Two New Kittens

[DeweytheLion]

Yesterday evening I got a call from our local shelter saying they had a sad case and needed help right away.
I now have two kittens roughly two weeks old. Their eyes are open and they can move well, but they are the size of a newborn and starving. The shelter said they tried to put her with a nursing queen but noticed they were getting thinner and couldn't bottlefeed them round clock. Nobody knows how long they've been without food.
My mom already named them Penelope and Spike. They are two frail tabby kittens.
Spike was in trouble the minute I picked him up, but he still hasn't gotten a sufficient stomach of food. I got 3 mls (at most) of formula in him altogether.
Penelope is a little fighter and is doing well.
Spike will continue with drops of formula and corn syrup and will make it to the Vet tomorrow where we can hopefully get him some fluids and I can be taught how to tube feed him!
Any advive for little Spike is appreciated.

 

[DeweytheLion]

Spike is at the vet and has been for an hour and a half now. I thought for sure he would die, but things are looking up. We discovered he has trauma which occurred after birth. Half his tail is missing and he probably has liver failure. The vet is trying to get him to eat and in the meantime is keeping him in an incubator with oxygen. We aren't giving up on him!

 

[Sarthur2]

Bless you for taking these poor babies. Liver failure can result from starvation. I hope little Spike pulls through!

 

[lacy2000]

I agree that your vet needs to teach you to tube feed. It could save their lives, especially if they aren't wanting to eat. I would also have the vet teach you how to give subQ fluids at home. That way you don't have to rush him to the vet every time he gets dehydrated. Keep us updated! Keeping you and your babies in my thoughts tonight.

 

[DeweytheLion]

All throughout yesterday Spike was with the vet on oxygen and fluids and vitamins on the hour. Dr. Ryan even offered to take him home where he could remain in a makeshift oxygen tank (free of charge, what?? Bless this man.) but unfortunately he died at about 10:30 last night.
I quit my job yesterday after being threatened with a no-call-no-show and an automatic fire. The kittens meant a lot more than a minimum pay job. I'm just disappointed Spike didn't make it after all. At least we know we did our best by him!
Today I should be getting another kitten unrelated to the little girl I have now. This one is a newbie.
I also have a 5 week old puppy tearing through my house. We drove from Southwest Montana to Southern Nevada and back in a day to save her from gas chamber euthanasia. Pretty sure my parents want to keep her too. They're great at foster failing.
For now, Penelope is doing fantastic. I've been feeding her every two hours and through the night and she eats about 5 mLs every feeding. Go her!
Really stuck on the name Velouria

 

[DeweytheLion]

I think I'll bring in the little girl to meet the vet who tried to save her brother's life. (I think he is more torn about his death than I am.) Maybe seeing her will bring some relief. And I can use her to learn how to tube feed.
Poor little spike had no will to live. I saw that in the night I spent with him. He had given up and I think that's most of the reason he didn't make it.

 

[lacy2000]

Im so sorry you lost Spike. When a kitten is left alone for a long time with no food, their little bodies start shutting down and there’s almost nothing we can do. You did everything you could by taking the steps to make him comfortable and loved in his last few days.

I think bringing the girl in to learn tube feeding is a good idea. I hope she keeps getting stronger!!

 

[Sarthur2]

Please keep us updated on all of this. You have a heart of gold!

 

[DeweytheLion]

Gaining weight and eating well!
She hasn't really pooed since I got her, on Thursday. I thought I'd cleaned some up when I changed her bedding but now I worry maybe it was just lint
I gave her a poop bath and oil. Nothing yet.

 

[ileen]

Please post a picture of Penelope & thanks for all you're doing.

 

[DeweytheLion]

This is the only picture I have of yet. She looks bigger on camera!
She's about 3.5 oz.

 

[ileen]

Maybe hold a dollar bill or a quarter in your hand next time to give her scale

 

[DeweytheLion]

Velouria/Penelope this morning.
I got the little boy, he is roughly 11 days old. Much smaller and underdeveloped than P. He is SUCH a cutie. I noticed he has a swollen chin so we're putting him on some liquid clavamox.
More pictures of him soon!

 

[Sarthur2]

How are the kittens today? Are they eating well?

 

[DeweytheLion]

Doing just fine.
Little mansm swollen chin was an issue during feeding probably because it hurt. But he finally latched last night at his 10 o'clock feeding!

So there's some more evidence Penelope is older than she let's on--
She uses the bathroom by herself and doesn't need to be stimulated.
It's so sad; to be closer to 3 weeks old and weighing as much as a 1 week old. She has been gaining weight, but slowly. It's going to take a lot more time to get her back to where she's supposed to be than it was for her to get where she is now. What a little champ, she is.
Anti inflammatory for little man's chin? I'll call the vet tomorrow morning. The clavamox isn't doing anything immediate.

 

[Sarthur2]

I agree with you about Penelope needing time. Bless her heart.

The clavamox can take about 3 days to fully kick in, but could it be an abscess that needs draining? Or a fungal infection?

An anti-inflammatory may help. Do call the vet tomorrow.

It’s good to hear that both are eating well now!

 

[DeweytheLion]

Penelope moved up to 9 cc per feeding! Little man is eating about 6.
Here's the man of the hour!

He's a sweetie. Love them both to bits.

 

[DeweytheLion]

Little man saw the vet today but after a brief examination of his chin concluded and assured me it was nothing but an allergic reaction to the rubber nipple. I disagree, he's had it since I picked him up. So I suppose all I can do is keep it clean and continue with the Clavamox. Ill post a picture of it later.
Little girl has tiny teef coming in. A little predator in the making.

 

[DeweytheLion]

Welcome, officially, Big Tony!
You can see his sores in the picture, but the swelling on his chin went away and he keeps growing and getting better every day!

 

[Sarthur2]

That’s awesome!