Premature Kitten - Later Care

[DeweytheLion]

Sarthur2
That's a great idea! We'll try it, thank you!

sunshineclare
We appreciate all the help! No worries!
I'll be going through the links you've sent me. Thanks for the advice! I think I'll bring up a few of these names to my vet today.

 

[Sarthur2]

Definitely discuss this with the vet. I wonder if he has a fungus on his tongue. That can be treated.

Try to get him suckling on something else if possible in the meantime.

 

[AbbysMom]

I can not stress enough that yes, please do check with your vet before using any unconventional remedies on your cat. What may work fine on an adult cat may be deadly to a tiny, premature kitten that has no immune system.

You are doing an amazing job with him. Good luck.

 

[Sarthur2]

DeweytheLion

What time are you seeing the vet today?

 

[DeweytheLion]

DeweytheLion

What time are you seeing the vet today?

In about two hours!

 

[Mamanyt1953]

OK...if my times are right, you are either getting ready to head to the vet, or there. I'll just have to hang tight until we get an update.

If our little one is still constipated, a drop or two of olive oil in his formula may get things moving again.

 

[DeweytheLion]

The vet was definitely not as concerned about his tongue as I was. We won't be doing anything about it until he gets bigger, about when he starts to wean, she says. She thinks we'll most likely trim it, but it may not be necessary.
She said he looks great; he weighed in at 5.1 oz!
Penicillin goes on for another 10 days, fluids will be continued until the syringe is empty(5cc), and if in the future we need more, she'll give us more.
She thinks it all was due to infection which led to dehydration, and she assured me he's headed in the right direction.. I am beyond relieved! Hopefully it's just smooth sailing from here on.
She also advised I stop mixing pedialyte with his formula and instead boil water and cool it, she doesn't think it's helping all that much, simply because he is so little, we "can't get enough of it in him" at a time.
She doesn't think he needs to be on any more medication, which is another relief for me.
We just wanted to thank everyone again for keeping Dewey in your thoughts! It's helped more than one could think it would.

 

[Sarthur2]

Excellent news from the vet. It's nice to hear the vet give a positive prognosis this time.

I suggest you put the remaining pedialyte in the freezer for now. It may come in handy down the road.

I hope it's all smooth sailing from now on too! You are the number one reason he is still alive!

 

[abyeb]

Such wonderful news! I'm so glad to hear that Dewey is doing better and better!

 

[DeweytheLion]

I meant to add these, oops! They were just too cute not to share. We were
Bathing himself

Eating on my finger

And enjoying some love

 

[kashmir64]

He is so adorable and you are doing such a great job. I'm hoping he not only fights the odds, but flourishes.

 

[Mamanyt1953]

YOU are a hero! This kitten has a chance to become a cat because you just would not give up. Now I can relax a bit. LOVE the pictures of him. SUCH a little mite!

 

[sunshineclare]

He's so sweet and beautiful xxx hope things continue to progress xxx

 

[Willowy]

I can't really tell in the picture of his tongue, he's all milky mouth . But most minor tongue deformities aren't a big deal, they adapt. I was going to recommend using baby Gas-X for the gas/bloating but a few people beat me to it!

For suckling, try a makeup sponge cut into a wedge, with the milk dripped onto it with a syringe. This technique seems to be gaining in popularity, so if you look up "feed kittens with makeup sponge" on youtube you should be able to find a number of instructional videos. It's easier than a bottle, and better than a syringe because you don't have to remove it from his mouth to "reload".

Wishing the best for the little guy! He's a real fighter, and so are you .

 

[DeweytheLion]

How about little air bubbles in his SQ injections? Can this be dangerous?
The vet didn't bother to push out the air bubble at her office, and it was much bigger than the little bubbles I have so I didn't really bother to squeeze them out

 

[Sarthur2]

You'll want to get the bubbles out before injecting the fluids. It can cause painful air pockets under the skin.

 

[DeweytheLion]

You'll want to get the bubbles out before injecting the fluids. It can cause painful air pockets under the skin.

What happens if he gets a pocket?

 

[Sarthur2]

You might hear crackling. It takes time to go away.

Do you reuse the same needle each time?

 

[kashmir64]

If it were going into a vein, then you have problems. It won't cause much more than a little discomfort under the skin.

 

[Sarthur2]

Right! It's not a big problem. It will go away.