we need help asap we called over a house vet he didn't do much and our kittens not eating or drinking and has

Question

we need help asap we called over a house vet he didn't do much and our kittens not eating or drinking and has been sick for a week or so and now hes passing out skinny as a rail and we're afraid he will die! we're scared what do we do that we can do at home we cant afford a 200-500$ vet fee our little Toney is very important to us and we're worried out of our minds, please help!

were trying to feed him he wont accept any food or water even if we put it right infrount of him

hes only about 6 mounths old

Answer 1

=^^=,
Greetings from a pet lover to you.
I found this site not sure if you called this number if they'd know of someone for you to get in touch with.

http://www.thecathospital.com/veterinarian_care_cost.html


another suggestion would be to call the local humane society in your area and see if their would be willing to work with you on a budget....it's a thought. =^^=

and another site:

http://www.readersdigest.ca/mag/2002/08/pet.html



My cat Sandy when we got him when he was small what I feed him was kitten food dry and canned...his sister didnt' like canned foods at all. I also feed them baby food too they loved it alot and I still give that as a treat too.And I also gave them canned goat's milk too they loved it!!

I also found this site too:

http://rescueguide.com/orphkits.html

Care: food related:

1. Feeding all kittens: Food should be warmed to room temperature prior to feeding any kitten under 4 months of age. This includes mother's milk replacement. You should only put as much milk in the bottle that will be used at this feeding. After the feeding is over, throw out all remaining milk and clean the bottle and nipple. Re-using milk can cause bacteria in the kittens stomachs, which can make them stop eating. If kittens DO get a bacteria in the stomach (and stop eating), a dose of amoxicillian should fight the bacteria within 12 hours. Use the entire dose of the drug.

2. How much to feed and how often: 8cc per ounce of weight per day, do not overfeed. Feedings should be every 3-4 hours when the kittens are young and should be round the clock. The stool should be soft formed, not runny. If the stool is runny, it is likely you are overfeeding the kitten or it has a parasite. It is better to feed more often and give less food each time than to overfeed a kitten.

3. Position to feed from a bottle: Kittens should eat on it's stomach, in the position one would feed a horse, lamb or cow. Do not put them on their backs and feed like a human baby. This can lead to the formula going into the air pipes which can cause pneumonia and can kill them.

4. How the kittens should suck the bottle: Kitten should suck the bottle, not be forced down the throat. If the kitten is sucking, the ears move and the mouth creates a suction around the bottle. This prevents the food from going down the air pipes which can cause pneumonia. If the milk comes out of the mouth or nose, the hole is too big and you need to replace the nipple with one with a smaller opening.

5. Weaning kittens: Weaning kittens can be frustrating, especially if they don't want to give up the bottle and the special attention you are giving them. Start by mixing baby food (meats like chicken or turkey) or wet food mixed with KMR. You can also puree dry food in a blender and add with KMR.

6. Water dishes: Kittens should start drinking water on their own at 4-5 weeks of age. Don't get frustrated when they are only playing or walking in it. One day, you will see them drinking.

What to feed:

Goats milk or KMR should be used on young kittens. Regular milk (whole, low-fat and non-fat) is not recommended. There are some home made remedies which work, too.

Goats milk: Most grocery stores carry goats milk, and it is available in condensed form to keep in the cupboard.
KMR: Available from a pet store, your vet or a feed store.

KMR is available in both mixed and dry version. The dry is more economical. There is a trick to mixing the water. Get a small container with a secure lid. Add some KMR powder and then add 1/10 the amount of total water needed. Shake until mixed. You should have a thick, smooth liquid. Dilute the liquid with the remaining 9/10 of the water.

Notes: I, personally, don't believe in tube-feeding. A healthy cat will eat. A cat that needs to be forced may need a 12-24 hours of anti-biotics to 'kick in' the stomach. A kitten that has gone a long time without food may have it's stomach shut down. This will result in the milk curdling inside the kitten if the stomach is not functioning. This will kill the kitten. The best thing to do is to give the kitten warmed sugar water or rub Karo Syrup on the gums. Warmed sugar water is water that is saturated with regular white table sugar. Warm up a bit of water and add as much sugar that will be absorbed by the water. Karo Syrup on the gums will be absorbed into the system through the gums. Karo Syrup is easier to digest and is the best for the kitten, but if you are in a jam and don't have Karo Syrup, use regular white sugar.

=^^=

many purr's your way,
Laura
=^^=
p.s. let us know how it's going please!!


Ok one last thing here it is:

http://www.animalcareandwelfare.com/

P.O. Box 8257, Pittsburgh, PA 15218-0257, 412-244-1372


web site: www.animalcareandwelfare.com
email address: [e-mail]
MISSION STATEMENT

Through donations received from members and the public, Animal Care and Welfare, Inc. helps low-income animal guardians obtain medical care for their sick or injured pets and also promotes spaying and neutering through education and financial support.


Animal care and Welfare, Inc-SPCA, founded by Ed and Kay B, incorporated since 1970, was created for the purpose of preventing cruelty to animals. AC&W is a nonprofit, 501C3 charitable organization supported solely by donations.

Answer 2

Getting your kittens to eat is not the problem. The problem is why aren't they eating in the first place. Even if you got him to eat, he will still have his problem. Money or not, you need to get some professional veterinary advice. He could be suffering from many different things which is causing him not to eat. Cats dehydrate very quickly. Once they get dehydrated and they are ill it is only a matter of hours before he will succumb and die. You must get him help a.s.a.p. or you are going to lose him within the next day or so. There is no way anyone on this list can diagnose the problem as you describe it. Please, get off the computer and get it to a proper vet. The longer you wait the closer to death he is.

Answer 3

Dehydration is a big concern with kittens that stop eating. Handfeed him Pedialite to replace fluids and electrolites and canned A/D food or kitten food which is high in nutrients. Tests will tell you which medication(s) might help; I'm sorry, but vet bills are very expensive. Even with heroic measures on your part, you must be prepared for the idea that he may not make it. Usually when cats show signs of illness they are VERY sick. My prayers are with you and Toney.

Answer 4

It sounds like your kitten needs a better vet!

That aside, it is VERY important to get food and water into him ASAP. If you have an eye dropper, or a syringe (without the needle), you can force feed him (also called assisted feeding) small amounts of slurry (I'll include a few recipes below).

Your vet should have at least given him Sub-Q fluids to help with the dehydration, and to be honest, he doesn't stand much of a chance without fluids, but you can try! You can even do the fluids yourself, but you'll still have to buy the IV bag and lines and a needle from the vet. It's really not very hard to do, and I'll post links showing that as well (but your vet MUST prescribe the fluids, as they are not available to the public for sale OTC).

Without fluids and food, he's not going to live, so these are your only options, unless you can get him to a vet. There are programs out there to help you with the vet bills, please check this page:
http://ucat.us/FinancialAssistance.html

What to force feed depends on what you can get ASAP locally, and what you have at home. If you have a blender or food processor, it helps a lot! You can always feed kitten formula to a sick cat, even an adult cat. it's even better if you can add a high calorie supplement to it, like Nutri-Cal. If you have a belnder, you can add a bit of canned cat food (use a good quality, not cheap grocery store fare) to add bulk to the diet. If you can't get fluids into the cat with an IV or through a Sub-Q administration, it is advisable to get the powdered kitten formula, and instead of mixing it with water, mix it with half water and half pedalyte (unflavored kind). Pedalyte is available in any drug or grocery store in the human baby aisle, it's for sick children, but it's also good for dehydrated cats. Kitten formula can usually be found at any pet supply store, and certainly at any vet's office, no prescription required. If you can't get kitten formula tonight, don't try using cow's milk, cat's cant digest it well, and it could make the cat worse by giving it bad diarrhea. SO...

Ideally, mix powdered kitten formula as directed on the package, but use half water and half pedalyte to make it into a liquid. Then add a teaspoon of Nurti-Cal supplement, and up to 3 ounces of canned cat food, and blend until liquid and TOTALLY smooth. Any clumps from the food will clog your syringe, and it's not worth it, so if you don't have a belnder or food processor, skip adding the canned food. Your kitten needs to be fed 6 CCs (a cc and an ML are the same thing). For a 3 pound kitten, you should be feeding about 10 CC or ML at a time, every other hour, all day and night, for a total of about 140 CC or ML a day. This should be enough calories to keep the cat alive. NOTE: DO NOT try to force feed an UNconscious cat, as he could choke! The cat MUST be awake to swallow! You can encourage swallowing by rubbing the side of his face with your thumb while you feed him, to keep him awake and stimulated.

This does NOT count towards the FLUID needs. If you can't get Sub-Q or IV fluids, you may wish to add an additional 3 CC of water between food feedings. You just don't want to try to force more food than the kitten can handle, because if it comes back up, you've achieved nothing. So go slow, and start small, and then work up to the full amount.

If you can't get kitten formula tonight, and all you can get is Pedalyte and other stuff from the grocery, add a tablespoon of Karo corn syrup to the pedalyte, as it will add a few calories and also at least get fluids into the cat. It wont help for long, so get kitten formula first thing tomorrow! You can even just try water with some corn syrup in it tonight, if all else fails. If the cat wont drink it and fights a lot, try mixing in part broth, like chicken broth, but be SURE it does NOT have ONION in it, as onion is toxic to cats. You can always boil your own chicken broth by boiling a whole chicken in water. You can also try some meat baby food, again, make SURE there's NO ONION in it!

Answer 5

What ever you do don't give them milk! If you have given them milk - that may be the cause. Milk can make kittens very sick and even die. I forgot the name of the disease but my best friends cat died from it - and I got to learn a lot about it. Try cat formula and no food thats really strong - try a mild food. Also, put him on your chest or warm spots near your body (like under your shirt while ur watching tv, just dont suffocate them) - this might help him get better and feel comfortable taking drinks from you.

Answer 6

I can certainly sympathize with you. You love your cat, yet can't afford vet fees. But, it does sound like your kitty needs a vet. Get online, or in your Yellow Pages, and look for vet clinics that charge according to income. We have a couple where I live, and the fees are very reasonable. Call them, tell them your situation, and you may be able to work out payment arrangements. I sure hope so. I wish you and your kitty the very best!

Answer 7

I'm affraid if you can't afford the vet bill then he doesn't have a good chance of survival. He will be extremely dehidrated and if he's not accepting food, that's really bad. He will probably have to go on a drip where they will feed him through it. He might also have an underlying problem, in which case, I'm very sorry. If you can't afford the vet bills, take it to your local RSPCA and surrender him so he can have proper care.

Answer 8

I'm no vet, but once had two young kittens who were also very sick...and the vet wound up OVER prescribing medicine for them, so they go sicker and sicker. If the house vet prescribed something, call another vet and double check the dosage. Beyond that, you can go to the animal hospital, maybe even the pet store and buy a syringe with no needle to use to put either kitty formula (can be bought at the vet's in a can) or chicken broth directly into your baby's mouth 3-5 times a day...and more than once a dosage...just do it until he won't take anymore. Also, my vet told me to boil chicken and break it into very small servings and serve it with cooked rice to the kittens. I hope that it works for you, I know how very frantic you must be! (When in doubt, I guess you could say a little prayer to St. Francis!) One of my cats lived to 15, the other is still alive, a ripe 17....and pretty darned healthy, I wish you the luck I had. All of our love and luck, from my old man Sundance, and in memory of his brother Butch Cassidy.

By the way... just how old is your baby? Is he old enough to go to the bathroom on his own? Is he going? Have you tried wiping his bottom with a warm wet cloth? I had to do that with my boys' too, because they were too young to be away from their mom.

Answer 9

Bite the bullet and go to a real vet or kitty will die ! If you cant afford the vet you shouldn't have gotten a cat. Cats are a big responsibility and you should have know this from the start.

Answer 10

I don't know what to tell you.The kitten obviously needs to see a vet.Is there someone who would loan you the money? if not,you need to force feed the kitten~Nutrical ( you can get this at a pet store),kitten milk replacer,strained baby food meats.Use an oral syringe and slowly and carefully squirt the food into the kitten's mouth ( put the syringe into the side of the mouth,along the side teeth;watch that the kitten doesn't inhale any) But try to get it to a vet or it may well die.