Why Me With Fosters

[kmwolf563]

I have a new foster, a now 5 week old female. She's tiny, 14 oz now. I got her last Sunday at 4 weeks. The story was that she wanted to suck on everything except the bottle. It's a true story. Sometimes she will, but not often. I'm giving her kitten food thinned with KMR 3-4 times a day. Most of the time she eats well. She has had loose yucky stool since Monday. I brought a sample to the shelter on Tuesday and they gave me some FortiFlora and said to continue giving her KMR as she will take it and the food as well. The stool really hasn't improved and sometimes is worse. Then last night, I found a tapeworm segment in her stool. The foster coordinator said that they can't treat her until she's 8 weeks old. She's going to check with their vet to see if there is another option.Today, she's vomited twice, not a lot, but she did. And had 6 stools so far. Yesterday 6 as well. She's only gained 1 1/2 oz since Sunday.I just got some Pedialite to mix her KMR with. Any suggestions? I am sick about this. Not sure what to do. I think the hardest thing is the communication factor with the shelter.

 

[Sarthur2]

She needs to be treated for tapeworms and other parasites. It's a simple fix. She needs praziquantal and panacur. If that doesn't do it after a few days, she needs albon. The loose, wormy stools are not normal. The above should cure it. I hope the shelter agrees.

 

[kmwolf563]

She needs to be treated for tapeworms and other parasites. It's a simple fix. She needs praziquantal and panacur. If that doesn't do it after a few days, she needs albon. The loose, wormy stools are not normal. The above should cure it. I hope the shelter agrees.

Thanks. I talked with the shelter manager, and I'm stopping in tomorrow and getting Panacur. Hopefully they will treat the tapeworm as well. So frustrating. That seems to be the way of life with me and fostering. Sometimes I wonder why I keep doing it

 

[Sarthur2]

Hang in there! It's never easy. Fostering is always hard. We have to keep the best interests of the cats in mind. If the panacur doesn't do it, move to albon. I hope it helps. Keep us posted!

 

[kmwolf563]

Hang in there! It's never easy. Fostering is always hard. We have to keep the best interests of the cats in mind. If the panacur doesn't do it, move to albon. I hope it helps. Keep us posted!

 

[kmwolf563]

 

[LotsOfFur]

Look at that perfect kitten! I LOVE HER!! Her paws are huge and her floof is adorable!

 

[kmwolf563]

Look at that perfect kitten! I LOVE HER!! Her paws are huge and her floof is adorable!

 

[kmwolf563]

She is. Now when we fix her gi tract she'll be good

 

[Lalka]

wow...she is so adorable.

Thanks. I talked with the shelter manager, and I'm stopping in tomorrow and getting Panacur. Hopefully they will treat the tapeworm as well. So frustrating. That seems to be the way of life with me and fostering. Sometimes I wonder why I keep doing it

Dont give up on fostering...keep posting here with your questions. Ppl on this forum helped me so much since i joined, they will help you too

 

[StefanZ]

Panacur is an all round dewormer, so it takes both tapeworm and roundworm (which she may have too, many kittens has if they are from moms whom go outside. Tapeworm kittens gets from fleas).
Praziquantal is a potent anti tapeworm. But just Panacur should suffice with a little luck. But you will prob need to repeat the cure twice every 2-3 weeks.

Good you dilute the KMR powder with pedialyte instead of just water. Having so much diarrheas she needs the extra salts. Also the extra glucose sugar is handy.

Goats milk is useful too as alternative supplement. If you can get raw goats milk it may even give an edge.

Some nice vitamine paste may help too, her being quite smallish for her age.

Fortiflora is a probiotic, also used to give better appetite.

She is very cute! I dont doubt she will have easy to get an adoption home when the time comes. Unless she becomes a "foster failure" Ie you yourself buy her out and adopt.

Good luck!

Thanks. I talked with the shelter manager, and I'm stopping in tomorrow and getting Panacur. Hopefully they will treat the tapeworm as well. So frustrating. That seems to be the way of life with me and fostering. Sometimes I wonder why I keep doing it

 

[Karen77]

What a cutie! I had a foster the exact same thing happened with about 2 months ago. Scared the life out of me - came home and his pen was filled with vomit and poop. Took him to emergency vet and they gave him a second dose of dewormer, an anti-diahrea (metronidazole I think?) and prescription food (which I think was a scam). He was feeling better within a few days - the diahrea stopped almost immediately.

 

[kmwolf563]

Unfortunately the diarrhea turned to watery diarrhea. They gave her a shot for tapeworm, and Panacur and Marquis for Coccidia. But sadly she passed away in my arms late this morning

 

[Karen77]

Unfortunately the diarrhea turned to watery diarrhea. They gave her a shot for tapeworm, and Panacur and Marquis for Coccidia. But sadly she passed away in my arms late this morning

I am so sorry. This the heartbreaking side of fostering. You did everything you could for her. I’m glad you were with her at the end so that she knew she was loved. I hope her suffering was over quickly. Please let me know if you need to talk. I know how heartbreaking it is.

 

[kmwolf563]

Thank you for your kind words. This is my second death of a foster in 4 months. It's so hard to not feel guilty. She definitely knew she was loved even though she was only here for 10 days. On my way to the shelter there was no way I was putting her in her carrier. She passed about 1/2 way there. I talked to her the whole way. Even after.... I know I'll foster again but I need a big break. I'm thinking at the end next summer when kitten season is waning and everyone else is needing a break. Between the last death and this one I had a litter of 3 poorly socialized sibs who did great. They were 5 weeks old, were here 4 weeks and 2 days but who is counting, and the only problem was one had a reaction to her first shot. After a little vomiting and diarrhea and not starting to gain weight again for almost a week, she was good. Those are the ones I have to remember. For now we think our beloved( former foster fail),16 year old Carter who passed away in February is caring for Miles and now Penny. Penny was a clone of him. Carter LOVED his foster babies. He thought he was their dad.

 

[Karen77]

It’s so hard, but kittens are just so fragile.
We do everything we can and the worst still happens. But then we have ones that come to us so sick and helpless that we are able to save and I like to think it helps to balance out the heartbreak. I totally understand taking a break. Losing one of them is so emotionally draining and it makes you so scared of it happening again.

 

[kmwolf563]

Thanks. Your words mean so much. After the last one I was the fragile one. I would be ok and rational and know that I did what I could from care to advocating for him with the shelter people and then emotions would take over. It was about a month till I evened out. The tears are flowing.

 

[AbbysMom]

On behalf of the TCS Team, we are very sorry for your loss. Threads like this are closed after such a loss as a sign of respect. Please consider starting a memorial thread in our Crossing the Bridge forum.

Rest in Peace, little one.