| What you see |
Possible causes |
Solution |
| Coughing, difficult or labored breathing |
Inhalation (aspiration) of milk into the lungs. |
- If they cough for more than a few minutes or have trouble breathing, contact your veterinarian to arrange for emergent veterinary care.
|
| Not taking the bottle |
Chilled kitten |
- The newborn kitten have a temperature of about 36-37°C (95-99°F) and the temperature increases successive. At about 4 weeks of age it has reached a normal temperature of about 38-39,5°C (99-101°F)
- Warm them up slowly with a Snuggle Safe®-disc, hot water bottles or ricepacs.
- Wrap the heat source in a towel to slow down warming and prevent burning of the kitten.
|
| The milk is to cold |
- Warm milk to 35-38°C (95-100°F) using a water bath, avoid warming up in the microwave.
|
| The kitten is not hungry |
- If the kitten is alert, responsive and acting okay! Otherwise use a cotton swab to rub white corn syrup on the gums. Wait 30 minutes - 1 hour and try feeding again.
|
| Sick, lethargic, and/or low blood sugar |
- Use a cotton swab to rub white corn syrup on the gums.
- Contact your veterinarian, to arrange for emergency veterinary care.
|
| Additional advice |
- If your kitten goes for longer than 6 hours without taking the bottle, contact your veterinarian, to arrange for emergency veterinary care.
|
| Diarrhea |
Overfeeding |
- Weigh the kitten or puppy.
- Verify the recommended food amount.
- If feeding the right amount, try smaller amounts more frequently (every 2-3 hours).
|
The milk replacement is too
concentrated |
- If using a powdered milk replacement, first double-check the label directions for mixing.
- Temporarily dilute the milk replacement 50:50 for 24 hours with fluid replacements.
|
Unclean bottle or
nipple |
- Clean with dish soap and warm water between uses.
- Sterilize in boiling water before first use, once every 24 - 48 hours, or between litters.
|
| Sour milk |
- Refrigerate leftover milk replacer in clean, closed containers for no more than 24 hours.
- Throw milk replacer away if left out at room temperature for longer than 1 hour, previously warmed up, or contaminated with saliva.
|
| The digestive system has not adjusted to the milk replacer yet. |
- Temporarily dilute the milk replacement 50:50 with a fluid replacement for 24 hours.
- Add a pinch of probiotic powder for example Fortiflora® to the bottle.
- Swap to another brand of milk replacement.
|
| Intestinal parasites (worms) |
|
| Vomiting
|
Overfeeding |
- Weigh the kitten
- Verify that you are not giving too much, try reducing the amount of milk.
- If you are feeding the right amount, try smaller amounts more frequently (every 2-3 hours).
|
| Milk replacement too concentrated |
- If using a powdered milk replacement, first double-check the label directions for mixing.
- Temporarily dilute the milk replacer 50:50 a fluid replacement for 24 hours.
|
| Milk coming out too fast |
- Milk is coming out too fast if:
- It is dripping faster than 1-2 drops per second.
- It is seen coming out of the kitten's nose.
- The kitten is swallowing more frequently than every 2-3 suckles.
- Get a new nipple, and make sure the hole is not too big. (The miracle nipples are superb).
|
| Milk too cold |
- Warm milk to 35-38°C (95-100°F) using a warm water bath; avoid warming up in the
microwave.
|
Unclean bottle or
nipple |
- Clean with dish soap and warm water between uses.
- Sterilize in boiling water before first use, once every 24 - 48 hours, or between litters.
|
| Sour milk |
- Refrigerate leftover milk replacer in clean, closed containers for no more than 24
hours.
- Throw milk replacer away if left out at room temperature for longer than 1 hour,
previously warmed up, or contaminated with saliva.
|
| Constipation |
Milk replacement is too concentrated |
- If using a powdered milk replacement, first double-check the label directions for mixing.
- Temporarily dilute the milk replacer 50:50 a fluid replacement for 24 hours.
|
| Dehydration |
- See the Dehydration section below.
|
| Orphans: Need stimulation to pee and poop |
- Check out: How to Stimulate an Orphaned Kitten or Puppy to Pee and Poop.
|
| Additional advice |
- Swap to a different brand of milk replacement
- Temporarily dilute the milk replacer 50:50 with a fluid replacement for 24 hours.
- Kittens and puppies normally poop once every 1 - 2 days. If they haven’t pooped in 2
days or more, are crying, or straining, contact your foster coordinator immediately.
An enema may be needed.
- Don’t give mineral oil to your kitten or puppy (by mouth or by bottle).
|
| Distended Belly |
Overfeeding |
- Weigh the kitten
- Verify that you are not giving too much, try reducing the amount of milk.
- If you are feeding the right amount, try smaller amounts more frequently (every 2-3 hours).
|
| Milk replacement is too concentrated |
- If using a powdered milk replacement, first double-check the label directions for mixing.
- Temporarily dilute the milk replacer 50:50 a fluid replacement for 24 hours.
|
| Milk coming out too fast |
- Milk is coming out too fast if:
- It is dripping faster than 1-2 drops per second.
- It is seen coming out of the kitten's nose.
- The kitten is swallowing more frequently than every 2-3 suckles.
- Get a new nipple, and make sure the hole is not too big. (The miracle nipples are superb).
|
| Milk too cold |
- Warm milk to 35-38°C (95-100°F) using a warm water bath; avoid warming up in the
microwave.
|
| Chilled kitten |
- The newborn kitten have a temperature of about 36-37°C (95-99°F) and the temperature increases successive. At about 4 weeks of age it has reached a normal temperature of about 38-39,5°C (99-101°F)
- Warm them up slowly with a Snuggle Safe®-disc, hot water bottles or ricepacs.
- Wrap the heat source in a towel to slow down warming and prevent burning of the kitten.
|
| Swallowing air while nursing |
- When bottle feeding, position the kitten or puppy with their feet down (sternal), and
with head and neck stretched upward and forward. Don’t let the neck extend too far
back.
- Avoid air in the nipple by holding the bottle upright; stopping feeding before the
amount of milk in the bottle is low; and not shaking the bottle, creating bubbles.
- Burp your kitten after every feeding.
|
| Constipation |
- See the Constipation section above.
|
| Orphans: Need stimulation to pee and poop |
- Check out: How to Stimulate an Orphaned Kitten to Pee and Poop.
|
| Intestinal parasites (worms) |
|
| Fluid in the abdomen |
- Contact your veterinarian to arrange for immediate or emergency veterinary care.
|
| Restless and Crying |
Hungry |
- Weigh the kitten or puppy.
- Verify the recommended food amount
- If feeding the right amount, try smaller amounts more frequently (every 2-3 hours).
|
| Uncomfortable |
- Check for constipation; see the constipation section above.
- Contact your veterinarian to arrange for immediate or emergency veterinary care.
|
Weight Loss
or Lack of
Weight Gain |
The kitten gets too little milk |
- Weigh the kitten or puppy.
- Verify the recommended food amount.
- If feeding the right amount, try smaller amounts more frequently (every 2-3 hours).
|
| Milk replacer too dilute |
- If using a powdered milk replacer, first double-check the label directions for mixing.
- If diluting the milk replacer, cut back on the amount of Pedialyte® or water added.
- Try feeding your kitten or puppy more frequently (every 2-3 hours).
|
| Fading kitten syndrome |
- If the kitten appears to be sick or lethargic or does not start putting on weight within 1-2 days of trying the above solutions, contact your veterinarian.
|
| Dehydration |
The kitten gets too little milk |
- Weigh the kitten or puppy.
- Verify the recommended food amount.
- If feeding the right amount, try smaller amounts more frequently (every 2-3 hours).
|
| Not Taking the bottle |
- See the Not Taking the Bottle section above.
|
| Diarrhea |
- See the Diarrhea section above.
|
| Vomiting |
- See the Vomiting section above.
|
| Additional Advice |
- Dehydration is difficult to assess in a very young kitten or puppy (0-4 weeks).
- Temporarily dilute milk replacer 50:50 with Pedialyte® to increase fluid intake.
- Contact your veterinarian.
|
