Any Veterinarians Out There? I Need Help.
NOT FOR U IF YOU GET SQUEEMISH!
Ok I need some advice....
Yesterday I found a kitten. I stopped my car thinking she was dead, gonna move her out of the road. She kicked her legs and popped her head up. She hadn't been hit! But I knew there was something severely wrong with her. I picked her up and brought her home with me. First, she had a collar that was way too tight so I removed it, it had been clawed at and frayed to peices anyway. I noticed a hole in her neck, looked closely and realized there were maggots in it. I shaved it and removed the maggots and there was also a HUGE one in there (think it was a "warble") and my husband and I removed it as well. We rinsed the hole with peroxide and have been keeping a check every 2 hrs for anymore maggots to surface - there have been none. I've also put neosporin on it twice. I gave her a flea bath and then later last night, I noticed another 2 holes. One in her leg and one in the fold between her leg and abdomen area. I had to manually remove maggots from them as well, rinsed with peroxide, then put neosporin. Those two holes are closed today. The one is her neck was pretty big, but it is healing quite well evenhough it isn't closed yet. I've tried looking her over for more holes, but haven't found any. She doesn't want me to lift her tail though. She growls and twitches when I do it. It stays very wet around her vaginal/anal area. There were 2 maggots under her tail I can't find any wounds. I did pour peroxide and it bubbles like crazy all over under there.
She maybe weighs a pound soaking wet. She has no muscles and her head is fixed in a sideways position, probably due to the warble/maggots. Her balance is off and she is very weak. She has fallen in her food bowl trying to eat. She looks terrible. I have no doubt in my mind that when she laid down before I found her, she would've never gotten back up.
Since she hasn't wanted to drink anything at all, I got a kitten bottle and some kitten formula and have been bottle feeding her. This should keep her hydrated along with giving her some much needed nutrients.
I know all of this sounds really REALLY bad, but I don't want to give up on her. If there is a vet or a vet tech that can give me some advice, I would more than appreciate it. I've recently spent a ton of money on vet bills with another cat. I absolutely cannot afford anymore vet bills. My local shelter will just put her down. I don't have the heart to do that.
Bright side:
She has been eating like crazy today. Yesterday she wouldn't do it. She has also walked around (just a little bitty bit). And, she PURRRED today! I was holding her and bottle feeding her and she kept purring in between swallows. It made me feel great. At least if she dies, she won't die alone. She knows she has someone there that cares and wants to help her make it :) Though it makes me cry to think about her not making it. I'm already attached. Sounds kinda pathetic, but I am such a weenie. I fall in love with animals, and it would break my heart if she didn't pull through.
What I need help with:
1) will the holes heal or close if there are maggots in there? I can't imagine the holes closing on top of them, so hopefully they are gone. I am almost certain that I got them all out, but I can't ever know for sure. I don't want to re-open the holes to check. And if there are some still in there, what harm could they do? They are supposed to vacate the body when they are finished feeding. Some websites say it takes up to 72 hrs.
2) Her paws and ears are cold. I am keeping her wrapped up with "HotHands". Not directly on her skin, of course, but i have them placed around her blanket. Does this mean her temp is below normal or is this a big issue for her to be so cold? She does shiver, but she may be nervous. I have 3 cats. They aren't bothering her but I can tell she is uneasy around them. This may be why she shivers. Or because she doesn't know me very well.
3) Is there anything else that I can be doing for her (that I can afford)? Please don't ridicule me about not being able to take her to a vet. I'm still on my payment plan from my cat with asthma.
4) I have an antibiotic (amoxicillan) that the vet perscribed me for one of my cats when he had a sinus infection. It is not expired. Will this help her fight off any infection? The dropper for my full grown cat was 1.0 so what dosage, if any, should I give the warble kitty? Keep in mind she is weak, small, and young.
If you all can help me, I will forever be in debt to u! I really want to save this kitty.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by scLovely on -
So today Maggie tried to meow. I've heard her purr and kinda growl, but she has never meowed. So it was the cutest noise I have ever heard! She didn't get it quite right, something must be wrong with her throat (i don't know anything about how cat sounds work), but I am loving that she tried. If I can ever get it on video, I will be sure to upload it! U guys would love it too!
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Permalink Reply by Jean Clelland-Morin on -
I'm expecting sweet Maggie to wow us on film. Bisous à Maggie.
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Permalink Reply by Michael Appleman on -
Cats don't really meow by default. Cats don't communicate with each other by meowing at all. It isn't an in-born instinct such as purring, so they have to learn it somehow. Some cats don't get it quite right. I've known several ex-feral cats who never learned to meow as a kitten and as an adult they have really weird sounding meows.
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Permalink Reply by Chris G on -
Blue Mountain Wildlife has an intake protocol that may include a full body x-ray. They don't work on domesticated animals, but since you've taken Maggie on they would probably give you some good advice.
Blue Mountain Wildlife will host the 9th annual wildlife rehabilitation seminar April 16,
2011 with wildlife veterinarian Dr. Jeff Cooney and veterinary technician Jeannette
Bonomo. The first topic of the day will be establishing an intake protocol: what should
be included and why. The importance of a thorough physical exam, determining the
state of hydration and nutrition (emaciation, anemia, hypoproteinemia), administering
intravenous fluids, what drugs are appropriate to use, why take a full-body x-ray and
more.
It might be worth calling them to see what they recommend 541.278.0215. With a possible head injury and fractures from being kicked, dropped, thrown, and who knows what else abuse prednisone may help.
You don't want to overlook a life threatening, or long term debilitating concussion, or fracture while treating for fleas. I wonder if the vet would recommend you giving her scheduled baths.
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Permalink Reply by scLovely on
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I haven't heard her meow anymore :( But she is walking better so I figured I'd let u guys see a vid of it. She is getting fast! Side note: my husband just throws laundry in the floor. He doesn't understand the concept of the laudry basket. Excuse the clothes lol, I hadn't picked them up yet.
<iframe width="475" height="289" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/oXmSRmTLm8A" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
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Permalink Reply by Jean Clelland-Morin on
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Let your husband pick up his own clothes. Bisous à Maggie.
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Permalink Reply by Jean Clelland-Morin on
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Being blind, sweet Maggie has to feel her way around.
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Permalink Reply by Maske on
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That was the sweetest thing ever! Loads and loads of love to Maggie! Please keep us updated!
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Permalink Reply by Chris G on
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I didn't know you had Cuterebra there. I thought they were only in the tropics.
Encephalitis? Mega doses of antibiotics might be in order. What does the veterinarian say?
What is the vet suggesting for food? Pedialyte might be worth trying for fluids.
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Permalink Reply by scLovely on
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I don't know. She won't eat much of anything lately. No dry, but not too much of the wet either. She doesn't seem to feel good today. I got her up for her meds and both times she went right back to sleep. I water her with a dropper still because she isn't interested in drinking it from a bowl, but i had to force her to drink it from the dropper. She was just letting it run out of her mouth... I am kinda worried about her right now.
She is anemic so I'm thinking of asking the vet how to incorporate a lot of iron into her diet. I think she will feel better once her blood is back to normal.
Yes, we have them here. She had 2 in her neck. One I removed and one the vet removed. Her hole in her neck (the vet re-opened it to remove the second one) isn't closing and it seems to be infected again. I wonder if this is affecting her appetite. I feel like I am in over my head a little... but only because she seems worse today than she's been being lately. She only attempted to walk once today and she kept falling. She couldn't balance at all. I am calling the vet in the morning.
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Permalink Reply by Chris G on
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Here's a web site I found looking for How to rehydrate a sick cat.
I hope this helps.
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Permalink Reply by scLovely on
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So Maggie hasn't been doing well lately. She is at the vet right now. Been there since 8:45 this morning. She hasn't been eating much or wanting to drink.
The vet called me a few mins ago and said he don't think she will make it much longer. He said that her cognitive issues seem to be much worse than they were 8 days ago and her hole should've been healed by now but it looks worse. He also seems to think infection may have spread to her brain. I'm extremely sad. I don't know what to do. I don't want to lose her :( I guess we can only hope for the best. Today is the first day she's pooped in a while and last night was the first time she voluntarily drank any fluids as of lately - and it wasn't very much. She seems so exhausted too.
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