Rescue Momma and Kittens... Advice Needed Please!

[Sarthur2]

I think spaying is the best way to go. Hopefully she will pull through and begin to get stronger every day.

Have you heard from the vet yet?

Please keep us posted.

 

[Lyzzie]

 

[Mamanyt1953]

Darlin, the best you can do is the best you can do. You have a vet you trust, and now...we wait, sending

 

[ashade1]

Ok we went and picked her up a couple of hours ago. She seems a little brighter- but that might just be me being hopeful. The vet said when they opened her up for the spay she immediately noticed that her bowels are super inflamed. Like she said that her small intestine is the size of a dog's. She said that her uterus looked odd (I am not sure what that means) but it wasn't a pyometra like initially thought. She believes whatever is irritating her bowels is the issue. They did the spay, kept her on IV fluids for the day with vitamins, gave her an antibiotic shot, did a panleuk test (neg). Sent us home with an appetite stimulator, a different antibiotic (we are to stop the clavamox because she said it tends to upset the stomach and she clearly doesn't need that), metro, and a GI prescription food. The vet said that she put a few kibbles in with her and she actually ate some! Which is amazing because she hasn't eaten on her own for three days. Hopefully she is starting to feel better and we are making progress!

 

[Sarthur2]

Thank goodness she made it!

I hope the metro and antibiotics clear up the bowel inflammation. They should.

Do you have pain meds for her too?

I really hope she continues to eat well.

Keep us posted!

 

[ashade1]

They gave me so many things to give her. I think one of them is pain meds... I am at work right now so I can't even look at the bottles and see what they are. A couple of the things weren't something I have ever used before.

 

[Sarthur2]

I'd like to hear what those things are when you're back home tomorrow and get the chance to post.

I hope you have a good shift!

 

[Mamanyt1953]

 

[Sarthur2]

How is she doing today?

 

[ashade1]

She is hanging in there... She shows interest in food, but isn't eating it on her own. She licked a can of food I opened and offered her. I have been able to syringe feed her about 3/4 of a can of prescription GI food today, I am still giving her sub q fluids, I am also mixing pedialyte in with the canned food. She has been looking out the window and watching the birds so I am inclined to believe that she is feeling better... she is just so skinny. I am hoping to be able to increase the food she takes each feeding. I have been feeding her every 4 hours when we are feeding her kittens... She hasn't vomited but I am afraid that if I try feeding her too much each time she will end up throwing it back up.

 

[ashade1]

I have decided to close us for intake for a little while. This summer has taken a lot out of me emotionally and financially. I need to take a break to pull myself together and rebuild my veterinary fund. As well as ensure that all of this sickness is out of my house. I have already committed to taking cats from this shelter in a couple of weeks so we will still be doing that. I haven't decided how many yet... We probably will be getting the adult tabby who has been there for two years. I am debating kittens. I am just so worried they will get sick. I told them maybe we will take a couple of kittens who have had 2 vaccines..

 

[Sarthur2]

I think you are making a wise decision.

Hopefully the kitty will get stronger each day, and begin to put on weight.

 

[rubysmama]

I follow this thread, but I'm not sure if I've ever posted. I think you are doing the right thing closing your rescue for a bit. Your heart needs time to heal from the losses, both emotional and financial. Take a bit of time for yourself and enjoy the rest of the summer.

 

[Lyzzie]

I agree with all of the above. Keep us updated if you can/want to, and try and have fun!

 

[Mamanyt1953]

I agree with all of the above. You need some slower time, and to be sure that you are bringing new cats into a safe environment. Just don't stop posting! We would miss you too much!

 

[ashade1]

She ate a can and a half today which is great, however with increased eating she is having more diarrhea. I am not sure what my "goal" for feeding her should be at this point, I am feeding her however much she will tolerate. The canned recovery is super packed with nutrients and calories so any bit that she absorbs has to be an improvement. Her skin is starting to turn yellow which I know is a sign of her liver shutting down. I am not sure if there is anything that can be done about that, I am going to call the vet first thing in the morning.

 

[Sarthur2]

Poor gal. Feed her whatever she wants, as much as she wants.

I wonder if she's on too many meds - more than her liver can handle?

Hopefully, she will pull through. Perhaps the vet can help tomorrow.

This is sad.

 

[ashade1]

Stormy has told me tonight that she is done fighting. She had been fighting very hard up until this point, and could still move around and use the litter box. Her diarrhea turned to straight blood tonight. And now she is unable to hold herself up. I picked her up and she cried out to me. I laid her down on a fluffy bed. When I called the vet this morning about her liver function, the vet said to keep trying to feed her as much as she would take and hopefully it would improve but there wasn't much else for us to do. She ate almost two cans today so I was feeling a little better, but I think she was just too far gone. We are devastated, but we are just fighting for her kittens now.

 

[Sarthur2]

Has she crossed the Rainbow Bridge? Poor gal. So sad.

How are her kittens doing?

 

[Mamanyt1953]

Oh, my Darlin, I am so, so sorry! Is she still with us, or has she gone on, gone ahead?