Dawson went to the vet today. When I saw Ben, I told him I didn’t know if God was testing my patience, or I was testing Ben’s! He laughed.
Daws tested negative for the common diseases. Ben said he thought that Dawson was coming down with the URI and it was particularly hard on him. I disagreed, but, I am not a vet. He gave me more pills for the crew as well as some ringworm medication and gave Daws a penicillian shot.
Tonight, after watching Dawson I am afraid that Ben was wrong and this is not a URI but instead, I have a sinking feeling it is distemper. The reason I feel this is because Daws started going over the water bowl and hanging his head over the bowl without drinking. 🙁 Two diseases cause this rabies and distemper (also cancer)so three diseases cause this symptom and none of the diseases are good. Mike is going to take her back in the morning for me and ask them to test her with the canine parvo test. He will call me with the results. If they are positive, I shudder to think how many more kittens will fall. Lazarus now has the exact same symptoms and both the kittens are in large kennels covered in the bedroom. God please don’t let this be distemper.
hi
i read that if htey have the symptoms for 1 week and survive, they will get better. if it is distemper.maybe onions got it on the farm from fleas as i read fleas cause it too. but if it is and they ae still with you after 1 week the changes are they will survive.
and it stays in the air for 1 year i read. so maybe onions brought it to the house as it says that kittens have all problems if hte mother cat has distemper.
i will pray it is not.
I am sorry for your loss, but am confused. Dawson was not Onion’s kitten, was she? Does distemper spread through the air? And can they only get it if they are not vaccinated? Will it spread through your household, I pray it does not.
No Dawson was not onion’s kittens. Feline distemper is a tricky, evil beast. Spread through saliva, poop and pee even several weeks after clinical signs are observed. It is thought that feline distemper is a form of e-coli that has mutated off into the feline world. It can survive out of the host for up to two years and no major cleaning agent is available to kill it. It incubates 2-10 days and kittens and unvaccinated cats are its target. It is nearly always fatal in kittens and once exposed, the kitten will die by the tenth day. It lowers the white cell count and therefore the body is powerless to stop the assault. The kitten can go from perfectly healthy and lap hugging one minute to moribund in a few hours. With dawson, it was like hitting a light switch. One moment there was light, the next she was dying in my arms on the way to the vet. They dehydrate at a rapid rate, refusing water and if given supportive fluids, the body reacts by the kitten vomitting up the water even though it was never swallowed but given subcu. 🙁 They basically die of shock.
It could be that onion is the carrier because of the fact that five of her kittens died before she even got here. But it is also possible that another cat not symptomatic is the carrier and I will never know.
The symptoms are:
appearance of the third eyelid- dull clumpy looking coat-vomitting-diarrhea-(both of which are bright yellow containing a lot of the stomach bile) hanging their head over the water dish unable to drink- fever -depression and lethargy.
TLC and keeping them hydrated is imperative IF the kitten is to survive. Lazarus now is showing signs of this horrible disease so it isn’t done with me by any means.
Please just pray the other kittens will stay safe and not follow into the darkness.
I feel so damn helpless right now- I knew when the vet told me it was URI that he was wrong. But he is the professional and I hoped he was right.
Try chlorine bleach and water, one cup bleach to one gallon water ratio. Also, I have been told to change my shoes b/c the germ can be tracked by them. I’m sure you’re aware of that but thought it wouldn’t hurt to mention.
God bless.
I am no expert, but it sounds as if poor Dawson would not have survived even if the vet didn’t think it was a URI. I am so sorry for you, you do remarkable work for cats and kittens alike and although right now you are blindsided with sickness and sorrow, you have saved the lives of so many that would have never stood a chance. I still think of Solo, and how he knew love and affection in your home, and how Levi came to you one night and look where he is now. Those are just 2 examples of heroic acts you have performed. I will continue to pray for you and your household. God Bless.