Last night, all the kittens were in one form or another checking out. I have been up all night, on the phone with the vet all night. He suspects distemper. The little calico tortie girl at about 2:00 I was ready to put her in the ground. But it was slamming rain, so instead, I put her in my warming carrier and later when I went to check on her, she was up and alert and hungry! When I had left her last, she was barely breathing, she was dragging her back legs on the ground and she wouldn’t allow me to touch her. That is what distemper does- it scrambles the cells in the bodies, and the cells in the brain. It splits them in half and the kitten is left without having the proper mechanisms to figure out what to do. Soon, the body just starts shutting down as the invasive virus gains more of a foothold in the kitten. Vaccinating such young ones isn’t feasible. What should have happened is the tom or the queen should have been vaccinated had they been once owned or cared for. If that had happened, then these kittens would have stood a chance to grow up, be healthy and be adopted into loving homes or stay here with us. Now, they have a date with a needle, for in a few moments, I take Mike to the doctors and then will swing by and drop the kittens off at the vets.
Ironically, the one that fell over five feet seems to be doing the best. But, he is starting to show erratic behavior as well so I know he is infected.
As my favorite t.v. judge loves to say; “Stick a fork in me, I am done.” I wasnt going to do bottle babies this year. Neither was my friend Dusty and both of us got sucked into the vortex yet again. One of her recent arrivals also has died, and she and I were discussing last night how come we do this? The bottom line is we do this, or did this, because it needed to be done. Because of the experiences we have had in life, we are able to save most of them. There are happy families with loving kittens out there because of what rescuers do. The toll on our heart for the ones we have lost, the ones we cannot save is heavy and it weighs us down, but the thought of the ones that have made it- that defied the odds, that despite all the naysayers, survived- those are the ones we cherish. It is the ones who are passing or who have long passed that we never forget.
I know I am in for a tough time. I will be pelted with sob stories and tales of grief and woe. I will be made to feel guilty because a queen is pregnant and her kittens (all but one have died) I will be told time and time again that I need to go and save the universe of abandoned kittens- but, it is not a problem I created, and it is not one I care to address in the future.
UPDATE:
HALLELUJAH! The remaining three kittens have rebounded (somewhat) turns out it is NOT distemper but expired kitten formula. Who knew that a life-saving formula that has passed the date of expirtation turns into a toxic stew?
I intend on contact the manufacturer later to find out more. But the kittens were tubed after the vet was surprised that the one last night didn’t die. He started listing some things this might be and when he said expired formula (i had it out in my car) I went running out and lo and behold, although I just bought it- the powder expired late last year!
The vet gave fluids and tubed the kittens and they are now in the bedroom. Two are screaming their heads off, while the other one is still having problems. I hope he survives, I will do my best that he will. At least it is not distemper. But it is poison and I will keep you updated how the battle is going.