Looking For Ideas To Ask Shelter

[kashmir64]

Two days after I got the kittens, they had runny yellow mucus foul smelling diarrhea. The clinic treated for Coccidia. The only thing that changed was no more mucus and the smell diminished a little. Next they treated for Girardia and/or bacterial infection. Everything cleared up. Until today. Now the little one has runny, mucus yellow diarrhea again. I still have today left on Panacur and 2 days left of antibiotics. They never did a fecal sample. They said it's cheaper to treat than to send a sample out. They are eating well and gaining weight and playing. Normal kittens, except for this.
I'm calling them as soon as they open, but does anyone have any ideas what I can suggest to them since they won't do a blood panel or fecal sample.

Edit: I should mention that the diarrhea does not have that awful smell.

Update: called the shelter and they said to finish the antibiotic and call back in two days. WHAT? The vet is there on Wednesdays, why can't I take her in?
Still looking for suggestions though. Obviously, I'm the only one that cares about these little guys. (this was aimed at the shelter, not you guys)

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

So you were still administering the round of antibiotics when the diarrhea recurred? Sometimes antibiotics themselves can cause diarrhea, so it really might be a good idea to finish them up before panicking, as long as he continues to eat and drink and play like normal. If anything in that arena changes, I would contact another Vet pronto.

How old are these babies?

 

[kashmir64]

Unfortunatly I can't go anywhere else. The kittens are not mine, only foster. I'm not too concerned about diarrhea in general, but it became watery and mucus again. The babies were born approx March 20. For the first time, I feel I'm doing something wrong. This isn't my first rodeo fostering, but I've never even heard of Coccidia or Giardia before this litter.

 

[mservant]

With them eating, gaining weight and playing as you describe, I tend agree with mrsgreenjeens, there is a fair change this is the effect of antibiotics on their little bodies (same as they do with our own - they can make you feel lousy and upset your digestive system). Also, worth thinking if there is any other changes such as with their diet which can also contribute to this. Are they feeding on the same as they did at the shelter?

I hope they show signs of good recovery over the coming 2 days and not necessary to see the vet again.

 

[kashmir64]

Thank you both. I just feel it's my fault even though I am sterilizing everything and medications are on time. I guess I'll wait and see.
Btw, there was no diet at the shelter. I had them in my care 1 hour after animal control found them and all they did at the shelter was check for fleas, put them in a crate and give me the stuff needed to foster them.

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

OH, I didn't realize they were so young. I'm going to ask that this thread be moved over to the kitten forum. that may not happen, though, especially in view of the changes that the site is going thru right now. BUT, just so you know, Giardia and Coccidia are pretty common ailments

 

[kashmir64]

I know that now. Did a lot of research on these two ugly parasites. Guess I've always been lucky in fostering abandoned kittens with healthy mothers before. Wow, learn and see something new everyday. At least if it happens with another litter, I'll know what to expect.

I figured since it had to do with health, it went here. Sorry if I made a boo-boo.

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

I figured since it had to do with health, it went here. Sorry if I made a boo-boo.[/QUOTE]
No problem....sometimes it's a fine line when it's the wee ones

 

[kashmir64]

mservant you are brilliant. I just fed them and gave the panacur. I didn't even think about the ever so slight change. Yesterday, I ran out of raw goats milk and am now using pasturized. This probably did it. Didn't even think of that. Having kittens is like having a baby, you're sleep deprived and don't think straight. Wouldn't change it for the world.

 

[StefanZ]

If they have so much diarrhea, they must get extra salts and electrolytes. The easiest is to give them bought clear flavorless pedialyte for human babies. but otherwise you can make your own.
As a base for salts you can use minerale water - it contains much different salts - you see it on the label. You can dilute it some with common water.
As a source for glucose sugar / dextrose, you can use a little honey or white caro syrup - these contain much of dextrose.

Start with this as soon you can. If it takes time to get the gears, give simply some extra kitchen salt for a beginning. ASAP.

Some sort of probiotic is wise to use. For example, plain full fat yoghurt. Preferably with acidophilus and bifido bacteria added... There are such brands. This wont do instead of kmr, but its not harmful, you can always give some drops.

Two days after I got the kittens, they had runny yellow mucus foul smelling diarrhea. The clinic treated for Coccidia. The only thing that changed was no more mucus and the smell diminished a little. Next they treated for Girardia and/or bacterial infection. Everything cleared up. Until today. Now the little one has runny, mucus yellow diarrhea again. I still have today left on Panacur and 2 days left of antibiotics. They never did a fecal sample. They said it's cheaper to treat than to send a sample out. They are eating well and gaining weight and playing. Normal kittens, except for this.
I'm calling them as soon as they open, but does anyone have any ideas what I can suggest to them since they won't do a blood panel or fecal sample.

Edit: I should mention that the diarrhea does not have that awful smell.

Update: called the shelter and they said to finish the antibiotic and call back in two days. WHAT? The vet is there on Wednesdays, why can't I take her in?
Still looking for suggestions though. Obviously, I'm the only one that cares about these little guys. (this was aimed at the shelter, not you guys)

 

[mservant]

The little mites, they are so young and their little bodies have had so much to cope with. How are they doing today? Stefanz is right, with them being so small it is really important to keep them hydrated and some quick energy.

 

[kashmir64]

The smallest still has yellow mucus diarrhea, no smell. I mean, not the Giardia/Coccidia nasty foul awful nose violating smell. Two of them, I have started on solid foods and supplementing with formula/goats milk. The little one just pounces the food so she is solely on the formula. I keep trying with her though.
She doesn't seem to be dehydrated and I am still feeding them every 3 hours, and she drinks a lot, so that's a good thing. She probably should be on electrolytes, but I currently don't have any and today we are under a high wind advisory (60mph sustained winds) and town is 20 miles away. It won't do her any good if the wind pushes me off the road and I die. If the wind clears but she hasn't by tomorrow, I will go get some.

 

[kashmir64]

Question for you StefanZ . The wind is not calming down and I just remembered I still have powdered electrolytes left over from when I had horses. They are equine electrolytes, but, it I massively dilute this, should it be ok? In my many years of animal ownership, I've never dealt with diarrhea on this scale.

 

[StefanZ]

Yes, I imagine its essentially the same. Dilute it somewhat extra, as you say.
One of these examples where the literally "horse medicine" is entirely OK to give to others.

If you are afraid, you can always begin with some kitchen salt. Its better than nothing. If you have the so called minerale kitchen salt, and perhaps a little baking soda (ie common baking powder) too, your luck is made. Just to blend it with water. You can boil it up if you want to be sure there are no bacterias in it. Give at room temp or body temp, depending on how weak they are.

Question for you StefanZ . The wind is not calming down and I just remembered I still have powdered electrolytes left over from when I had horses. They are equine electrolytes, but, it I massively dilute this, should it be ok? In my many years of animal ownership, I've never dealt with diarrhea on this scale.

 

[kashmir64]

Thank you. I've noticed a lot of equine stuff is interchangable with my dogs. (ivermectic 1.87, probiotics, probably psyllium 100% husk) just on a more massive scale, so you need to really watch dosage close. But for cats, I really don't know.
BTW, I don't trust table salt. It's iodized and I don't even use it for me.

 

[kashmir64]

Small update: The diarrhea seems to have gone. It is still loose and yellow, but she is on totally formula (no solids yet), so this is to be expected. I noticed the other 2 haven't gone at all since the solid food. The wind has died down to only 25mph, so off to the store I went. More goats milk, pediacure and virgin coconut oil. Thank you StefanZ for pushing the electrolytes. I knew she needed them, but you made me risk the wind to go get it.
And now they are attacking each other. (better them than me, my arms look like I've been through a meat grinder)

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

Hurray for StephenZ, and hurray for YOU for braving those winds, Keep up the good work.

 

[kashmir64]

Hurray for StephenZ, and hurray for YOU for braving those winds, Keep up the good work.

Went outside to take the dogs out and got hit with a flying rock. It was actually more of a pebble, but it felt like a boulder. The winds up here are nothing to laugh at. And since I got back, it's picked up to about 40 mph, so I made it just in time.

 

[StefanZ]

Yeah, you must be very careful! I suspect its sooner a full orcane / hurricane, than "just" a storm. God have mercy to the sailors on the seas in such a weather!

 

[kashmir64]

Up here, it's just wind. We have 6 seasons: Winter..wind..mid spring..summer..autumn..wind. We do have funnels, but none have ever touched down.