Login|Contact Us
Question and Answer

Cat Veterinary

Ask a Cat Veterinary Question, Get an Answer ASAP!

  • Ask A Question
  • Browse Answers
  • Meet The Experts
  • How JustAnswer Works

We have a newborn kitten about 12 to 14 days old. He was beginning

 
Dr. Lee's Avatar
  • Answered by:Dr. Lee
  • Cat Veterinarian
  • Positive Feedback: 98.5 %
  • Accepted Answers: 1340
Verified Expert
in Cat Veterinary

Recent Feedback

Positive
was really worried, but was calmed by the immediate response. confirmed my next...
Positive
Thank you for your help, my guess is it is her hip joints.
Positive
Will watch him for another day. Vet bills are high and cat doesn't appreciate...
Positive
Useful advice
Positive
was very helpful and gave clear and simple advice!
Positive
Good advice. Gave me information that was positive and will let me approach the...
Positive
Recommended great advice and did not just tell me what to do, he tried to...
Positive
was very kind and helpful in a difficult decision
Positive
really liked the chat session part as it allowed me to ask for further...

Customer Question

We have a newborn kitten about 12 to 14 days old. He was beginning to thrive through tube feeding and had migrated to bottle feeding. He began having diarrhea for several days and adding pedialyte and other measures did not help. We finally resorted to adding cat anti-diarrheal in drops to his formula. He developed a fever and we took him to the vet. He had a temp of 104.7, and we were provided antibitotics to address the issue. The last few days he has deteriorated from a health perpsecitve. Still feels like he's running a fever. He no longer will drink from a bottle, and I think due to our efforts he's severly constipated, not haveing had a stool for more than 2 days now. He's lethargic, but still puts up a fight during feedings. We're back to tube feedings, but his belly feels distended. We're out of options. Willing to take him to a vet, but ours is very inexperienced in this area. We've thought about an warm water vet supervised enema but don't know what to do. Please help!

 

Optional Information:
Type of Animal: Newborn Kitten
Gender: male
Age: 12 - 14 days
Name of Cat: Baby

Already Tried:
We have a newborn kitten about 12 to 14 days old. He was beginning to thrive through tube feeding and had migrated to bottle feeding. He began having diarrhea for several days and adding pedialyte and other measures did not help. We finally resorted to adding cat anti-diarrheal in drops to his formula. He developed a fever and we took him to the vet. He had a temp of 104.7, and we were provided antibitotics to address the issue. The last few days he has deteriorated from a health perpsecitve. Still feels like he's running a fever. He no longer will drink from a bottle, and I think due to our efforts he's severly constipated, not haveing had a stool for more than 2 days now. He's lethargic, but still puts up a fight during feedings. We're back to tube feedings, but his belly feels distended. We're out of options. Willing to take him to a vet, but ours is very inexperienced in this area. We've thought about an warm water vet supervised enema but don't know what to do. Please help! We have a newborn kitten about 12 to 14 days old. He was beginning to thrive through tube feeding and had migrated to bottle feeding. He began having diarrhea for several days and adding pedialyte and other measures did not help. We finally resorted to adding cat anti-diarrheal in drops to his formula. He developed a fever and we took him to the vet. He had a temp of 104.7, and we were provided antibitotics to address the issue. The last few days he has deteriorated from a health perpsecitve. Still feels like he's running a fever. He no longer will drink from a bottle, and I think due to our efforts he's severly constipated, not haveing had a stool for more than 2 days now. He's lethargic, but still puts up a fight during feedings. We're back to tube feedings, but his belly feels distended. We're out of options. Willing to take him to a vet, but ours is very inexperienced in this area. We've thought about an warm water vet supervised enema but don't know what to do. Please help! Cancel

Submitted: 1026 days and 2 hours ago.
Category: Cat Veterinary
Value: $38
Status: CLOSED
Picture
Expert:  Dr. Lee replied 1026 days and 2 hours ago.

Hi. I'm Dr. Lee and will do my best to help.

 

Exactly what antibiotic is he on right now?

How many days has he been on the antibiotic?

And is he still on antibiotic?

Did your vet do any tests?

 

Thanks.

 

Customer replied 1026 days and 2 hours ago.

He is currently on Clavamox 62.5mg/ml luquid, getting .33 iu's twice per day He's been on for 3 1/2 days. He received medication this morning. Vet did no test, stating the blood required from the kitten would required too great an "investment" at this time.

Picture
Expert:  Dr. Lee replied 1026 days and 2 hours ago.

Thanks for the info.

 

I would not be as concerned about the defecation issue. I would be more concerned about the fever and infection. Clavamox is a very good drug and definitely should stay on that. With the distended belly, I would also be suspicious of intestinal parasites. I would suggest to ask your vet for a general dewormer, such as pyrantel or Drontal, and I would suggest to give this as soon as possible and continue on Clavamox and give it another 2 days. If there is still no improvement, then he really needs to go back to your vet for blood tests, such as feline leukemia and FIV.

 

Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns. Thanks.

 

Customer replied 1026 days and 2 hours ago.

We continue to tube feed him, but with slightly reduced amounts, about 4cc's every 4 hours of a KMR mix diluted with water or pedialyte. He has not lost a great deal of weight. We got him at 2 3/8 oz , he maxed at 4 3/4+, but is now at or below 4 3/8. Should we continue this regimine of feeding?

 

He seems miserable, and is not much more than a "limp rag" when holding him, but he does as I mentioned get vocal when doing things he doesn't like. Is there anything we can do to address the fever or lack of activity?

Picture
Expert:  Dr. Lee replied 1026 days and 2 hours ago.

This same regiment of feeding is fine. At 2 weeks old and 4 oz is a decent weight. Ideally we would like to see more around 6 to 8 oz, but 4 3/8 is not bad.

 

With a fever and infection, that causes the inactivity. There is nothing you can do except to get rid of the infection, thus using the antibiotic. Fever is not that high at 104.7, it will not fry her brain or anything like that. There is no medication for fever in a cat. Antibiotic is the best thing you can do.

 

Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns. Thanks.

Customer replied 1026 days and 1 hours ago.

Would you recommend taking him to the vet again at this point? If there's nothing more a vet can do, I understand.

 

I also have concerns about having had provided him too much anti-diahrreal, or too much Clavamox. I've tried to provide the right does, but it's difficult to say exactly. Could his symptoms be due to my negligence?

 

 

Picture
Expert:  Dr. Lee replied 1026 days and 1 hours ago.

Anti-diarrheal is not a good idea at all. Medications are not to be given without a veterinarian's order.

 

As for Clavamox, you cannot really over dose on that, so it is fine.

 

As for going back to the vet, you can do so, but all they can do is place an IV catheter and hospitalized him and get more tests done. It is a good idea since there is no improvement after 3 days of medications.

 

Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns. Thanks.

 

Customer replied 1026 days and 1 hours ago.

Thank you, we'll take him to a vet hospital for IV, medication and monitoring. We have a great deal of love invested in him and would be heart broken if he did not make it.

 

Thanks for your assistance.

Accepted Answer

Picture
Expert:  Dr. Lee replied 1026 days and 1 hours ago.

You're most welcomed and good luck.

 

If you are satisfied with my help, please press ACCEPT so the system can acknowledge my work here.

Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns. Thanks.

 

Expert TypeCat Veterinarian
Category: Cat Veterinary
Pos. Feedback: 98.5 %
Accepts: 1340
Answered: 7/9/2010

Experience: 7 years of experience in veterinary medicine and surgery

Ask this Expert a Question >
 
Tweet

5 Cat Veterinarians are Online Right Now

Ask Your Question Now
Ask A Cat Veterinarian
Type Your Cat Veterinary Question Here...
characters left:

Top Cat Veterinary Experts

See More Cat Veterinarians

In The News

Nbc
Washington Post
New York Times
Cnn
Learn More

How It Works

  • Ask an Expert
  • Get a Professional Answer
  • Ask Followup Questions
  • 100% Satisfaction Guarantee
Learn More
close
Find Expert answers related to your question.
Sign up using email
We will never post anything without your permission.
Already have an account? Sign in

Ask a Cat Veterinarian

Get a Professional Answer. 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed.
239 Cat Veterinarians are Online Now
Type Your Cat Veterinary Question Here...
characters left:
Disclaimer: Information in questions, answers, and other posts on this site ("Posts") comes from individual users, not JustAnswer; JustAnswer is not responsible for Posts. Posts are for general information, are not intended to substitute for informed professional advice (medical, legal, veterinary, financial, etc.), or to establish a professional-client relationship. The site and services are provided "as is" with no warranty or representations by JustAnswer regarding the qualifications of Experts. To see what credentials have been verified by a third-party service, please click on the "Verified" symbol in some Experts' profiles. JustAnswer is not intended or designed for EMERGENCY questions which should be directed immediately by telephone or in-person to qualified professionals.
Truste
Contact Us | Terms of Service | Privacy & Security | About Us | Our Network
© 2003-2013 JustAnswer LLC
  • Pearl.com
  • JustAnswer UK
  • JustAnswer Germany
  • JustAnswer Spanish
  • JustAnswer Japan