3 week old kitten diarrhea

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  • #29286
    Britneyrochelle
    Participant

    Hi everyone…I’m new here and this is my first time raising a kitten this young.

    I found an abandoned baby kitten on the 4th of July and have been being her new mommy since then. She started having diarrhea so I took her to the vet and he gave me some medicine for her but it takes 2-3 days to work. Now her little bottom is sore and red and it hurts her when I stimulate her to potty(I’ve been using baby wipes). And the diarrhea gets stuck on her and I bathe her in warm water to get it off, but I’m scared of over bathing her. Is there anything that can soothe her little bottom? Also should I give her pedialyte so she wont get dehydrated? and if so how much?

    #455256
    eleniki
    Participant

    Hi Brit and welcome to TDK. I’ve just been through this with my 10 week old kitten sumi (see the ‘purrs’ thread titled ‘sumi vomiting with diarrhea’ – there may be some helpful hints in my posts and others’. It’s not great that your kitten has diarrhea, and she should be getting fluids because tiny kittens, and yours is so tiny, get dehydrated very quickly and this is very dangerous. The vet should advise, so you should really bring her back. I wonder what medication he gave you – if it is something to stop the diahrrea, that could stop all bowel activity, which wouldn’t be too great either. Maybe he gave you some antibiotics? She needs some food pureed in lukewarm water, with some dioralyte or pedialyte in it too – you can syringe it in, but will need a tiny syringe. Gently syringe about 0.5 or less in small dribbles into her mouth. She will probably swallow, but if not, you need to squirt it further back towards her throat. Be careful that there is no lumpy food or bits that could choke her. As for the diarrhea sticking to her, I know all about that too – the vet should have cut away any little furry bits around her anus, then it’s easier for her, poor little mite. He also should have put some antibiotic cream on her anus, and maybe given you some to take home. Then you must make sure she doesn’t lick until the cream has had a chance to soothe her poor sore little bottom. The question is always, what is causing the diarrhea. In my sumi’s case, we’re not out of the woods, but it seems she got a bug, a parasite (the vet sent away a sample for analysis, but we won’t know for weeks – just so we know, in case it comes back) and her system is just taking a long time to work it through. Hopefully your kitty will get over this quickly, but she needs to be kept hydrated, and she also needs all her electrolytes, which only an IV line, or sub-q injections can do well. I assume you don’t give her milk. If so, stop immediately, because that is causing the diarrhea, but the vet would have said that. Pinch her skin at the back of her neck – if it stays up for a bit, she is dehydrated. If it quickly falls right back, she’s probably not too bad. Also you can check her gums with your little finger – if they feel tacky and a bit sticky, she is dehydrated – if they’re smooth and moist, she’s ok. Good luck – I am a firm believer in staying under the care of the vet in cases where you are worried at all, and she is very young and therefore very vulnerable. It’s great that you are caring for her.

    #455257
    Britneyrochelle
    Participant

    Thanks, I’ll check your thread out! The vet gave me K.P.A.D, which is like kaopectate for kittens. I’ve been giving it to her since yesterday. She doesn’t poop much, it sort of just dripples sometimes and when I stimulate her to potty. She’s starting to pee on her own, do I still need to stimulate her to potty? I gave her some pedialyte from a syringe and put a dap of vasiline on her butt after a warm bath to soothe her. I think the diarrhea is from a change in her diet, when I first found her(sat) I bought cat milk because it said kittens could drink it too but Monday the vet gave me KMR and now she has diarrhea, so I think the change upset her belly, hopefully it will clear up soon.

    #455258
    eleniki
    Participant

    ok, well, it sounds like it is the diet change, but even the kitty milk is not great. I never give mine milk of any kind – water is best. Make sure you make the pedialyte up to the correct strength – making it weaker alters it and reduces its effect, but obviously on a tiny kitten you only need a tiny amount at a time. When she pees, try to see if her pee looks good and pale and clear – if it’s cloudy or dark at all, she’s dehydrated. I don’t know whether you need to keep stimulating her now that she’s started to pee on her own, but there are many very experienced TDKers who can help with that one. One more thing – probably the most distressing thing for your little kitty is the pain of her bottom after diarrhea – you can help her by providing her with a cosy bed and most important, a hot water bottle, covered by a towel or a tee-shirt so it’s just warm, like a mother’s tummy, and she will nestle on it and the warmth will soothe her soreness. sumi found that so comforting, I know it. Just going to give her her warm bottle for tonight (I live in Ireland and it’s way past our bedtime). Let us know how she does!

    #455259
    CheetahBoysmommy
    Participant

    I have a possible suggestion for the sore bum problem. We visited with a friend whose one year old son is still nursing. Her doctor suggested that she use some sort of nipple salve (non prescription) which he said would help protect her somewhat chapped frontage but wouldn’t hurt the child to ingest.

    I have no idea exactly what it was but you could probably find it in a baby or maternity store, and maybe in a regular pharmacy. If it won’t hurt a human child to ingest it with his meal, it probably won’t hurt a kitten’s bum.

    #455260
    Britneyrochelle
    Participant

    She used the litter box all by herself just now! I was so excited for her ๐Ÿ™‚

    but back to the sore bottom, I think the vasaline helped a little but i’m gonna go to the vet and see if he has some ointment for her. I’m gonna try the water bottle thing, sounds good.I think her pee is clear, because when she peed on the baby wipe I could only tell because it got warm, I couldn’t see anything on the wipe.

    PS: I forgot to introduce her. Her name is Liberty Belle (since she was found on the 4th of July) but we call her Libby for short. And she is a tortie, i’ll post pics soon.

    #455261
    treether
    Participant

    I’m not an expert at all, but my kitten had runny poo and a very sore bottom up until the time she transitioned to wet food. The vet wouldn’t deworm her until she got a little bigger, and I was worried sick, but she was fine in the end.

    #455262
    SnowFlower
    Participant

    Quoted from Cheetahboysmommy :”I have a possible suggestion for the sore bum problem. We visited with a friend whose one year old son is still nursing. Her doctor suggested that she use some sort of nipple salve (non prescription) which he said would help protect her somewhat chapped frontage but wouldn’t hurt the child to ingest.

    I have no idea exactly what it was but you could probably find it in a baby or maternity store, and maybe in a regular pharmacy. If it won’t hurt a human child to ingest it with his meal, it probably won’t hurt a kitten’s bum.”

    It is called Lanolin (Lansinoh is the brand). I used it on myself when I was nursing and on my baby’s bum when it chapped! I would agree with CBM about the fact it would probably not be bad for baby kitty.

    #455263
    eleniki
    Participant

    Oh, Brit, I suddenly realised – I live in Ireland and it’s always chilly at night here, even in summer. I see you live in Mississippi so I imagine it’s pretty hot there right now. Maybe the hot water bottle would be too hot for little Libbie, unless you have AC? You don’t want to over heat her either? It sound’s like she’s doing ok, but it’s a good idea to bring her back to the vet. Yay for the torties! sumi is a tortie too, as you can see!

    #455264
    Britneyrochelle
    Participant

    Yea its super hot outside right now, but we have AC inside so the temps in the low-mid 70s in the house.She doing really well with the litter box, which surprised me because she is so young! she pees in it but she doesn’t poop in it, but from the little poop she does have I think her diarrhea is still there, but it seems less and less so I’m hoping it is going away. Her bum seems a little better, but when I went to wipe her she still crys so I think it still hurts her. its 7am right now, so the vet wont be open for a few more hours, hopefully she will sleep until then, which means I get to rest ๐Ÿ™‚ I’ll update when we come back from the vet. Yay for torties! ๐Ÿ™‚

    PS: I’m thinking of introducing her to wet food this weekend. I tried to get her to lap milk from a plate, but that was a little messy, but she bites her bottle and my fingers so I think she will be able to handle the wet food.

    #455265
    eleniki
    Participant

    I’d still be very wary of giving her milk, any kind, even the kitty kind, if she has diahrrea.

    #455266
    Britneyrochelle
    Participant

    Her bottom is getting worse, its so sore and raw it’s starting to bleed. I’m really worried about it, its causing her so much pain ๐Ÿ™ I’m taking her to the vet first thing in the morning.Today when I called the vet he told me I could put diper rash creme on it. I did that and I’m hoping it helps

    #455267
    eleniki
    Participant

    That’s terrible. I wonder why it’s so raw when she isn’t actually pooping that much? You’re right to bring her back to the vet. Hope she improves today, poor little thing. Ask him about dehydration too – that could well be part of the sore bottom problem. She may need fluids.

    #455268
    Britneyrochelle
    Participant

    her diarrhea is gone now! The vet told us to put neosporin on her bottom and I think its helping a lot. for the first time in 2 days her bottom is pink instead of red. she’s getting so big! and she’s becoming more playful and curious. I’m so happy she’s getting better, I was worried sick!

    #455269
    Britneyrochelle
    Participant

    I put a picture of Liberty up, and if you click the pic, it will take you to her new catster page!

    #455270
    treether
    Participant

    What a face! She’s going to be a beautiful cat.

    #455271
    4kitsstaffdorie
    Participant

    Brit

    Welcome to TDK. I have to tell you that I too have a Liberty(Puppy) who we got on The 4th of July she is my oldest sons So she is My GranDOGter! I just want to say if Your trying a bottle try adding a little bit of rice baby food to it, It helps bind also be careful with the baby wipes are they unscented? It might burn her bum if it’s sented. I usually wipe mine if I have to with a warm cotton Ball.

    Best of luck with Liberty!

    Welcome to TDK

    Dorie

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