Malnourished, Dehydrated Rescue Help

[tresblackcats]

Sunday night some lovely people dropped off a 4 month old male kitten at our house. He is extremely malnourished and dehydrated. We were at the vet first thing Monday. He was given subq fluids and a thorough exam. He is FIV/FeLV negative. He weighed 2lbs 4oz. Other than being very malnourished and dehydrated, he seems healthy. He is not eating or drinking at all. We are doing everything to try. We are force feeding and leaving food available. He is so weak I don't think he can eat. Baby food, chicken livers, canned cat food and KMR. Pedialyte mixed in too. All of those plus every combination. He did eat all if the chicken livers on his own late Monday night. Tuesday morning he ate the livers well. Then nothing since.

So I started just syringe feeding formula mixed half water half Pedialyte. I did 5cc every hour. After the 3rd feed, he vomited. He's obviously just sleeping and now hiding under the dresser. He's been happy to sleep in the bed. We are going to be at the vet first thing in the morning, they open at 7am. But I don't know what else to do. This is heartbreaking.

He's not our first. We currently have 16 others that were all rescues with varying degrees of illnesses, some life threatening. But none in this type of condition that they couldn't or wouldn't eat.

Any advice or suggestions? This is Parker. He's precious.

 

[FlawlessImperfection]

Oh I’m so sorry, I will be pulling for you tonight.
Try giving honey and water or Caro syrup and water for a quick metabolism boost if he’s not eating. That may give his system enough quick energy to start processing other foods. Do you have raw or unpasteurized goats milk? Try to keep him warm, and I will see if I can find you someone who’s not knowledgeable than I!
Hang on....

 

[FlawlessImperfection]

StefanZ Kitten Maestro, we need you! Thank you!

 

[FlawlessImperfection]

@Sarthur2 I think you may be able to help thank you!

 

[FlawlessImperfection]

Keep him warm also with a heat pad or microwave warmed rice in a sock or knotted pillow case. I think that and getting glucose into him to give strength is most important to start. How is he doing? How are you doing? <3

 

[tresblackcats]

Oh I’m so sorry, I will be pulling for you tonight.
Try giving honey and water or Caro syrup and water for a quick metabolism boost if he’s not eating. That may give his system enough quick energy to start processing other foods. Do you have raw or unpasteurized goats milk? Try to keep him warm, and I will see if I can find you someone who’s not knowledgeable than I!
Hang on....

Thank you! Doing the Karo syrup already. I don’t have any goats milk on hand, but can find some tomorrow. He just drank what looked like a substantial amount of water from his dish a few minutes ago. That’s a first. No interest in the food still.

 

[tresblackcats]

Keep him warm also with a heat pad or microwave warmed rice in a sock or knotted pillow case. I think that and getting glucose into him to give strength is most important to start. How is he doing? How are you doing? <3

Hanging in there, both of us. He’s staying warm. Doing skin to...fur. lol Is that even a thing? He just purrs and purrs. At least he knows he’s safe and loved.

 

[FlawlessImperfection]

Thank you! Doing the Karo syrupalreasy. I don’t have any goats milk on hand, but can find some tomorrow. He just drank what looked like a substantial amount of water from his dish a few minutes ago. That’s a first. No interest in the food still.

That’s a start! He does need to get some calories in, maybe he will take some formula after getting some sugars in his system. Pedialyte has some salts and electrolytes that should help too! Just syringe it in the corners of his mouth if he won’t take it. Do you have chicken or turkey baby food? I’m so sorry this must be stressful, but you keep pulling for him! He knows you are there for him and it will help him fight!

 

[FlawlessImperfection]

Hanging in there, both of us. He’s staying warm. Doing skin to...fur. lol Is that even a thing? He just purrs and purrs. At least he knows he’s safe and loved.

That means SO much to him! No matter what, he knows he’s loved and that makes a difference to him, whatever may come. Giving him love and comfort is one of the greatest memories and puts a blessing back into a world that could always use them! A little love always makes a big difference, and it will make your corner of the world a bit brighter!

 

[FlawlessImperfection]

@1CatOverTheLine @jcat @Kieka @Mamanyt1953 @mani
Help please! Thank you!!

 

[silkenpaw]

Parker is lovely. Thank you so much for helping him. I’ll be cheering for you and him in this corner. Keep the updates coming, please

 

[tresblackcats]

That means SO much to him! No matter what, he knows he’s loved and that makes a difference to him, whatever may come. Giving him love and comfort is one of the greatest memories and puts a blessing back into a world that could always use them! A little love always makes a big difference, and it will make your corner of the world a bit brighter!

That’s a start! He does need to get some calories in, maybe he will take some formula after getting some sugars in his system. Pedialyte has some salts and electrolytes that should help too! Just syringe it in the corners of his mouth if he won’t take it. Do you have chicken or turkey baby food? I’m so sorry this must be stressful, but you keep pulling for him! He knows you are there for him and it will help him fight!

3 kinds of meat baby food, which he does not appear to like at all. Our vet instructed me to give him tiny dose of Cerenia for nausea to see if that would help. He did drink a lot of water about an hour after, so maybe it helped. I’m going to try and get some more pedialyte in him.

 

[StefanZ]

You seem to do excellently and you got good advices.

Yes get into him glucose sugar. In practice it will be honey with water or white caro syrup with water.
Smear some on lips and gum too. This you can do either he can eat or not. Glucose sugar goes directly into blood already from the mouth, no need to digest.

Pedialyte as you mentioned. Be sure this pedialyte does contain also glucose sugar, its not just a salts solution. IF its just a salt solution, put in a drop of this glucose source mentioned.
All this will keep him going.

Goats milk mentioned is good it too. Mild yet much nutrients. Either as supplement or in a pinch, as the main food. If you dont have, KMR in powder will do. Or some other good kmr.

Some nice vitamine paste.

The food as such, small portions but often! Not too much nutrients at once!!!! Too much food at once is more dangerous than yet another day without food. Make the food as easily digestible as you can manage.

Be sure he is warm, ie active heating up. The weak are almost always freezing and have low body temp. An IR heating lamp may be useful.
Of course, if its really hot at your place as now in Sweden, you will sooner chill him off instead.

Massage him.

Talk a lot friendly, making pleasant noises. Give a stuffed companion animal Perhaps make one from fleece. Fleece feels alike fur.
tresblackcats

 

[FlawlessImperfection]

Thank you StefanZ for coming to the rescue!
You’re doing great tresblackcats
Once the sugar helps start his system up a bit he can start trying to work on lite bits at a time, that way if his organs were stalled they won’t be overcome by a big meal. You’re doing wonderfully and he’s in great hands with such a great nurse!

 

[tresblackcats]

You seem to do excellently and you got good advices.

Yes get into him glucose sugar. In practice it will be honey with water or white caro syrup with water.
Smear some on lips and gum too. This you can do either he can eat or not. Glucose sugar goes directly into blood already from the mouth, no need to digest.

Pedialyte as you mentioned. Be sure this pedialyte does contain also glucose sugar, its not just a salts solution. IF its just a salt solution, put in a drop of this glucose source mentioned.
All this will keep him going.

Goats milk mentioned is good it too. Mild yet much nutrients. Either as supplement or in a pinch, as the main food. If you dont have, KMR in powder will do. Or some other good kmr.

Some nice vitamine paste.

The food as such, small portions but often! Not too much nutrients at once!!!! Too much food at once is more dangerous than yet another day without food. Make the food as easily digestible as you can manage.

Be sure he is warm, ie active heating up. The weak are almost always freezing and have low body temp. An IR heating lamp may be useful.
Of course, if its really hot at your place as now in Sweden, you will sooner chill him off instead.

Massage him.

Talk a lot friendly, making pleasant noises. Give a stuffed companion animal Perhaps make one from fleece. Fleece feels alike fur.
tresblackcats

Thank you for the response! Doing the Karo syrup. I did add it to the pedialyte for a little extra boost too. Using KMR powder which I mix half water half pedialyte. I am out of vitamin paste but can easily get some tomorrow. We are doing very small amounts of food. Basically treating him like a baby with small feedings every 2-3 hours. He seems to like it on the soupy side, so I mix either some plain water, or pedialyte or a little KMR formula in to the canned food or chicken liver paste I make.

 

[tresblackcats]

UPDATE: We went back to the vet on Friday for some more fluids and an overall recheck. He had not gained a single ounce. However, several hours after he received the fluids, he decided that food was a good thing. We have not been able to fill him up! He is alert, not sleeping near as much and walking around. He will not eat any actual cat food, but he is devouring fresh cooked chicken livers and fresh cooked chicken. I cook it and grind it fresh for him every 2 hours around the clock. He is also taking his vitamin and calorie booster paste right from my finger, no more force feeding! I am hoping that with these major improvements we are on a constantly improving track. Here’s a picture of sweet Parker from just a few minutes ago.

 

[FlawlessImperfection]

Yay! Baby steps, I’m so glad for you both, you must be so grateful for his appetite
He is just SO adorable! Keep it up guys, you’re both doing great!
Thanks for the update and keep them coming! And pictures too! Lots and lots of pictures

 

[PushPurrCatPaws]

He looks good! I'm glad he went back to the vet for some more fluids... this could be the key to getting him out of that dehydration/malnourishment slump of not eating. Dehydration can cause nausea, and don't forget that dehydration is not just about water intake. It's also about the proper fluids and electrolytes and nourishment provided when giving actual IV or subQ fluids. Maybe check with your vet about how often he could receive in-house fluids therapy for the first month or so... I think it will really help! He is looking better! Thank you for saving him.
Did he have any blood work done?

 

[tresblackcats]

He looks good! I'm glad he went back to the vet for some more fluids... this could be the key to getting him out of that dehydration/malnourishment slump of not eating. Dehydration can cause nausea, and don't forget that dehydration is not just about water intake. It's also about the proper fluids and electrolytes and nourishment provided when giving actual IV or subQ fluids. Maybe check with your vet about how often he could receive in-house fluids therapy for the first month or so... I think it will really help! He is looking better! Thank you for saving him.
Did he have any blood work done?

We have our own fluids and supplies from our vet to administer them at home. I just wanted the visit for a recheck. But I totally agree, it was that last round of fluids that made all the difference. He is continuing to do very well today. His eyes are so bright and alert. The only blood test he had was for fiv/felv. And that was an effort to get enough for that test.

 

[silkenpaw]

Parker is looking so much better, yay! He has that mischievous kitten look in his eyes! I’m so glad!