Kitten to be adopted may have URI

[sassea]

Wife applied to adopt through Wishbone in West Michigan. She got approval Friday. Saturday we got to see the two she picked from mug shots.Two girls from same litter about 8-10 weeks old have had some shots. One is fine. The other seems more the size of a six week old. They were in a cat room with six kittens and a young adult that all seemed healthy. I did not ask what the vet said. The lady just told us that she had been to the vet and would be okay when I asked her if the little one was going to be okay. She sneezes and has one eye a little runny and is thin and may have diarrhea. My wife is not going to turn her down because she is sick. She stayed on floor like a bread loaf. She purred when we held her. When her sister and another kitten went to the water dish she ran about four feet to get there also. She tried to join but waited till they were done and then drank just a little. She then went back to spot on the floor. The lady said they are all eating Science Diet dry for kittens and the little one is also getting some Science Diet canned for kittens. They will get more shots this Monday. Wife will pick them up Tuesday if no bad reaction to the shots. The following Monday we have to take them back to get fixed. I am going to be a nervous wreck between Tuesday and next Wednesday. 

 

[stephanietx]

Congratulations on your new kitties!!  Sounds like smaller one might be the runt and the lowest one on the pecking order totem pole.  The adjustment to a new home may cause a flare up or relapse of a lingering upper respiratory infection so be on the lookout for that.  I'd go ahead and make an appointment with your vet for shortly after you bring them home just as a meet & greet and check up.  It's always good to be established at the vet before you really need the vet's services.  The vet may even give you something to help the littler one's sneezing and eye issues.  Be sure to get all the vet records from the rescue for both of them and take with you to your vet.

 

[sassea]

We brought Abby and Ruby home Tuesday. Abby did not get any shots. She only ways about 1.5 lbs. She was still stuffy and goopy eyed and not active just like Saturday. The Wisbone rescue people gave us a couple of cans of the food they have been giving her. Its Hills Urgent A/D wet food. She snorts and makes other stuffy nasal sounds when eating and drinking. 

On Wednesday Terri took her to our vet. He said it could be the Herpes. We have two liquid meds to give her. At supper time we add a little warm water to her wet food. She ate and spent a few minutes making sure the bowl was clean. There is an improvement since Tuesday. I saw her yawn for the 1st time and was able to see she did not have any sores in mouth or tongue. Terri took her into the Steam room / Bathroom and Abby seemed to eat a little better and drank more water than she had been. 

Her sister Ruby has been kinda ruff on her and she finally is fighting back a little but she is smaller and week from not feeling well. She played (not very energetically) with a milk ring for the 1st time. She also was washing her paw and a quick hind end check for the 1st time. She is still not typical kitten active but there is improvement over the 1st day.

She is still very stuffed up. Her eyes look better since Terri is wiping her with a wash cloth a couple of times.

This morning before the alarm went off Ruby got up for some dry food and Abby went and did the same so maybe thats a good sign.

The liquid meds scare me after losing our Sassea a month ago when we had been giving her some and not sure if we had caused it.     

 

[stephanietx]

Sounds like she's improving, though it's only baby steps.  Keep doing what you're doing!  Make sure she stays hydrated and eats well.

 

[sassea]

Thursday night Abby wanted more wet food. When we went to bed nstead of waiting her turn she crowded in with Ruby to get some dry food. She also instigated a little fight/play with Ruby. Friday morning she went and drank more than I have seen sofar. I tried to get her to drink from a Lixit bottle so she would not have lean down with her stuffy nose but that has not worked. I have her wet food raised a little but when she is done she still sets holding her head up to try and breath better. I have a vaporizer in our little family room where the TV is and most play takes place. I am going to get her some infant nose drops today. She seems to be getting better but I still worry because she is so little. When we first saw her this past Saturday I was not sure we would ever bring her home.

 

[stephanietx]

Baby steps are a great way to measure progress.  Each little new things means she's getting better & stronger.  Time, patience, quality food, and lots of TLC will help her recover.  Keep up the good work!

 

[sassea]

Terri took Abby to the vet today because she is getting a big round belly. The vet gave her a treatnment for worms. We are to take her back in two weeks. We got 14 cans of the Hills A/D and Abby is to eat one full can per day. She tested negative for FELV. She did not like the blood drawn and told them so and it took a little to stop bleeding. We are going to separate Abby and Ruby. They can be together when we are with them but no sharing litter box or food and water. This will also allow Abby to get more rest not having the hyper active sister with her.

 

[sassea]

Abby & Ruby.jpg

• sassea
• Nov 17, 2015

Abby & Ruby if I did this picture thing.

We separated the kittens.

Last night I could not leave her alone in the room so I slept on the Loveseat scrunched up.

Abby was 1.3lbs when we took her to the vet for the URI last week. Yesterday when she went for the fat tummy she only weighed 1.1lbs so she can not stand to lose anything at all. She gets up from her nap any time we enter the room and still wants to play but she gets winded and needs alot of rest.

I blocked the "kitten hole" through the closet between the two rooms. Today I may replace the card board with a screen so the two sisters can see and smell and hear each other.  

I had my mom check on her and she has not eaten since this morning so she hasn't got her full dose of meds for the URI today yet.

 

[stephanietx]

That a/D is like kitty crack!  She should take to it very quickly and be gaining weight soon.  What kind of meds is she on?

 

[sassea]

She has been eating the A/D all along and still lost wieght. The vet had us leave her last night for iv fluids. She pooped once after wormer but no worms. Wednesday morning she did not eat as much as she had been. The vet tested her poop and it came back negative for worms. This is 24hrs after given wormer and only one poop with no worms. Her white cell count is up and her red cell count is down so the vet was going to start a stronger antibiotic. She has been taking Clindamycin and Lysine for the URI and we saw daily improvement in her activity and interaction with us. Until the weekend when I started to notice her tummy and took her in on Tuesday. The tummy symptoms still seem like worms. Will update when we here from the vet this morning.

 

[stephanietx]

Has the vet run the PCR URD and/or diarrhea panel?

 

[sassea]

No PCR URD yet. Her nose and eyes look good (better) but she still has some weezing and snorts and snuffles when eating. She has not had diarrhea. They gave her IV fluids and were happy she pooped and still no evidence of worms. They were happy with her condition compared to initial visit. She is now on Clavamox. Her belly is not quite as firm but still there. She was much more playfull. She had one good poop and then several very little dark sticky poo that stuck to her. She likes when Terri washes her face and eyes but is not happy at all about us washing her bottom. Today/Thursday morning she was up and happy for breakfast. Terri had to wash her bottom. My mom will check in on her and keep food in her dish. 

 

[stephanietx]

Be careful with the Clavamox.  One of the side effects is diarrhea and the other is vomiting. (Joy!)  Some cats never experience side effects, but side effects are common.  Glad to know she's improved.  I wouldn't be surprised if she has an underlying infection since she's having such a hard time kicking this.

 

[sassea]

 Abby is feeling a little better and has not lost any more weight but currently has dark chocolate pudding poop. I am going to trim some of her fur under her tail so easer to clean. Her breathing appears and sounds better and I hope it improves more. 

Abby was scheduled to go to vet for secound worming. She has had two negative tests for worms but the symptoms seem like worms.

I would still take her in for second treatment 11/30/2015.

Should I follow this plan if she seems to improve or at some point should I request the PCR test? 

 

[sassea]

Abby has started to gain weight. She is 1.8lbs now. Still a tuff but fragile kitten.

 

[sassea]

For the record, continuing.

Last night Abby started showing symptoms. Sneezing (for a day or so), Eyes runny and faint weezing. She trys to hold her head up when she goes to sleep. Also while sleeping she was breathing very deeply (abdomin) and over 40 breaths per minute. I will see how she is when I get off work tonight.