To our fosters or anyone using this protocol, please read:


This is the protocol I used when we had kittens fall ill with panleuk. While we had a tremendous amount of support and advice from our vet, I am not personally a veterinarian nor am I am a RVT or VTA. This is not guaranteed to work, but if you follow it to the t, your kitten will have a much better chance than if you are lackadaisical with it or worse, ignore the condition entirely. It is imperative that you contact me if you are fostering for us and you aren't sure if the kitten is suffering and should be humanely euthanized. The chances of that being the case are unlikely if you follow the instructions closely, but we do need to consider that this is a possibility. If you need advice, call or email me.


BE SURE TO ISOLATE ANY SICK KITTENS FROM OTHER CATS, ESPECIALLY IF THE OTHER CATS ARE NOT VACCINATED. THE ONLY REASON A CAT SHOULD BE UNVACCINATED IS BECAUSE THEY HAVE NOT YET REACHED 6 WEEKS OF AGE. IF YOU NEED HELP WITH THIS, CONTACT ME.


This is a terrifying disease. It is manageable though. You can do this, and don't be afraid to ask us for support. Any of us would much rather come help than lose a foster, or a kitten, or have a foster feel overwhelmed by the enormity of this undertaking.


-J


Medications used:


Clavamox at 12.5mg/kg (formula for ml dosing is kg•12.5/62.5


Veraflox at 7.5 mg/kg (kg•7.5/25)


Vitamin B¹² 1000mcg/ml DIN 00521515 injectable - available at Walmart pharmacy without a scrip


Cerenia injectable - dose unknown at this time, appeared to be 1ml/kg but was diluted in order to ensure full delivery



Other supplies:


  • NaCl or lactated ringers solution injectable

  • 20 g sharps for pulling up fluids

  • 25 or 26 g ⅝" sharps for administration of fluids and B¹²

  • 25 or 26 g butterfly injection sets for administration of sub-q fluids

  • 1 ml oral syringes

  • 1 or 3 ml luer lock or similar syringes

  • 5 ml oral syringes

  • 10 ml luer lock or similar syringes

  • Electrolyte solution or powder (Fox Valley makes a wonderful electrolyte powder called Day One Electrostat which is available through www.henryspets.com. If you're a buyer outside of the U.S., choose regular shipping as DHL & UPS love to play customs agent and charge you through the wazoo. While you're ordering, try out the Miracle Nipples. Expensive but AWESOME.)

  • Corn syrup

  • Heating pad (either a cheap one or one you can fully sterilize because if you can't you'll need to throw it out)

  • Old towels. LOTS of old towels.

  • Calorie paste such as Cat-Cal or Nutri-Cal

  • Royal Canin Recovery or Science Diet Urgent Care wet food

  • Containment kennel

  • Cheap/disposable litter pan (I use a dollar store foil roasting pan)

  • Timer (I use my phone)

  • Probiotic powder - (we like Fortiflora for non-bottle babies, and Fox Valley LA-200 Probiotics for bottle babies.)

  • Bleach and a shallow pan with a cheap carpet door mat or bath mat in the bottom


Optional items I found helpful




EXTREMELY IMPORTANT PART OF THIS PROTOCOL IS AVOIDING CROSS CONTAMINATION


In the bottom of the shallow pan mentioned in the "other supplies", lay the door mat or bath mat flat on the bottom. Mix a bleach solution of 1:10 bleach:water and pour enough of it in the bottom of the pan to saturate the carpet without it being obviously submerged. You'll want enough in the bottom of the pan to be able to step in


Schedule of administration


Subcutaneous fluids - 5 to 10 ml depending on severity of dehydration every 6 hours, more frequently if necessary. Check hydration every hour, but do not administer a full 10 ml every hour. In their most vulnerable, dehydrated states, I administered 10 ml at regular time, and if the kitten became dehydrated again prior to the next scheduled infusion I gave 5 ml of electrolyte solution orally and 5 ml sub-q no less than 3 hours after previous scheduled infusion. If the kitten is tenting, ignore the clock and give 5 ml sub-q.


Clavamox - 1 dose every 12 hours


Veraflox - dose between every other Clavamox dose (so if you're giving Clavamox at 12 am and 12 pm, give the Veraflox at 6 pm but NOT at 6 am, or vice versa, whichever works easiest.) NOTE: Veraflox (pradofloxacin) has the potential to cause joint & bone disorders if used in kittens under 12 weeks of age. It is only used in this particular protocol as the potential for this occurrence was less than the potential for fatality or decreased quality of life if the infections were left untreated, and the kittens were under the age of 12 weeks at the time of infection. While not generally done, this is a rare exception. Veraflox is generally indicated for skin lesions however the use of it for other infections has been emerging more commonly in rescue work.


Calorie push - I made a slurry of 1 tbsp Recovery food, a dusting of probiotic powder, and 1 ml calorie gel, added some water for ease of administration, and syringe fed it every hour. Yes, it will come right out their little bum like a cartoon skeleton drinking a martini, but it is still necessary.


My personal schedule was as follows:


5:00 am - sub-q administration

9:00 am - Clavamox

11:00 am - sub-q administration

3:00 pm - Veraflox

5:00 pm - sub-q administration with 0.1ml vitamin B¹²

9:00 - Clavamox

11:00 pm sub-q administration


Hourly: calorie push with either food, slurry, or simply the calorie paste. Check hydration, administer 1 ml of electrolyte solution if necessary. If kitten is not drinking water, 1 ml electrolyte solution, 4 ml water syringe fed


Keep kittens warm at all times.

Have water and food available at all times.

Change litter often (1-2× daily), they will smell like a gym bag forgotten in a hot car for a week.


Get rest between treatments. You will be no good to the kitten or yourself if you can't function.



Meet Ruby, one of our little survivors of this protocol. All of the kittens we cared for during this time did survive.