Megaesophagus In 9 Week Old

[javannalynn]

So I have been fostering 9 kittens for the local shelter. Most of them are doing wonderful and go get fixed and put up for adoption tomorrow. Except Toby. Toby has been losing weight and vomiting for almost 3 weeks. He vomits multiple times a day. Poor guy barely gets any nutrients at all. I've been trying everything i can think of. We changed foods and that helped for a day. We changed how often he eats. We changed where he eats (incase it was other cats). I've tried feeding him slowly. I've added KMR back to his food. I've added just water to make it more soupy. I feel like i have tried everything. I have access to the clinic at the shelter and they saw him 4 times. 1st time they gave anti-nausea meds. 2nd time they gave him the same thing. 3rd time they gave me the meds to administer at home (even though they were not helping) and the last time I brought up ME and they said that's what he has. Problem is I don't actually see a vet. Its a shelter and i talk to a vet tech and they take him away and bring him back with notes. I don't even know if they xrayed him. When we got home i started with the elevated feedings and the holding him upright 15-30 minutes after. He's still vomiting. And this is full on heaving and vomiting. Most info says that ME is regurgitation. I feel so bad for this little guy and all he has gone though. He weighs 1lb 4 oz today. His siblings are all 3lbs. He is so tiny but he loves food! Even knowing he will probably throw up he still just wants to eat....
Anything helps? I have read all the links i could find. I need people who have experienced this. Will keeping the upright feedings and sittings help improve him or does this sound like something else? he even drinks his water now in an upright potion. (thankfully this is just because he is alittle too short for the fountain) I have spent so much time with him i don't even want to imagine him living with anyone else. Especially if he is going to suffer like this forever!

 

[Kflowers]

I think you're going to have to insist on taking him to a vet who knows about this. The eating sitting up works for dogs. I think they use tube feeding for cats.

here is the search page I got when I entered it. The second one down looks useful but won't let me copy the addy to send you to it, go to the search page and click it. Pet webmd is first one.I know this doesn't look like it will help but i just clicked on it and it gave me the pages of articles.

Ask.com - What's Your Question?

 

[1 bruce 1]

Based on the knowledge you seem to have I imagine these kittens have been wormed. Is he eating dry, canned, etc?
Do you remember what anti-nausea medicines he got, and did they even work once? How is his poop? Is he still playful, active? He looks pretty bright eyed and spry in the photo (typical kid with a dirty face )
Would the shelter be on board for taking this guy to a specialist or at least a second opinion?

 

[javannalynn]

Yes they have been dewormed and vaccinated. he is eating dry and wet food. mostly wet but i have been letting him eat the kibble because he doesn't seem to throw it up at all. He does still want to play and run around but doesn't do it too often. he has good and bad days. some days he gets to keep down a bowl or 2 of food and he runs around with all the others. some days he sleeps all day. We have another appointment tomorrow with the clinic. I may take him to my vet and see what he says but then of course i have to pay for it. I'm trying to give the clinic every chance to help him.

Also the dirty face was because i still have one bottle baby and he found i left the KMR open on the counter. he was eating the powder lol

 

[FeebysOwner]

Oh, bless his heart! To add nutrition in the meantime, how about adding some Kmr to his dry food. Maybe a bit added with water and mixed with the dry?
I am rooting for him, he's got spirit and spunk!

 

[talkingpeanut]

Kitten Lady has a lot of great information on this!
Is it an option for you to adopt this little guy?

 

[javannalynn]

yes and most likely we are. it kinda depends on what his life is going to be like. we honestly can't have a life of monthly vet bills or anything like that. But he is totally my little guy and he is likely going to be with us a long time.

Toby and Little. The 2 we are keeping.

 

[FeebysOwner]

 

[IronHippo]

I second looking into Kitten lady's videos--she raised a kitten named Badger who had mega esophagus. If I recall correctly he did grow out of it eventually (and his adopter has an Instagram for him and another one of his cohort that she adopted--badgeandleeni) but it took a lot of attention on kitten lady's behalf, including building him a custom food stand that let him eat standing up and at an angle. Maybe you could reach out to her too for some tips?

Badger is a very healthy and thriving 14 pound handsome boy--they can beat mega esophagus!

 

[javannalynn]

What a day! We took Toblerone to his appointment. They took him back did an xray and came out and told me that because his condition is congenital they were going to euthanize him...today... right now... i cried instantly. I told the tech that he was lively and active and i think we should give him more time. She went and talked to the vet and the vet said no he is done and needs to be euthanized. I just told her it wasn't right. So she went and got Toby and let us go in a room with him to say our good byes. My boyfriend was with me and she left us there. a long time. a good 30 minutes or more. And we went through greiving for him. and i told him. He's not ready. He still fights. He still eats and plays and runs around. It's not right to end his life right now!!
Well we talked and decided we are ok taking over his bills. We will fight as long as we think he is still fighting. And by this time he is curled up on my chest purring his brain out. The girl came back and we told her we wanted to adopt him then. we were not euthanizing him we were taking him home. They didn't want to let us at first but i was not going to hand him back over and i think she realized that. So after a few hours and talking to more people about why we weren't going to give up and how we were fine with taking over his medical bills and any costs for neutering him. They let us leave with a foster to adopt contract. which says they will cover his medical costs even though they won't. But that's ok because we are going to fight for him as long as he is wanting to keep fighting!!

 

[javannalynn]

This was his lunch before we went to his appointment

 

[javannalynn]

Link to Toby playing about 10 minutes ago--- Nottoday GIF - Find & Share on GIPHY

 

[FeebysOwner]

Thank you for protecting and taking care of Toby! God bless both of you.

 

[Kflowers]

You are wonderful people, both of you. I hope you find a vet who will fight by your side instead of with you. Toby is adorable and meant to be with you.

 

[FeebysOwner]

And, you absolutely MUST keep us posted. I love Toby.

 

[javannalynn]

Toby saw my vet today. We are trying to get our hands on the xrays from the shelter so he can look at them. he said he is more then willing to write us a script for viagra he just wants to see where we are right now before he gives him any meds. So we are playing the waiting game with the shelter. and they are not good at responding. But i have phone numbers and email addresses so they are going to answer me!

 

[Kflowers]

There is nothing more determined nor more fierce than a mother.

 

[javannalynn]

we decided to start a go fund me for Toby's dish last night. as of right now we are just $25 from his Mega Feeder!!

 

[FeebysOwner]

 

[javannalynn]

we reached our goal! as soon as the money transfers we are getting his dish ordered!!!