Need help!

[jocullen]

I know this isn't the right forum but I'm desperate. Earlier today one of a litter of 3 abandoned newborn kittens died of pneumonia. Now another is in distress. I found a clear sticky fluid on around his mouth and he seems to be having difficulty beathing and can barely make a sound. Is there anything we can do, even if it just makes his passing easier. It's 2:30 am here and have no access to a vet.

Please, is there anything you can suggest to help or prevent this from happening to the last.

 

[hissy]

Jo you need a vet- that is the bottom line. Newborn kittens are fragile especially abandoned ones as they probably never got mom's colostrum to help their immune system. They need vet intervention is there no emergency clinic near you? You say that one kitten died of pneumonia so that suggests you did take it to the vet, so call the vet and wake up the service and get guidance there- good luck-

 

[abby7625]

I found a baby kitten in the middle of my yard last fall, took him to the vet and they said he had pneumonia (probably why the momma left him to die) and the only thing they could do for him is put him to sleep. As much as it broke my heart that he didnt even get a chance at life that's what I did. I still believe he could have been saved. Call an emergency vet would be my only suggestion and see if they can do anything for him/her.

 

[yoviher]

By the hour you say, I have to assume that you are in Europe, Middle East or Africa.

Mary Anne is right. You need a vet. You should contact him immediately if possible. Perhaps an emergency clinic (check the phone listings) and if all that fails, then first hour in the morning get to a vet.

 

[hissy]

Abby the problem with colds and newborns is how fast they can dehydrate when they have one. Also the pneumonia like symptoms are common with diseases like FCV and FHV

 

[jocullen]

I phoned the vet.There's nothing we can except keep him warm, hope for the best and, if he survives, bring him in. All he can do is either euthanise him or, pushing it, give him antibiotics and put him in an oxygen tent.

But we can't afford it at €50 a day.

He's a fighter though. Is there anything we can make up for him to keep him hydrated? (He can still feed)

I'm really depressed about this. The first ones death hit me so hard. It's at times like this I wished I Believed in Something.

Anyway I've put a teddy in with the third to keep him company while me and my mother wait for the inevitable. <sigh>

 

[linda_of_pgff]

Can you get some colostrum? I suspect the litter had not nursed, or nursed enough, or the mama was very very debilitated. Get some colostrum into this kitten if you can. Small, very frequent meals could help. I'm at a loss where you might be located -- do you have access, maybe, to homeopathic remedies? Carbo Veg would be one to try for him. (This is a HORRIBLE example of homeopathic prescribing by a non-certified professional but it's an emergency so I'm throwing caution to the winds!). Remedies can be found (in the US, at least) in health food stores, at new age sort of businesses sometimes, or from a homeopath.

Jocullen, if you are not completely devastated by this -- Hissy's right, tiny kittens are both resilient and fragile at the same time -- you should make a point of forming a relationship with a good vet who is committed to helping with rescue work at least through phone consults. And get a baby scale or postage scale. Weighing them is one of the simplest ways to keep tabs on how tiny kittens are doing, or when they are in trouble.

You aren't tube-feeding, are you? If so you need to be very sure you're not directing formula down the kitten's WINDPIPE rather than into its stomach. If the kitten will nurse on a nipple or even a syringe that's the way I prefer to go. Could you keep the kitten inside your shirt or next to your body for warmth? I'm a firm believer in touch helping sick little ones to get better, too. I think part of it is sensing the beating heart, it makes them relax some.

Best, best of luck to the kitten, and you
Linda

 

[hissy]

There are some things you can do to help him then, seeing that vet intervention has to wait until morning. To keep him warm fill a sock with uncooked rice or white beans, till the sock feels firm. Tie a secure knot in the open end and microwave the sock for 60 seconds. Test the temperature before you place it near the kitten to be sure it isn't to hot. You can curl the sock around the kitten to help him as he doesn't have a shiver reflex yet and if he gets cold he is at the mercy of the cold air. (thank you Tania for that tip)

Also you can make what I call a pouch potato sack. Take an old pillow case, and fold the ends down to form a cloth type pouch. Run a soft cord around underneath the fold of the pillowcase, and make a measurement in the cord so that after the pouch is looped over your shoulder and neck, it hangs right next to your heart. Do a quick running stitch to keep the cord in place, put soft towels and your sock heating pad at the bottom, and place the kitten in the pouch. Wear her close to your heart, she will be comforted by your heartbeat and your body heat will keep her warm. Also wear a loose baggy shirt over the pouch to help retain the heat.

 

[hissy]

Jo? how are the kittens?

 

[vi04]

Hello

I lost a 10 day old kitten last week, i know what it is like. No vet .Did everything right still died.I

Feel for you.

 

[jocullen]

Sorry to say he didn't make it. He passed away this afternoon. We buried him alongside his littermate, Tabby, in the garden. I named him Dylan after the poet Dylan Thomas who wrote "Do not go gentle into that good night" whose spirit I felt he embodied in his all too short life.

My estimation of those who volunteer themselves for the care of abandoned kittens every year can go no higher knowing now how attached you can get to those furry bundles of joy and sorrow.

Now I have to focus on the last one. Fortunately he seems untouched so far; his stool has good consistency and colour, his urine is clear, he feeds well and can get quite boisterous! The vet gave him a clean bill of health and an antibiotic injection as a precaution. That sock filled with rice makes a very good substitute for a fellow kitten especially when warmed up. Thanks!

I do have one question though. When we discovered the kittens and brought them to the vet sold us a Milk Replacer. It was only later that I discovered that it was actually for puppies. Welpi instead of Cimicat.

I did some background reading on cat and dog biochemistry and the significant differences between them. To the best of my reading it has everything a kitten needs except that it has methionine instead of taurine (both supply sulphur).

According to the vet I saw today it is not a cause for concern but I'd like a confirmation from the cat experts resident here.

 

[kumbulu]

From what I can tell, the only problem with Welpi would be that it is not lactose reduced like the Cimicat. If the little kitten's stools stay a good consistency and he doesn't develop diarrhoea, the Welpi will be fine. I'm not sure where you are in the world but you can add 1 drop of Grapefruit Seed Extract (GSE) in the liquid form to his formula and this will strenghten his immune system.

 

[hissy]

You can also buy benificial bacteria at a good pet food store. You can add that to his formula.

I am sorry that you lost some of the kittens, please keep this little one as warm as you can-