Sick Kitten?

Question

I am in process of adopting a Kitten from the animal shelter. When I first went it was too young. As I wait, the kitten became sick (diarria) and the shleter informed me that it will be a bit longer until the kitten gets better. I am not sure the shelter tested for anything at this point. Are there any tests that I should have done before accepting the kitten?

Answer 1

I don't think there are any tests that you should have done before accepting the kitten. When you do get it, register him/her at the vet and take it for a check up straight away. They will then tell you if there is anything the kitten needs and advise on inoculations, neutering etc. (This can be done at 5-6 months).
Don't give the kitten milk as this will give it diarrhoea.

And check out the web site www.allaboutpets.org.uk. Go to the leaflet section and download the leaflet called 'Caring for you kitten'. It's got loads of really useful info and advice.

Happy parenting! (It'll be worth the wait!)

Answer 2

make sure the kitten saw a vet or had a 'fecal test' so they knew why the kitten had diahrrea.

Make sure they test for felv/fiv and give vaccines. A lot of shelters don't - as they don't have the money.

Talk to the shelter about their policies, and maybe talk to your vet about the shelter and see what the vet recommends.

As for the blanket statement not to adopt because the kitten has some diahrrea, please understand that as a rule ALL kittens have worms of one sort or another, it is just a standard thing. It is rare for them not to. I've had foster kittens have coccidia (an intestinal parasite that causes very bad diahrrea) so bad they were on the brink of death, but they came through it with the right medication and turned out to be very healthy frisky kittens.

Answer 3

If the kitten has fleas that is maximum in all probability contributing to the disease. before something else, in case you won't be able to have sufficient money a vet, is to get rid of the fleas they could absolutely kill the kitten.look on the kittens gums, in the journey that they very dwindled the kitten is probable anaemic.also if the kitten has ingested any of the fleas he/she maximum in all probability has tapeworms too. you'll discover those worms as little white segments that are contained in the stool. First you want to get rid of the fleas that are on the kitten, and considering he's already ill you want to be very care finished with what you take advantage of. attempt giving the kitten a warmth bath in a warmth bathing room utilising a gentle infant shampoo, upon getting accomplished this you'll ought to p.c.. through hand any final fleas lifeless and alive off the kitten. at the same time as you p.c.. the fleas off placed them in a cup or field with water in it so that you'll be able to toss it contained in the lavatory and flush it once you're finished. keep the kitten warmth till he/she is carefully dry. be sure there aren't any fleas on your carpet, bedding and so on.,so that you received't get an infestation from the fleas that got here in on the kitten.also at the same time as that is all accomplished you also would favor to flow the food market and purchase (contained in the baby section) a product talked about as Pedilyte non flavored. supply the kitten somewhat from a syringe (without the needle) some cases via out the day. This places again lots of the electrolytes which will were lost also you would attempt blending this with somewhat infant nutrition cereal truly warmth to get the kitten's urge for nutrition again. If he has worms you'll favor to the contact a vet to ask him what you should use to get rid of them because the kitten is so youthful do no longer use something from the puppy shops, over the counter pills on this style of gentle kitten! once you've a Petsmart save close to you they each and every from time to time have Vet that works with them you should call and ask them what they propose. this isn't an elementary interest to finish somewhat of those products and alot of cases no count number what you do, you would no longer be able to keep the kitten. I favor you success and want you could help the kitten.

Answer 4

This is just my opinion....I would not adopt it. Here's why:

I was driving home one day and I saw this little white kitten (and her brothers and sisters) all in this yard. I had never had a white kitty and I wanted her really bad. So I went up to the house and knocked on the door. Well the lady wasn't home and the neighbors who were outside told me that she was giving them away and she was old and they really didn't think the cats were hers (they were strays) and she just fed them....well while I was at her front door I was looking around and I noticed a dead kitten in a box. That should have been my first flag!!!

I felt bad so I just scooped up the white cat I wanted (didn't look at her just grabbed her), tossed it in my car and drove home. When I got home I took a good look at her...OMG she was so sickly looking (pus filled eyes, crusty ears, sneezing and coughing). I didn't want to take her back I felt so sad for her. Anyway the very next morning on my way to work, I took her to the vet.

A freebie cat ended up costing me $300!!!! She had bad infestation of ear mites, upper respitory (like the flu), Herpes in her eyes, and worms. Thank god she didn't have lukemia or kitty aids. So all of this was fixable. W/in a month you couldn't even tell it was the same kitty she was so pretty and full of life. Now (2 years later) she is fat and sassy.

Sorry for my long story...I just want to say I doubt the shelter has totally checked her out b/c I think they want the "new" owners to do it. It my cost you a lot of $$$ you may not want to spend....be careful or try looking at another kitten.

Answer 5

It's going to vary by shelter, but even good well run shelters will have problems with diseases and infestations. It's just a lot of cats in a very small area, and many of them have been roaming outside. I'd definitely check for worms and fleas, as this could very well be worms.

Also note that shelters don't tend to feed animals top notch food, and lesser food can lead to digestive problems, particularly in one that young. Starting a cat on good food, and not just grocery store food, can resolve a lot of things. IT may take a few weeks to fully switch over, but it'll be worth it in the long run.

Answer 6

I used to have 6 little kittens. We gave them to a shelter. It really just depends on what shelter you go to; most shelters give the animals full vacinations and shots before the are released to new parents. BTW, Kittens normally get diarrhea from a change in food as they get older, It's probably no biggie :)

Best of luck!!

Answer 7

If your shelter is anything like mine, they won't do a darned thing. It's "buyer beware" there so your best bet is to take your new kitten right from the shelter to your vet's. Unfortunately, I doubt the shelter will agree on the adoption being contingent on the health of the animal in question. You can try, though.

Answer 8

There is genral questions you should ask, like whether it was a feral cat and if it's had medical problems in the past. Some times kittens have dihorrea it's not serious all the time =)

Answer 9

Be sure you can afford to take your new animal to the vet whenever it needs it. So many people don't think about that and let their animals suffer terribly...Any time you get a new animal, it should be seen by a vet withing the 1st three days of bringing it home. I try to take them to the vet, on the day I get them from the shelter --- especially if you have other animals in the house already. There are tests and shots the kitten should have before you bring it home. It's common, that you end up having to give antibiotics orally and also in the eyes for newly aquired cats(so many kitty viruses around cats together in large numbers.)

http://www.workpad.com/index_item.aspx?ObjectID=19097

Kitten Care Guide

You've just acquired a kitten and with it, a lot of joy and pleasure, but also a set of responsibilities to insure its health and well-being. To start with, it is a good idea to consult with your veterinarian about your kitten’s health.

General
Kittens should be active and playful when awake; but when they sleep they should sleep deeply. You should be concerned if your kitten:

Fatigues easily during play
Has coughing, sneezing, vomiting, diarrhea or discharge from the eyes or nose
Has a "bloated" appearance (a full, tense abdomen)
Has a poor appetite and/or a dry coat
Nutrition
Kittens should eat good quality kitten food until 9-12 months of age. When making a change from kitten to adult food or when changing brands, do this gradually over a few days by mixing the two types before changing over completely to the new food.

The addition of cow's milk to the diet can cause diarrhea. Some special types of lactose-free milk for cats are available but this isn't an essential part of their diet.

Table scraps and human food should be avoided to prevent obesity, to control urinary problems and intestinal upset, and to discourage begging.

Vaccinations
A kitten receives a series of vaccinations during its youth, and your HCN kitten has received at least the first series of vaccinations. The foster parent from whom you adopted the kitten will provide you with the kitten’s vaccination records, and from this, you can plan out when to get the next series of vaccinations. A series of vaccinations is recommended because each kitten will differ as to when its immune system is most stimulated by the vaccine.

Kittens should be vaccinated for the following:

FVRCP - A combination vaccine to protect against rhinotracheitis/calicivirus/panleukopenia/chylamydia.
Rabies - Legally required for all cats residing in Belmont, Brisbane, East Palo Alto, Half Moon Bay, Hillsborough, San Mateo and all unincorporated areas of San Mateo County.
FELV - A vaccine to protect against feline leukemia - Recommended for all cats who spend some or all of their time outdoors.
A recommended vaccination schedule is as follows:

FVRCP - (4 in 1 shot) 2 to 3 vaccines given every 3-4 weeks with the first one given at 8 weeks of age or older and the final one given at 16 weeks of age or older. Many veterinary offices give them at 8, 12 and 16 weeks of age, so if you adopted a young kitten, you’ll need to make a vet appointment to get the next series of FVRCP vaccinations. For adult cats, boosters are recommended every 1-3 years, depending on the cat's lifestyle.
Rabies - given at or after the age of 16 weeks. The first one is good for 1 year and all subsequent rabies vaccines are good for 3 years.
FELV vaccines - A series of 2 shots given 2-4 weeks apart with the first vaccination given at 10 weeks of age or older. For adult cats boosters are recommended every 1-3 years, depending on the cat's lifestyle.
Worms
Roundworms - kittens often acquire them from their mother. A bloated abdomen, vomiting, diarrhea, a poor hair coat or failure to gain weight can occur from a heavy infestation of worms. The adult worms are long, white, and spaghetti-like and are occasionally passed in the feces or even vomited up. It is not uncommon for kittens to not show any apparent worms in the stool since the eggs are microscopic, can be shed intermittently, and thus missed on a routine fecal analysis. Because of this, we recommend that all kittens be de-wormed routinely with Nemex or Strongid liquid. Because roundworms can be transmitted from cats to humans (children are especially at risk), it is important that kittens be appropriately treated.
Tapeworms - these are commonly seen coming directly from the animal's rectum or can be found on its feces or bedding. Tapeworms look like grains of rice or sesame seeds when dried. Cats acquire tapeworms through the ingestion of fleas while grooming themselves. So in addition to de-worming kittens with Dronsit, it is also recommended you treat them for fleas.
If your kitten/cat has ongoing diarrhea we recommend a fecal (stool) analysis at your veterinary office to screen for possible worm infestation.

Common Kitten Ailments
Upper respiratory infections - basically a "cold" virus that will cause kittens to sneeze, become congested and have discharge of the nose and/or eyes. Secondary bacterial infections are common. Take your kitty to the veterinarian for treatment with antibiotics and/or topical ointments.
Eye Infections - along with respiratory diseases, kittens can get red, watery or swollen eyes from a variety of viral and bacterial diseases. Symptoms may be mild to severe and the infections need to be treated with topical and/or systemic antibiotics. Again, a trip to the vet is the best bet.
Ear Mites - cause black crusty material to accumulate in the ears which then become itchy. The ears need to be cleaned and treated as ear mites cause discomfort to the cat and can be transmitted to other cats in the household. Standard treatment is medication applied topically or given systemically by a series of injections.
Ringworm - not actually a worm, but rather a fungus that can cause crusty skin lesions that may or may not be itchy. If just a small area is affected, ringworm sometimes resolves without treatment but it may warrant topical treatment. If, however, the lesions are wide spread, ringworm will require systemic treatment. Ringworm can also affect children and adults in the same household.
Anemia - This can result if there are many fleas which literally suck out much of the kitten's blood. The fleas must be kept under control (see below).
Fleas
Kittens and cats - Daily flea combing is a non-toxic way to kill adult fleas. This can be done alone or combined with occasional bathing with a kitten-safe flea shampoo (i.e., Pyrethrins or Allerthrins).

"Program" (Lufenuron) and "Advantage" (Imidacloprid) are labeled for use in kittens 8 weeks and older. "Program" is given orally on a monthly basis; it disrupts the flea's lifecycle by preventing the female adult flea from laying eggs. "Advantage" is applied topically on a monthly basis and directly kills the adult flea.

"Frontline/Topspot" is labeled for use in kittens 12 weeks and older and is applied topically on a monthly basis to kill both fleas and ticks. Topically applied, over-the-counter flea products should not be used in kittens and used cautiously, if at all, in cats (note: product should say: "safe for use on cats").