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 -
It's been a few days so I just wanted to post. Nothing really new but her appetite is still increasing. She doesn't wanna walk... no balance... etc. Her neck hole looks better than a few days ago though. The hole looks just a tad bit smaller in diameter and it has filled with some red substance. It was just a gaping, puss factory. I don't know what the red substance is, but it isn't leaking anymore. I know all that sounds gross, but I am happy about it.
If anyone knows about stool: Her stool has been the same exact color as the food she has been eating which is a light skin tone color. It isn't dark like my other cats'. Sorry if I am making anyone sick with this, but I don't know much and I am still seeking help. I am afraid to take her back to the vet because last time I was there I got the feeling that he had no hope for her. I do. I'm not putting her down unless I think she is suffering. I see things that he doesn't in an office visit. Besides, she gets so stressed when she goes to the vet because I give her a bath to make sure she's clean and she doesn't like the carrier. She can feel it moving so she flops around in there like crazy and she becomes exhausted. That makes her seems worse than she actually is by the time she gets to the vet.
Anyway, just wanted to update and see if anyone has any pointers. Thanks again for caring guys.
O and her hair is finally starting to grow back where I shaved her to clean up her wounds :)
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Permalink Reply by Jo on -
I'm glad to hear she's improving again.
I don't know about the rest, but I would invest in a soft-sided carrier. It would be more comfortable for the cat than a plastic one.
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Permalink Reply by Jean Clelland-Morin on -
Bless those who have compassion for all "god's" creatures. Bisous à Maggie
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Permalink Reply by AntiChristianLeague on -
I'm not sure if any of these would be accurate, but thought I should post anyways.
Potty Color Guide
Any of the following require that kitty receive IMMEDIATE medical attention- Bloody: red blood in stool may indicate panleukepenia (distempter).
- Black: possible bleeding high in the bowel.
- Mucous: slimy substance may indicate severe bowel irritation.
- White: possible serious bowel infection. High risk of death.
- Orange: means there may be too much bile in stool.
- Yellow: is indicative of a bacterial imbalance in bowel.
http://www.kittencare.com/tummy_troubles.html#bloody_stool
You could try obtaining a stool sample and having it looked at by a vet. That
way, you wouldn't have to worry about Maggie being stressed out by a trip to
the vets unless it is absolutely necessary.
I am so glad to hear she is still hanging in there!
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Permalink Reply by scLovely on
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Hmm. None of these colors really describe the color I am seeing. I am a rather pale person and it is close to my skin color.
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Permalink Reply by Cynthia Armistead on -
You are doing such an amazing job with Maggie! You and your husband are wonderful people.
Our late cat, Shelley, was FIV positive. She was about 10 when she was diagnosed, and we were told she had a year, at most, to live. She lived nearly 10 more years, instead, thanks to lots of love and pampering. Whenever she stopped eating, I found that a braised chicken liver would tempt her back when nothing else was of interest. You have to be very careful not to overcook it, and it will stink horribly, but she WILL smell it (all of your cats will want them). Liver is full of iron and protein, so it should be really good for her.
One other suggestion: Kimberly's Kittens is run by a great woman I've known for years online. Unfortunately, she's in California, which is nowhere near you. However, she's rescued countless kittens and has contacts all over the place. If you ask her about the stool color and such, I feel certain that she'll either know something or know where to find out.Hang in there. Love to you and Maggie!
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Permalink Reply by Chris G on -
Good point about eating liver.Sad though that we have to kill chickens to save cats.
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Permalink Reply by Cynthia Armistead on
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Cats are pure carnivores, and there's no way for them to be healthy without eating meat. We can choose to go without it, but trying to make that choice for them is abusive.
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Permalink Reply by Heath Bond on -
*The essential amino acid taurine is required for companion cats. Unlike dogs, cats cannot synthesize enough taurine to meet their needs. Taurine is required for the prevention of eye and heart disease, as well as reproduction, fetal growth and survival. This essential amino acid is only found in foods of animal origin, such as meat, eggs and fish. http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/cat-care/nutrients-your-cat-needs.aspx
Cats are strict carnivores that rely on nutrients in animal tissues to meet their specific and unique nutritional requirements. In their natural habitat, cats consume prey high in protein with moderate amounts of fat and small amounts of carbohydrates. Thus, they are metabolically adapted for higher metabolism of proteins and lower utilization of carbohydrates than dogs or other omnivores. Although cats can use carbohydrates as a source of metabolic energy, they have limited ability to spare protein utilization by using carbohydrates instead. Therefore, their diet should be comprised of proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals and water in the correct proportions. A cat food that meets these requirements is called a “Complete” or “Balanced” diet. The amount of food a cat requires depends on the cat’s age, breed, gender, activity, temperament, environment and metabolism. http://www.vetmed.vt.edu/vth/sa/clin/cp_handouts/Nutrition_Adult_Ca...
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Permalink Reply by Chris G on
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Good point. A veterinarian once told me that feeding non-desrcript pet food to a dog, or cat is like feeding them candy-bars. He said It has calories, but no nutrition. I switched to Science diet and saw how much better the coat, skin, and joint health improved.
Cheap pet food could be made of saw dust. Remember how many human babies died from derelict baby food?
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