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My cat had kittens this past friday night. sunday morning one of the kittens who seemed to be thriving was found at the front of the cage deceased. im just guessing, kitten fading syndrome?! Now the runt of the litter(the sweetheart) is breathing in a jerking motion, kind of hard maybe. not smooth like the others. looks for the nipple but often gives up. cries. and yawns alot. I have no money for a vet visit until the 1st and no one around here will work something out with me. is he dying? and if so of what? CRF? Upper Respiratory? Any Ideas? and will it be hard on him when and if he goes? Is there anything I can do to prevent it on my own?
Has the mother cat been vaccinated or ever tested for leukemia? Fading kitten syndrome can be a lot of things, but one of the main causes of they have discovered was leukemia, which is passed from the queen to the kittens.
Newborn kittens are very weak and have barely any immune systems so it would be hard for you to treat it by yourself. Fluids and antibiotics are needed if the lungs are compromised. You should get some kitten milk replacement and bottle feed these little ones to give them a boost. Maybe mom doesn't have enough milk. If she isn't eating kitten food it might be hard for her to produce enough milk. She should be free-feeding on kitten food- and not Purina kitten chow because it has cow's milk in it, very bad for cats and kittens.
Get some nurturall or esbilac and a small pet nurser and start supplementing these babies. Keep them warm also.
How much is just an exam at the vets? Call and ask for just that and see if you can get this little one in or at least the mom to be tested for leukemia. Then you would know why they are dying.
Leukemia, not being warm enough and being underfed are probably the three biggest causes of kitten deaths.
I hope that is some help in the right direction. I know it's heartbreaking to lose any of them. When they are 6 weeks old get Mama spayed so you and her don't have to go through this again.
I am so sorry they are sick. I hope your little one makes it.
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Answers by Expert:
Jana Connell RVT, CVT
Expertise
PLEASE READ BEFORE SUBMITTING TO ME: I am NOT a vet and do NOT diagnose diseases. That is only for a licensed Veterinarian to do. I will give you suggestions and steer you toward calling your vet for help. You can call the vet's office and talk to the technician there or the vet at times. Don't be afraid to call them! If you have a serious issue with your pet please post it to one of the veterinarians in here- I will tell you the same thing in my answer. IF your pet is injured or in an emergency situation, CALL YOUR VET- Do not wait and post in here. Just call the vet's office and get them in to see the vet right away. Critical treatment time is lost if you seek answers here when you should have your precious pet at the vets!! Don't sit at home waiting for an answer when your pet is critically ill or injured!! I can answer most questions about small animal and wildlife care as well as small animal nutrition. I can also answer questions about all phases of dental care for small animals. I DO NOT answer questions about birds (unless it is wildlife or songbirds) or HAMSTERS/GERBILS/CHINS/GUINEA PIGS/REPTILES/FROGS/RABBITS/PET BIRDS OF ANY KIND so please submit these questions to the appropriate sections. I, as well as other experts in here, do NOT do homework questions- that is for YOU to do! Please respect these rules for all of us. Thanks!
Experience
I have over 35 years experience in the field of veterinary medicine. I specialized in small animals and did wildlife rehab for over 25 years, mostly raptors, squirrels and opossums. I am a Small Animal Nutritional Consultant with 6 certificates from Hills Pet Foods, CNM and Purina.
I also specialized in Small Animal Dentistry which is a field I truly love.
Organizations
Audubon,World Wildlife Federation, American Society of Veterinary Dental Technicians.
Education/Credentials
Licensed with California and Oregon, RVT and CVT.
Certified Veterinary Dental Technician
Have over 500 logged hours of Continuing Education Credits(that means I keep up to date!).
Awards and Honors
Nominated for Expert of the Month for the last 5 years.
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