Sagging belly on 3-week old kitten

[Cavemon]

Hi everyone. Firstly, I'd like to say that this forum has been a major help since we took in a pregnant stray. I really appreciate all the contributions to this community

Our queen had a litter of 4. We were able to weigh the kittens daily for the first couple weeks until she had enough and moved them out of reach. That said, they were all gaining weight healthily.

The big chonk of the group starting showing a really saggy belly. He looks a good weight and was gaining nearly an ounce a day on some days. I've read that neonatal kittens can develop a primordial pouch, but after scouring the web haven't seen any actual pictures of it.

Judging by the photos, is there any cause of concern? His belly is soft, otherwise I would a bit more alarmed.

Photos:
P.S. Sorry for the blurry photos! If our queen let us handle them, I would have provided something better!

 

[Sarthur2]

Oh my! I have never seen anything like this in any age kitten before, so I strongly feel that this kitten needs to see a vet right away. It may be a type of hernia, or it may be a birth defect involving an internal organ such as the stomach. It actually looks like a tumor of some sort, to be honest. Hopefully, it is nothing serious, but it looks like it needs removal.

Whatever it is, it is abnormal in a 3-week-old and needs to be X-rayed. It may be something benign that can be easily dealt with, or it may be something more serious. Regardless, it needs looking at professionally sooner than later.

Please see a vet asap and keep us posted.

C Cavemon

 

[Cavemon]

Thank you for the quick reply. We have taken him to the vet, and although nothing definitive came of it, they suggested we start them on a dewormer and see if that yields any change in his abdomen. If we don't see results in the next few days, X-rays will be the next step.

 

[StefanZ]

Thank you for the quick reply. We have taken him to the vet, and although nothing definitive came of it, they suggested we start them on a dewormer and see if that yields any change in his abdomen. If we don't see results in the next few days, X-rays will be the next step.

If the vet doesnt see any alarming problem - which is promising sort of.

you COULD try with simethicone... The same as is used for human babies with colic (air in intestines causing pains). Cant hurt may help. A couple of drops perhaps twice a day? (The brand name may vary, the content should be pure simethicone. There is also dimethicone, used for similiar purposes for babies, and its probably OK; but I dont know for sure so my recommendation is simethicone. I know rescuers had used simethicone with good results).

Also some form of a nice probiotic could be wise to try with. I would suggest BeneBac made by PetAg. Or some other multibacterial probiotic - I think a well kept zoo shop may have several different. Or buying online.
Im not sure if probiotic is used for kittens whom have moms. By natural reasons probiotics are typically used for orphans or kittens whom eat themselves.

Anyway, my two suggestions to try with. Cant hurt, may help and shouldnt be too expensive.

 

[Sarthur2]

I think an x-ray is a good idea.

 

[Nicoleah78]

I think an x-ray is a good idea.

Update?? On kitten and saggy belly.

 

[Cavemon]

Update?? On kitten and saggy belly.

We took the the kitten to the vet and the vet said that x-ray would be extremely hard to do on a kitten of his size, but recommended we start a dewormer treatment. Even after the dewormer, his belly continued to sag.

After further research, we suspected it could be an umbilical hernia, and also learned this condition can often go away on its own.

By the time we had him neutered, his belly sagging had gone away. The clinic we used checked for hernia during this procedure, to which they found nothing.

He turned out to be a healthy, very active cat

 

[Nicoleah78]

Oh wow thank you for the info. I am a Cornish Rex breeder in Texas and this is a first for me. Happy healthy boy just the saggy lower belly. He has appointment with our vet on the 6th. I did consult with a vet tech friend but she said not to stress.
thank you for the quick response.