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Pet Forum / Miscellaneous / Animal Health / June 2007Kitten falling and staggering
I'm fostering an 8 week old kitten I've had since he was about 2 weeks old (bottle baby). He's been healthy and happy and active the entire time I've been taking care of him. He can make it up and down the non-carpeted stairs with no problem, etc... but today, he's been sort of staggering a little bit, and stumbling on things he's normally been sure-footed on. He climbed up a very short kitten sized scratching post and fell backwards, straight on to his back, and hit his head on the hard floor before I had a chance to grab him. He has been dewormed every 2 weeks, but he has a very large belly, I don't know if that has anything to do with his staggering problem or not. He still has a good appetite. He sleeps more than the other kittens. He will pretty much fall asleep at the drop of a hat, like if I pick him up and hold him a minute or so, next thing I know he's asleep. Mainly it's the falling and stumbling that has me worried. Naturally it's the weekend so the vets are all closed. What do these symptoms mean? You identified the most common problem with kittens this age that appear weak and have a swollen belly, that being an intestinal worm load. On that point it is important to be aware that not all wormers will get all the worms in a typical infestation. Some wormers such as pyrantel (Nemex) get only one or two types of worms, while something like dichorvos gets only one or two other types, but they do not necessarily get the same one or two types. Additionally, there are some worms (tapes for instance) that would not be affected by either type. If the kitten has not been seen by a professional (veterinarian), it would be good to get that done soon. Besides the concern about worms, there is also the possibility of a congential defect, a mechanical emptying defect, or a digestive problem. The kitten is also getting to the age where the maternal immunity is starting to degrade and the kitten can be susceptible to feline viral and bacterial infections, especially those that can be prevented with vaccinations. Before you go to the veterinarian it would be good to procure a fresh stool sample, and possibly a urine sample. Both can be stored in a sandwich bag that will ziplock closed, and can then be put in a cool area of the house (or a refrigerator) until needed. It is surprising how much mechanical abuse (falling and hitting the head) a kitten can take without any longlasting effects. The brain is cushioned not only by the bone surrounding it, but also by the styrofoam like sinuses, and the soft tissues under the skull. If the eyes are equal and responsive to light (the pupil constricts down in response to brighter light), and the gums are pink, and the breathing is regular, then there is probably not much damage. Another quick check is to push with your thumb on the gums, they should go white where you pushed the capillary blood out of them and then refill with pink within 1-2 seconds. This is a test for circulation and shock, and also gives an indication of anemia if the cat is quite wormy. Anything above 2 seconds for refill indicates a poor circulation or anemia, both of which should be rectified by professional care by your veterinarian. > I'm fostering an 8 week old kitten I've had since he was about 2 weeks > old (bottle baby). He's been healthy and happy and active the entire [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > and stumbling that has me worried. Naturally it's the weekend so the > vets are all closed. What do these symptoms mean? Thank you so much for your detailed response. I just now checked his pupils with a flashlight and they both reacted to the light, and they both seem to be the same size, as far as I can tell. How long can a kitten live if he does have a mechanical emptying defect? One of my first foster kittens had "pyloric valve stenosis" (spelling?) and he didn't live much past 10 weeks. Is that the same thing you're talking about? If a kitten is loaded with worms, the kind Nemex doesn't kill, would the kitten be extra sleepy or tire easily? He has had his first distemper shot, which was just last week. Thank you again for your help. > You identified the most common problem with kittens this age that > appear weak and have a swollen belly, that being an intestinal worm [quoted text clipped - 51 lines] > > and stumbling that has me worried. Naturally it's the weekend so the > > vets are all closed. What do these symptoms mean? Yes, PVS is exactly what I am talking about. There is also usually some vomiting with this if the stomach cannot hold all the food that is eaten. The prognosis is very guarded beyond 6-7 weeks (once solid food is started). Yes, a worm load will make a kitten sleepy and lazy both due to the anemia from blood loss at the worm attachment site, and from tiredness brought on by carrying the extra weight. A distemper shot was a very good move. Remember that this is only short term protection, as the body is slowing building its own immune responses and slowing losing its maternal protections, thus repeated vaccinations are required to catch the immune system when it is primed to react to the vaccine. > Thank you so much for your detailed response. I just now checked his > pupils with a flashlight and they both reacted to the light, and they [quoted text clipped - 62 lines] > > > and stumbling that has me worried. Naturally it's the weekend so the > > > vets are all closed. What do these symptoms mean? Somehow I lost your response to my last post on this thread before I had a chance to respond to it, or did I? I'm ditzy from lack of sleep! Thank you for all your help. The kitten is less clumsy all of a sudden, but still extremely sleepy. I am taking a stool sample to the vet. > You identified the most common problem with kittens this age that > appear weak and have a swollen belly, that being an intestinal worm [quoted text clipped - 51 lines] > > and stumbling that has me worried. Naturally it's the weekend so the > > vets are all closed. What do these symptoms mean? |
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