Leo and Constipation- Advice needed!

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  • #845807
    Kimizi
    Participant

    Hello all!

    Leo is a 12 day old kitten, his siblings were found dead and his mother was missing. So a friend rescued him when he was just about 1-2 days old but could not foster/keep him due to having a human baby (1 month old), so I stepped in and decided to give the little guy a chance on Monday, he started with an emergency formula I found online that involved 1 cup evaporated milk, 1 egg yolk, 1 cup of pedialyte, unflavored gelatin and vitamins. He was on it until last Thursday, which that day I got him GNC kitten milk replacer, I diluted it just like the instructions said and he loved it along with learning to use the bottle (first it was with a 1ml syringe). He was pooping just fine through that whole time that he was on the emergency formula and the GNC until Sunday which he didn’t poop at all, Monday he did in very small amounts and showed discomfort and then Tuesday he was in obvious pain when stimulated and I rushed him to the vet where he got 3 water enemas to clear his digestive system for him, Reglan(metoproclamide) to help him digest and avoid vomiting(he never has vomited) and the vet also recommended adding .2ml of Karo syrup to all his meals.

    On Tuesday 5pm after returning from the vet he pooped a decent size stool, brownish/yellow color and soft consistency. He didn’t poop again until 7am Wednesday, goopy stool this time. After that no stool was done no matter the amount of stimulation so took him back to the vet today , he got 1 more enema and the vet told me I was over feeding him and thus not giving his GI system time to process the food and so on so forth. He told me to give him only 6 cc every 3 hours with the .2ml of Karo syrup still added and to continue the use of the Reglan. So far he has not passed any stool I’ve feed him twice since we got home, I’m wondering how long till I can see result of him passing stool more repeatedly? Is the Karo syrup enough? Would adding Mineral oil or pumpkin puree help him digest better? Or will i need to change his milk? I’d like to avoid the later since it was 40$ for the 28oz powder can.

    Economically speaking, although my vet is very cheap compared to other places, I really can’t afford him going through another set of water enemas, so any advice that can help me help him pass stool better is greatly appreciated. Apart from that he is a very active little kitten and his eyes opened today although he has conjuntivitis which is being treated for.

    #845812
    Kittyzee
    Participant

    Hi Kimizi, he probably would have been better off on the home made formula, as kitten milk replacer tends to cause constipation in the powdered form. Get him some goat’s milk (it’s much cheaper than KMR) and you can find it in the refrigerated milk section of the grocery, OR in the baking aisle in cans. The canned is condensed so add water 1 to 1. This will not constipate him and will help with his immune system as it contains probiotics. You can use this IN PLACE OF the KMR. You can add a few drops of olive oil to his milk to loosen him up and get things moving if you feel he is struggling with hard stool at first. I am going to post some links for you to look over for hand rearing new born kittens too. I have found them invaluable over the years. Good luck, and stop back in and let us know how he’s doing!
    http://www.safehavenforcats.com/newborn.htm
    http://messybeast.com/handrear.htm

    Chaos’ Guide to Constipation

    #845815
    Kimizi
    Participant

    @kittyzee

    I think I’ll switch him to Goats Milk if he continues to not produce stool, but I will add some olive oil to his milk in his next feeding, its a tad upsetting to give him 6cc since he stays crying for a tad v.v also thanks for those links! I had read the Chaos guide bur good to know I can dab his bum with Desitin, I bet the enemas have made his bum hurt. So far he had another meal and no stools but has quite the panic when I stimulate him.

    How long can the goats milk be in the fridge before needing to be tossed out?

    #845820
    Kittyzee
    Participant

    Just smell it before you feed it to him, you will know if it goes sour. I imagine you will feed it all before it goes bad. I’m not sure how much 6 cc is, but if he is a 2 week old kitten, then the reason he is crying is he may need more. Don’t worry about him pooping everyday, sometimes they do, but he has just had 3 enemas and his body is using the food. I’m really thinking that 6 cc isn’t enough, if it’s only a little over a teaspoon. Look at the sites I provided you, it will give you a rough guideline on the amount the kitten will need. Also remember every cat is different and you have to adjust the feedings to what they need. I am also going to post a link on the ‘triangle method’ of pooping a kitten. Most kittens freak out about being stimulated, but they just have to get over it because they have to go! ๐Ÿ˜‰

    Helping a kitten to eliminate

    #845821
    Kittyzee
    Participant

    I just checked one of the links and your kitten should be getting anywhere from 56 to 80 cc of milk spread out over 3 to 4 feedings in a 24 hour period! He is definitely not getting enough, so keep feeding him until he stops. Burp him, then in a while pee and poop him. Keep this up. If he is not getting enough to eat, he will get lethargic and then refuse to eat. I don’t understand why the vet would tell you you are overfeeding him. Anyway, check out this link again on the approximate amounts.
    http://www.safehavenforcats.com/newborn.htm

    #845824
    Kimizi
    Participant

    I also thought it was very odd that he wanted me to give him only 6cc, which Leo can easily eat 9 to 12cc every three hours without complaining after the feeding!! But he told me that due to “overfeeding” it could be the cause of why he is constipated by not having enough time to produce the food. I’m changing him to Goats milk tomorrow and I’m going to raise his meals back to 9cc but instead of three hours i’ll do 4-5 hour intervals and see how he goes and continue to add the olive oil drops. Also just saw the triangle method video, seems a bit rough but I’ll give it a try with him now that it’s his next feeding.

    Thank you for you help so far ! Will update on him soon

    #845847
    Kimizi
    Participant

    Update:

    I spoke with the vet and he said to bring him over tomorrow for yet another enema, I’m going to graduate in May as a Veterinary Technician so after lots of questioning myself I gave him an enema with an eye dropper of warm water with mineral oil as lubricant and two seconds after he pooped soooo much I couldn’t help but cry, he seemed soo relaxed as he pushed more out. It was mustard colored, thin and soft like toothpaste.

    #845849
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    Happy news!

    #845857
    Kittyzee
    Participant

    Which is exactly the color and consistency that you want….Kimizi, GO WITH YOUR GUT on this, you know what your kitten needs!

    #845859
    Kimizi
    Participant

    Thanks Kittyzee, he’s getting his goat milk today, after the enema he hasn’t pooped on his own yet but I’m guessing its due to the milk he currently has.

    What more should I look out for while looking for his new milk? I know it has to be pasteurized but any other specifications?

    #845866
    Kittyzee
    Participant

    No specifications at all except for the pasteurization but most milk sold in stores is. You might be able to find it in with the regular milk in the refrigerated section in coolers in the grocery, or the baking aisle in cans. I like the canned as I can buy several cans and store them in the cupboard. Once you open and mix them with water 1 to 1, store them in the refrigerator then warm up what you are giving him. Sometimes they offer powdered goat’s milk too which would be fine, I just haven’t used it. Keep us posted !! ๐Ÿ™‚

    #845879
    Kimizi
    Participant

    Well i got him the Meyenberg brand can, just bought one to test it out, 3$ not bad for a 11oz one. He drank it happilly and this morning around 8am he pooped with stimulation. Since it’s 1:1 one can is around 728 mls quite alot for him for now ๐Ÿ˜€

    #845881
    Kittyzee
    Participant

    I know Kimizi, the price is wonderful compared to the KMR! That must be one big goat farm as they ship that goat’s milk EVERYWHERE!!

    #845882
    Kimizi
    Participant

    Gah, Leo just had diarrhea !! He only had 6cc of the goat milk mixed 1:1 D:

    #845883
    Kittyzee
    Participant

    It’s okay Kimizi, you are switching him over from something else. If he has a LOT of diarrhea, then add pedialyte to his milk, to keep him from becoming dehydrated. More than likely his body is adjusting, but it’s probably not the milk that is bothering him. Don’t mix anything else like the olive oil in it for now, just let the goat’s milk (and pedialyte if he needs it) do it’s work. Try putting a little vaseline on his butt so it doesn’t get sore if he is going a lot. Oh and by the way, the triangle method isn’t rough even though the video makes it look that way. You don’t have to apply the pressure as much as it’s the technique to get the kitten to poop. Sounds like you have it down anyway. ๐Ÿ™‚

    #845884
    Kimizi
    Participant

    I searched previous made threads here about diarrhea and saw a similar one the person switched from KMR to goat milk but added the Karo syrup, I also added the Karo syrup so for his next batch I wont be adding any, and yes I added some vaseline to his bum!

    It scared me because he was sleeping and an hour later he started crying none stop so when i stimulated him, bam diarrhea. I also let the vet know to see if they have any recommendations on changing his diet without causing too much irritation on his GI system.

    #845885
    Kittyzee
    Participant

    Yeah, I don’t think he needs the karo at this point. There may be a little transition when switching any foods, but just stick with it. You could also just add a little goat’s milk to the KMR until it’s all goat’s milk, it would make the transition slower but maybe easier on him.

    #845887
    Kimizi
    Participant

    He ate his second meal of goat milk, since i feed him every 3 hours, lets see if he is okay with it until the next meal. If he has another diarrhea moment then I will try giving him 5ml 1:3 GNC milk with 1ml goat milk and increase one 1ml daily until goat is his full meal this way I think it will be easier on his tummy. Who would’ve thought this little guy would go through so much as a bebe

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