Pregnant cat

[Caitlin375]

When I hold her up to my ear there is a definite popping sound. I’m going to another vets for a second opinion on this little one.

 

[Sarthur2]

I think that’s a very good idea. It just sounds from your description that something is going on. The antibiotic from the emergency vet has worn off and would not be enough.

 

[Caitlin375]

I think that’s a very good idea. It just sounds from your description that something is going on. The antibiotic from the emergency vet has worn off and would not be enough.

We’re here now at the small animal hospital. She’s inside so just waiting for news right now.

 

[Caitlin375]

We’re here now at the small animal hospital. She’s inside so just waiting for news right now.

She said her lungs sound clear and that it’s difficult to say what the popping sound is but she suspect it’s possibly from her nose and there might be a little infection there from when milk went in. She said she can’t rule out lungs entirely because its very limited in what can be done for such young and small animals but that she’s going to give a course of antibiotics to be on the safe side.

 

[Caitlin375]

This is what I was given. Do you know
Much about it Sarthur2 ?

 

[Caitlin375]

Antibiotics

 

[Sarthur2]

I apologize for my delayed responses this evening. My daughter was here for dinner. She has gone home now.

I’m not familiar with it, but I looked it up and it does trest respiratory infections. Is it the suspension? Have you given a dose yet?

I’m glad the vet has agreed to give antibiotics.

How is the little gal doing tonight?

C Caitlin375

 

[Caitlin375]

I apologize for my delayed responses this evening. My daughter was here for dinner. She has gone home now.

I’m not familiar with it, but I looked it up and it does trest respiratory infections. Is it the suspension? Have you given a dose yet?

I’m glad the vet has agreed to give antibiotics.

How is the little gal doing tonight?

C Caitlin375

She is currently being humanely put to sleep. She deteriorated on the way home and went very cold and weak, her breathing was laboured. The vet believes it to be perhaps the kittens were underdeveloped being so small birth and not receiving mums milk and essential colostrum during their first 24 hours so are just unable to fight off illness. She told me to monitor the other two very closely as there’s a high possibility it’s the whole litter.

 

[Sarthur2]

This just breaks my heart. I am so sorry. I really, really hope the other two make it.

 

[Sarthur2]

Which vet is this? The second opinion vet or your regular vet?

 

[Sarthur2]

I know you are gutted and exhausted with all the worry and running around to vets night and day. I only wish I could do more to help.

 

[Caitlin375]

Which vet is this? The second opinion vet or your regular vet?

The vet from tonight.

 

[Caitlin375]

I know you are gutted and exhausted with all the worry and running around to vets night and day. I only wish I could do more to help.

I just don’t know what to think. 4 different vets said her lungs sounded clear. So I’m at a loss as to what’s caused this. It’s been from day one. Mum not producing milk and then the kittens refusing feeds, mum behaving very oddly around them and constantly leaving the nest. There’s just been so much. What I do know is I’m very angry at the woman who let her breed to begin with. I’m gutted for willow. I just hope she’s ok. Oh and today at the vet one of the kittens was panting and she said it’s just stress, now I’m wondering and worrying…
It was baby blue who passed. I don’t know if I mentioned that.

 

[Caitlin375]

We took blue home with us and placed her in with willow so she can process and understand that she’s gone. She was licking her and trying pick her up for around 15 minutes, then she gave up and went to the other two and lay down with them. Tomorrow blue will be buried with her sister.

 

[Sarthur2]

I think Willow will be okay, but we know so little about the cat she mated with as far as health and genetics, and poor Willow has been through so much with being sold and moved around. It’s just sad.

Poor baby blue! Do you know if the two left are male or female?

I am upset that your vet this morning did not think antibiotics were necessary. Blue was given a dose at the emergency vet that surely helped because you said she was still eating and seemed okay.

I really think she needed to continue antibiotics after the emergency visit because you had already heard odd noises. Too much time went by without meds, I think. Just my opinion.

I know in the Kitten Lady pneumonia video she said kittens needed 2 antibiotics - azithromycin and clavamox, and even the nebulizer.

I think if aspiration pneumonia is suspected there is no time to waste, but I think you did absolutely everything you could. It’s the vets judgment I question.

So many vets have zero experience with newborns and think nothing can be done. That’s partly why we have this site, because many of us have practical experience that sometimes bests what the vet knows.

At least you now have a prescription on hand to begin immediately if one of the other kittens has a problem.

I’m glad you let Willow understand her baby is gone.

How are the other two babies? Have they gained a few grams?

 

[Caitlin375]

I think Willow will be okay, but we know so little about the cat she mated with as far as health and genetics, and poor Willow has been through so much with being sold and moved around. It’s just sad.

Poor baby blue! Do you know if the two left are male or female?

I am upset that your vet this morning did not think antibiotics were necessary. Blue was given a dose at the emergency vet that surely helped because you said she was still eating and seemed okay.

I really think she needed to continue antibiotics after the emergency visit because you had already heard odd noises. Too much time went by without meds, I think. Just my opinion.

I know in the Kitten Lady pneumonia video she said kittens needed 2 antibiotics - azithromycin and clavamox, and even the nebulizer.

I think if aspiration pneumonia is suspected there is no time to waste, but I think you did absolutely everything you could. It’s the vets judgment I question.

So many vets have zero experience with newborns and think nothing can be done. That’s partly why we have this site, because many of us have practical experience that sometimes bests what the vet knows.

At least you now have a prescription on hand to begin immediately if one of the other kittens has a problem.

I’m glad you let Willow understand her baby is gone.

How are the other two babies? Have they gained a few grams?

They were up this morning by a few grams each. Baby red and Baby orange both went up to 107g. I didn’t weight tonight from going back and forwards to the vet. I will weigh in the morning and let you know.

The first vet I went to sent her home and said there was no popping sound and she was active. Then when I got home, within 5 minutes I called them back to say I wanted her checked again because there was definitely popping on each breath. They refused and said I was wrong. That’s why I ended up at a second vet. They did say at the last visit that they could try fluids and keeping her overnight but that her breathing was very laboured, she was extremely lethargic and there was liquid coming from her nose and advised me that the kindest option would be humanely euthanising her as they believed her chance of pulling through was very very low. I saw the other one suffer when she died so I took the humane end. I really hope that I made the right choice there and I feel so awful that my error potentially cost blue her life.
I don’t know if the others are male or female, I’m not sure how to tell at this early age but I’d like to find out so I can give them proper names as I will one million percent keep them, if they survive. All spayed of course, just willow has lost enough babies.

 

[Caitlin375]

Meant to add the last vet I took her to last night is a specialist vet hospital dealing with small animals. You can’t usually go there without a vet referral to them but I called up and begged for her to be seen and they agreed because she was so young. They’re the only ones last night who realised there was probably some kind of infection. Vets should be far better trained in this area as the suffering she was going through during the last half hour of her life was just not ok.
I’ve noticed one of the kittens sneezing a lot this morning after latching to mum (which I’m still allowing for comfort and care) is it normal?

 

[Sarthur2]

Sneezing usually indicates a cold starting, which can turn into an upper respiratory infection. It could also be just sneezing, but my kittens never sneezed at this age, so watch carefully for runny eyes, nose, or congestion. Let me know if you see any signs of this.

I think it’s great they have their mom to suckle, cuddle, and just be with. They may even get a little milk from her, but at the least they can suckle for comfort.

 

[Caitlin375]

Sneezing usually indicates a cold starting, which can turn into an upper respiratory infection. It could also be just sneezing, but my kittens never sneezed at this age, so watch carefully for runny eyes, nose, or congestion. Let me know if you see any signs of this.

I think it’s great they have their mom to suckle, cuddle, and just be with. They may even get a little milk from her, but at the least they can suckle for comfort.

The kittens are at 118 and 120 grams this morning. The allowing them to suckle must be doing something as they basically got next to no feeds from us yesterday because they kept suckling from mum and we were out most of the night with the other kitten and yet this is the most weight they have gained since birth. My vet said she probably doesn’t produce milk when stressed. Ie; vet trips etc.

 

[Caitlin375]

I’m hoping they do ok today. My sister is taking over as I’m a little feverish today (probably from being in an out in torrential rain and cold temps) so I don’t really want to handle the babies today.