Expert: Jana Connell RVT, CVT - 5/10/2011

Question
Hello, and thank you in advance for your help. Almost two weeks ago i rescued two abandoned kittens. I don't know what happened to their mother but they were dirty, cold, and very hungry. I believe they are about four weeks old.
So far they have done incredibly well. They are eating Just Born kitten milk replacer several times a day (I would say 4-6 tbsp each day depending on their appetite). Theyre ears have perked up, theyve started going to the bathroom on their own, they are most definitely teething, and are starting to learn how to play with each other and myself. They are energetic and friendly and sweet. One is very healthy and has no problems.

The smaller one, on the other hand, has has constant diarhea for about a week now, has very runny, crusty eyes, and his third eyelids are constantly showing. He still eats feverently and is very alert and playful, but i know its painful and i worry hes not retaining the nutrients he needs. Sometimes there is blood in his diarhea but its only happened two or three times. He doesnt appear to be dehydrated. Ive taken him to the vet, who has prescribed Kaolin Pectin Oral Suspention and Metronidozol, and have yet to make a difference.

My current vet says that if this doesnt help, theres nothing else he can do and that he may die. With how otherwise healthy he is, I can't believe that to be true. Any advice or direction would be helpful. Im commited to getting these two healthy and into good homes.



Thank you!

Answer
Was he wormed by the vet? If this kitten has a huge worm burden then all the food he is eating isn't going to help him much and he will continue to have diarrhea. He also needs to have a fresh stool sample tested for coccidia, which is a common parasite that causes chronic diarrhea.

Metronidazole usually kills it, but sometimes it takes a while. He should also be wormed for roundworms, the most common kitten worm. These worms can really take a toll on kittens.

Both kittens should also be tested for leukemia.If they have it, one may not be showing symptoms and one may. One may have it and the other may not.

I hope that you also have them on some wet kitten food, as 4-6 tablespoons of milk a day isn't going to sustain these two at four weeks of age. They must have been 3 weeks when you found them if they are just now teething.

I would certainly ask the vet about testing for the coccidia and getting some very gentle roundworm medicine.

There is a homeopathic diarrhea tablet you can buy from Bioron that will help with the diarrhea. I used it for squirrels and it works well. You can dissolve it in water and eyedropper it or place it in the kittens food. It is sweet and they don't mind it. CVS pharmacies carries it.

Get them on some Science Diet kitten growth and these two, once wormed etc., will thrive on it.

Let me know how they do. Bless you for taking them in!