Little Kitten

[Tambrey]

Well, Tux, one of the outside cats, had kittens March 21...we have been watching and figured out where they are, and this last week, they started to wander out and are letting us pick them up...one ran right up to my husband the first time we ever saw it....

Anyways, I took food over this morning and heard one crying quite loudly...I looked into the shelter and could see one sitting in the middle area, so I put my hand down and wiggled my fingers...it came running right to me and let me pick it up....the first thing I did was look at its eyes and nose, all looked good...and then turned it around to see if boy or girl...definitely boy....BIG swollen boy.....I called the vet while I was on the way with him....it as a half hour before they close for lunch....the vet said he was pretty sure it was a hernia and the intestine had dropped into the scrotum.

He did emergency surgery, since the kitten was very painfully vocal and had a tight belly and scrotum, and I was not even home 5 minutes (6 miles away, after a quick stop at the drug store next door) when he called to say that he was right, and that while attempting to work the intestine out of the scrotum and seeing how bad it was, the intestine ruptured...he said in looking at was was there after it happened, it had dropped long ago enough that necropsy (?) had set into that part of intestine from lack of blood flow was decaying already, thus the rupture, so he made a quick decision and went ahead and euthanized the kitten.

Soooo...one more kitten at the rainbow bridge...but at least he went peacefully while sleeping rather than in pain somewhere, which would have happened if I had not been home to hear him today and take him in.

[k9Karen]

So sorry to hear this Tambrey. You did your best. (and BTW, I think the word you were looking for was necrosis - tissue death)

[Tambrey]

thank you k9Karen...and yes, that is the word he used...I KNEW that necropsy was not right, but I also knew that you all would know what I meant

[k9Karen]

Poor little guy. I know it must hurt not to have been able to save him. Bet he was a cutie. Bless you for trying.

[Traci]

Far be it to question your vet (but based on past experiences you've had), I have to wonder why he didn't try to resect the intestine, that's what one tries to do when there is necrosis - then pressure bandage to prevent organs from shifting.

I'm so sorry, poor little baby.....((((((HUGS))))))

[Tambrey]

Could it be that he was too tiny and the intestine too small to really work with? I have no idea, to be honest with you. I know that was his plan, but he said when it ruptured, he felt that there was not any more that he could do

[Traci]

Without being there to see, I don't know. It depends on where the rupture occurred in connection to the hernia location , and what the contents of the intestine were (although one can lavage for decontamination unless there is a great deal of toxicity/sepsis, the latter is difficult to predict recovery). I suspect he might have felt that due to kitten's size and development status, it might be more risky to try. Young kittens can have a really tough time with undeveloped organs in illness or crisis. Even if surgery had been successful, there would possibly be delayed recovery or post-surgical complications.

This is unusual for sure, do you know if there is any possibility of trauma? (getting squished, stepped on, etc?) Please watch his littermates for any signs they may not be safe in their current location.

[Tina B and crew]

I am sorry to hear this Tambrey. Poor little guy can run and play without pain or danger now. It's so hard when you try to help them I know.

[Tambrey]

I don't know for sure about trauma/injury..it could happen but mamma (Tux) is VERY protective of them and herself...no one gets near her without getting screamed at!!

The vet did state as well that he had never seen anything like this in a kitten this young, and was having a hard time believing it might be a hernia and dropped intestine, unless he saw for himself...he told me that while he was examining the kitten while still awake.

I keep trying to peek in at the others...she has them hidden pretty far back in the shelter, and I think is leery of letting them out since I took one that did not come back to her...to get to them I would need to belly crawl about 6 feet back (the length of a s10 truck topper with the tail flap propped up!), but they do wander out on occasion to eat or explore...I am hoping IF the weather ever turns NICE (it is currently raining...again) that they will come out more