More challenges

This has not been the easiest fostering experience! I was worried that Serenity was not responding well to the Clavamox for the URI, as she seemed to have some gastrointestinal upset, and she didn't seem to be eating much.Then on Saturday when I weighed the kittens I found that that they had lost a small amount of weight. . So I was worried that her milk might be drying up. I contacted Juli at the Humane Society. Keep up the Clavamox and try supplementing the kittens with a bottle. I tried getting food into them with very little success. They are not fond of the bottle compared to mama.

But by the next day the kittens had gained a small amount. On the other hand, Serenity seemed dehydrated when I tried a skin pinch test. I called the SHS and was told to bring them in on Monday morning.

Upshot of the vet visit: Dr. B. got to finally look at Serenity's teeth, and discovered that our poor mama is probably 8, not 2-3 as originally estimated! And ALL her teeth need to come out. So our sweet girl is probably having a painful time trying to eat (exactly as I suspected). Plus, Dr. B. said that yes, she was dehydrated and yes, her milk is probably drying up. So...I get to keep trying to bottle feed, give Serenity high calorie slurried, see if the kittens will take to the slurrie, AND give Serenity sub-cutaneous fluids plus continue Clavamox. WHEW! Lots of work ahead.

I got everyone back home and the kittens are slowly getting the idea how to bottle feed. They still want to nurse on Serenity and I am pretty sure they're getting something, as they are continuing to gain some weight. They also will lick slurrie off my hand.

On the other hand, Serenity is refusing the slurrie completely. I tried it warmed, in a dish with sides and in a wide flat dish. But, like Sam-I-Am, she will not, will not eat it. Strangely enough, she is continuing to eat the dry food. And I tried the fancy feast with gravy, which she ate some of. She was not happy about the sub-q fluids, but I know how important they are to her wellbeing.

I will be so happy to have this set successfully weaned!