Cats

» ThatCrazyCatLady - Help saving rescued kitten...

I heard from Martin about little Buddy today and an experience he had with the vet and a very helpful breeder. He gave permission to repost this here for him just in case anyone else is at their wit's end trying to help save an orphaned kitten. I thought the suggestions given by Sue might help others, so here's how they're proceeding...

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We were back to feeding Buddy every two hours last night - he had to be woken and stimulated and took about 2mls a feed, if reluctantly. We were concerned about his lack of movement and he seemed not to be using his left back leg. Then we noticed a very swollen right front leg. The combination of the legs plus the lethargy took us back to the vet this morning but we felt all but scolded for over-reacting. It was the same vet that we saw last night and she thought there was no change from the night before - she in fact was initially all but refusing to see us on the grounds that there was little to be done and we were seen by a vet nurse who talked sternly about "letting nature take its course" and "perhaps we should think about helping things along." However, Nicki, the vet gave us some feeding syringes although she said part of the problem might be that we had been feeding Buddy so he wasn't bothering to try sucking by himself. We came away feeling like naughty parents.

We then (about two hours ago) contacted a breeder of Siamese to ask if she had any suggestions. She was here in ten minutes with advice and backup - what a difference in attitude to the vet! She has given us something called Carbo Veg from a homeopathic store in [our town] and prescribes two drops with and between feeds. She also suggested we add the contents of a "Symbiotics Colostrum" capsule to every 100mls of formula for a couple of days. She then gave Buddy a brisk but gentle rubdown and by the time she left Buddy was much brighter.. So were we!

Presumably the Carbo Veg is having the same effect as the Karo syrup. The vet suggested the legs problem was circulatory. Sue, the Siamese-breeder, said at the moment, the legs are not the problem, lets try and get him feeding and perky. It was interesting to see here feed Buddy, she used a 3ml syringe with no teat. "At this stage we just need to get some food into him."

It's like riding an emotional rollercoaster but we are all hanging in there.

-- posted by ThatCrazyCatLady