The Lone Ranger Care

This last week has been nothing short of madness for me, and while I always try to keep up with Tad's FB and Tad's Toys and all the other 90 bajillion million things I do...I failed miserably this week after ending up in the emergency room on Wednesday from fainting episodes and extreme weakness. I had an ultrasound of my heart and also an EKG (and bloodwork/urinalysis) which came back inconclusive, and we left the emergency room with absolutely no answers. I don't have insurance and/or extra money to go to my regular doctor to continue on the path of figuring out what's wrong...but, I am slowly feeling better. I still get ridiculously tired at random times and feel insanely weak, but...I'm not bedridden like I was for two days last week because I couldn't move without collapsing.

But, anyway...the point of this post isn't a pity party for me! I wanted to inform you guys what all is being done for the kittens and explain a few things as well.

DIET
The little Lone Ranger is getting fed every 3-4 hours via bottle and Kitten Formula with Taurine. He also gets syringe fed 2-3cc each feeding to ensure he's getting food. When he eats, he's starting to chew on the bottle and not get much milk...obviously, so he is syringed milk. He's swallowing a lot of air during this chewing process, and so he thinks he is full. He is offered canned food every other morning, which he doesn't care for. He also has canned food available to him all day on the days he's offered it. We have mixed the canned food (EVO) with the milk, no one wanted the milk anymore. Eating is more important than weaning, at this point in time. He is also given oral vitamins twice daily. We are not wanting to change his milk or brand of milk as the risk of diarrhea in an already failing kitten is too great. If he were healthier, we would certainly try the goat's milk approach.

HOUSING
He is kept on a heating pad at ALL times. He is able to get away from the heat in his crate at home and his cage at work. He is offered a small, short-sided litter box during the day, which he has never used. It is currently clumping litter, when he starts to eat on his own, it will be exchanged for non-clumping, due to the risk of blockage if he eats it. His bedding is changed each morning, and that is both in his crate at home and his cage during the day. He is stimulated to potty by Chica, who, as gross as it is, swallows up all evidence of urine and feces as a normal mother would. He's never kept around his own waste, as it's...in Chica's...belly.

MEDICAL
Aside from the vitamins orally, he is getting no medications. He does not need them. IF he is weak, he will get a dextrose (sugar) solution on his mucus membranes (gums). However, he must be kept warm or else the absorption will not take place as it should. He has never needed dextrose, yet. We have discussed giving SubQ fluids, however, the stress it would cause him would have him use up ALL of his energy, and we want him to keep as much energy as he can to help avoid Fading Kitten Syndrome. He does not have diarrhea, vomiting, or any other symptom of illness...so he is not on medication. His litter has had a fecal each week that I have had them and have never had any sort of parasites, though the litter was dewormed shortly after the death of the first kitten, regardless. At his age, he should weigh 1lb. As of yesterday, he is only 0.38lbs. He is severely underweight, and we have struggled with the weight issue since they all were about 2 weeks old. They are simply not gaining weight, regardless of the amount of food they eat. We were worried with malabsorption issues which could be the reason they're not gaining weight. Basically, that means they are not absorbing the nutrients from their food properly.

I hope this clarifies a few things for you guys and that you're not having coronaries because you think the little guy isn't taken care of as he should be. ;) Rest assured, we are doing everything possible, within reason, to ensure he has the best possible chance. We always have.

Also, please know that when dealing with FKS...nothing you can do will stop it or fix it. He may still not pull through, but we are certainly trying.