Lauren,
Causes and Diagnosis
According to Felineexpress.com, kittens will have diarrhea because of parasites, viruses, colitis, food allergies, bacteria, giardia, coccidia, and stress. Acute diarrhea lasts for just two days, while chronic diarrhea is longer lasting and more serious. Take your kitten to the vet if the diarrhea lasts for more than 48 hours and is accompanied by other symptoms or odd behaviors. If this is the case, take the kitten and a stool sample to the vet for examination.
Caring for a Kitten With Diarrhea
The most important thing to remember when your kitten has diarrhea is to keep it hydrated. Provide your kitten with plenty of water, a clean litter box, and a quiet, stress-free place where it can rest. Feed him a bland diet-boiled chicken or mashed pumpkin which will ease the upset tummy a bit. To check for dehydration, pull the cat’s scruff up. It should fall easily back to skin, and if not, the animal may be dehydrated. The cat’s gums should also be pink, not white. Now for his sore butt-clean his butt with a warm, damp cloth and then put on a bit of vaseline. Because he is so young, I do worry about his long term health and strongly urge you to check the link below for assistance in a free or low cost services. Someone out there will help you.
There are some organizations that may offer assistance locally (by state or community). See our state-by-state (including Canada) listings »
http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/resources/tips/trouble_affording_pet.html?credit=web_id91754962#Assistance_by_state
I don’t know if this information will help you but here it is:
Work with veterinarians
Negotiate a payment plan with your vet. If you’re a client in good standing, she may be happy to work out a weekly or monthly payment plan so that you don’t have to pay the entire cost of veterinary care up front. However, don’t expect a vet you’ve never been to before to agree to such a plan; she doesn’t know you and understandably doesn’t want to get stuck with an unpaid bill. Offer to perform a service for your vet like cleaning kennels, answering phones or other work in lieu of actual cash. Get a second opinion. You’ll pay a consultation fee, but another vet may have other, less expensive ways to treat your pet. Use a vet in a less expensive area. Vets in smaller towns tend to charge lower fees.
Check out local veterinary schools. Many run low-cost clinics for limited income clients. The American Veterinary Medical Association’s website and VeterinarySchools.com have lists of veterinary schools by state.
Cash in
Explore ways to bring in some extra cash.
Have a yard sale. One’s man’s trash is another man’s treasure.
If your birthday or a holiday is near, ask for cash in lieu of a present.
Sell things on an online auction site such as eBay.
Consider getting a second or part-time job or working for a temp agency.
Ask your employer for a salary advance.
Raise your own funds or get temporary credit
If you have a credit card, ask for a limit increase or talk with your bank about loan options. Many veterinarians accept Care Credit, which is a credit card specifically for health care expenses, including your pet’s. Care Credit offers multiple payment options that may help you through your pet’s crisis. You can find out more information about Care Credit and fill out an application on their website. Consumers should take care to understand the terms of any credit they accept. I have the CareCredit for these very occasions. But it is a credit card.
Groups like IMOM and RedRover also allow you to apply for financial aid if you can’t afford veterinary care for your pet.
Or, raise your own funds! Fundraising platforms like GiveForward enable you to create a personal fundraising page to raise funds for pet medical care. They charge a small percentage of funds raised.
Good Luck and let us know how you and your kitten are doing.
PG