resist hand feeding and are confused, and mom gets upset and becomes sore from overly full mammaries and wants her kittens.

I think things are going well in general. It seems just this one baby is having problems with digesting his meds, but you say he’s taken the baby food concoction and is okay.

I say leave them with mom, but if this weird white poop continues, stop the meds for this kitten and see if his poops go back to normal. He may not be reacting well to the metro (it’s strong), and he is now getting a bit of it from mom’s milk. It seems the metro is upsetting his digestive tract. Not surprised at his little age.

Since he’s eating from mom and you, I’m thinking his prognosis is good even if you stop his meds. I would.

I know your coordinator means well, but with mom on meds and kittens eating, I think things should improve.

 

[Vellamint]

I disagree. I do not think it’s mom’s milk, and in fact have never heard of pulling kittens off mom unless she has mastitis.

And yes, if it was mom’s milk, I would think all the kittens would be sick, and they are not.

When kittens are pulled, they resist hand feeding and are confused, and mom gets upset and becomes sore from overly full mammaries and wants her kittens.

I think things are going well in general. It seems just this one baby is having problems with digesting his meds, but you say he’s taken the baby food concoction and is okay.

I say leave them with mom, but if this weird white poop continues, stop the meds for this kitten and see if his poops go back to normal. He may not be reacting well to the metro (it’s strong), and he is now getting a bit of it from mom’s milk. It seems the metro is upsetting his digestive tract. Not surprised at his little age.

Since he’s eating from mom and you, I’m thinking his prognosis is good even if you stop his meds. I would.

I know your coordinator means well, but with mom on meds and kittens eating, I think things should improve.

Ty. Everything you have said is my gut feeling also. Except I need to clarify that this white poop (and the original dry heaving/vomiting) started BEFORE the metro was started. 4 out of 5 kittens were heaving/vomiting. No one is showing symptoms anymore but the one.
I will assess again in the morning. Sigh… this is nerve wracking.

 

[Sarthur2]

Yes, I recall you saying that before, and the white poop is what alarms me. It tells me that something is not right with his digestive tract, but I’m wondering if he should be on Clavamox instead of Metro. Metro is a combo antibiotic and parasite killer, while Clavamox is a gram positive and gram negative antibiotic, is less strong in terms of side effects, and your little guy likely has no parasites.,

If possible, can you mix a sprinkle of probiotic grains into the baby food mixture you are giving? It may help to establish more healthy gut flora that he may need right now. He’s so little and I really think something is off in his digestive track. I’m just not sure what set it off, but his siblings have mostly recovered, and since he hasn’t yet, I’m thinking a bit of probiotics may help. His system is clearly more sensitive and not as well developed.

Seriously consider changing course now — stopping the metro, giving probiotics, and if no improvement in a couple of days, asking for Albon or Clavamox. Albon is gentle and maybe should be tried before the Clavamox, if he still needs something.

 

[Sarthur2]

The fact several kittens had this and have recovered tells me that the illness may be viral, and your little guy is the odd man out in terms of quick recovery. It’s hit him harder. He needs more supportive care which you are giving with the baby food and which he seems to love. Keep it up and add the probiotics. Stop the metro. You may see a big improvement in a day or two. If not, we’ll know he may need different meds.

 

[Sarthur2]

You are fostering, correct? Do you know any history on mom? You said she’s had diarrhea since you got her. Was she a stray? Has she had any vaccines? Has her diarrhea improved yet?

I’m asking because in studying your case and reviewing my research material, I am thinking that the kittens may have contracted panleukopenia. This is a not uncommon virus in stray and unvaccinated cats, and it can be passed to kittens through mom’s milk. Kittens so small have a hard time surviving it, but can with supportive care and if they are strong and the case is not too bad. Clearly, if it is panleukopenia, your brood is so far surviving it, though the little guy is struggling.

So your coordinator is not wrong in saying there is something wrong with mom’s milk, but what may be wrong is that her milk contains panleukopenia virus, which has now, if true, already been passed on.

It is a nasty virus, which causes all the symptoms your mom cat and kittens have exhibited. There is no cure, other than a vaccine for distemper, that mom clearly never received, so her kittens got it.

They are doing well to survive it — most tiny kittens do not survive it. The cure is supportive care — fluids, food, antibiotics, anti-nausea meds, etc. and vaccines when everyone is old enough and well enough.

Here is a link to read about it:

Feline Panleukopenia Virus in Cats (Feline Distemper) | PetMD.

I suspect this is what has been going on. You must clean your home — surfaces and litter boxes, floors, etc. with bleach and water, vacuum, and not foster any future cats for several months in order to be rid of the virus.

It may be that your mom cat picked up the virus at the shelter before you took her in. Shelters are notorious for spreading such viruses before becoming aware that they are present.

At any rate, it’s worth considering cleaning your home extra well, and focusing on getting everyone well and through this. I really cannot think of anything else this could be except panleukopenia. In the cat biz, we call it panleuk for short.

I’ve been working a lot, but have had your case cogitating in the back of my mind, and now that I sat down and focused tonight, I do believe it’s a case of panleukopenia, and I’ve had the time to post to you about it.

No sense pulling them off mom. They’ve already been exposed and are recovering. Let’s get mom and the little guy well now.