Newborn with intestines on the OUTSIDE of its body?!?

[kailie]

Wow guys I am seriously freaked out right now... I have dealt with a lot of foster cats giving birth but have never run into this...

I got home from work today (I actually went to the office) to find foster Irma had her kittens. One wasn't alive (

) 2 looked GREAT and then there was another who wasn't nursing, and at first glance had the WEIRDEST looking umbilical cord I had ever seen! I didn't want to bother them too much and knew nature would take it's course and figured that little one was probably not going to make it.

Well I just went to check on them and Irma let me get a closer look and it is NOT an umbilical cord, but all of his intestines are out of the hole where the umbilical cord should be! Has anyone ever seen this before? The little one is still alive, but I know he won't be for much longer.

 

[bluerexbear]

No...but I have heard of this happening to human babies. There is a way for them to re-insert the intestines in a human...but I am not sure about a tiny kitten.

Keep us posted!

 

[kailie]

I have a friend who had it happen with her human baby, so I guess if it happens with them it can happen with any species... *sigh* I just asked the shelter director what she thinks the best course of action is. I HIGHLY doubt they'll pay the money for surgery, as she said she has heard of it, heard of an instance where the vet performed surgery and the kitten died anyway.

I'm sure they'll probably euthanize him, if he doesn't die on his own before hand.

 

[Ms. Freya]

I've not seen it but heard of it a few times from friends who rescue...unfortunately you're right and every instance I've seen has resulted in it being a fatal birth defect.

supposedly there si surgery that can fix it, but I've not seen it...
Poor little darling....

 

[mbjerkness]

poor little sweetie

 

[arlyn]

I've seen it happen with barn cats. About all you can do is thoroughly wash and sanitize your hands, try to get them back in the body cavity and hope for the best.

This usually happens with inexperienced animals and is due to overzealous removal of the umbilical cord.

 

[nekochan]

Sounds like either a severe version of an umbilical hernia, or possibly the mother tried to remove the umbilical cord and accidentally caused a wound to the abdominal cavity.

 

[kailie]

It wasn't just mild, almost all of the intestines were out.

As predicted, the little one passed throughout the night and is no longer suffering...

That being said, Irma has 2 BEAUTIFUL, spry, plump kittens who look great, a black & white female (Wilma) & a black male (Wesley).

 

[momto3boys]

Oh Kailie

Hun, I don't know how you do it!
I am so sorry the little one passed BUT BUT BUT did you say KITTENS??

I need pictures woman!

 

[callista]

There is a way to fix it in a kitten, but they are so small that they often don't survive the surgery, and even then there are usually complications from other birth defects. Somehow I think you probably did the best for him that you could, especially since like you said he had a severe case. I think if it were up to me I would do the same thing you did. If it were a human infant, it would have been different; humans generally survive. But such a small thing as a kitten... no. Just needless surgery.

If it helps any, I think he mustn't have suffered too much, precisely because you didn't try to tamper with it--unable to nurse, he probably quietly died of dehydration or hypothermia, or from simple weakness, which isn't too painful as things go. And he spent his short life next to his mom, in a safe, secure place. If a kitten has to die, that's one of the better ways for it to happen.

 

[kittehtime]

wow how sad!

 

[jbsmomto1]

aww poor wee thing, while you can put them back in it had to be done slowly as their other organs would shift, leaving little room, just a little bit each day and what is on the outside needs to be kept sterile, since it had already been exposed to air and the mom and other babies, it would have already been contaminated...

 

[missymotus]

What a shame this little one wasn't vetted right away rather than left overnight, it's a severe umbilical hernia. The abdominal walls didn't close properly during development.

The surgery can be successful, I was reading about one with 6" born outside the body who was immediately vetted and operated on and lived a normal life, the other option of course is humanely pts.

 

[pussywillow9]

I have just had that same experience.  Its a birth defect and a hard choice to make with a beating heart in your hands but in my opinion its best to end the suffering.  I have so many foster cats I cant even count and it is always hard to make this sort of decision but do it a favor and finish it off.  I know that sounds cold and believe me I cry like a baby ever time I have to do it but the suffering is over quit and its better than letting it suffer. 

 

[orientalslave]

I've seen a number of babies with this defect, and unless it can be completely closed, quickly, I think for kittens with it pts is the kindest thing to do.  Very few of the babies had a straightforward recovery.

 

[eponaboo]

wow this thread is old

 

[StefanZ]

wow this thread is old

Tread is old, but the problem does occur now and then, although rare. So good to be prepared and know what to do.

 

[eponaboo]

Glad mine were all born healthy, idk what i would have done in this situation >_<

 

[michael b mcg]

was wondering what you did because its happening to my cat right now

 

[missymotus]

was wondering what you did because its happening to my cat right now

It was said several posts down, nothing was done and the kitten passed

You need to vet the kitten ASAP as was said in posts above, don't leave it to just die, it needs either surgery or to be humanely put to sleep