Kittens with Panleuk

Overview

While our primary patients in the Parvo Ward are parvo puppies, we occasionally get in kittens who have feline distemper, or panleukopenia, which is similar to the canine parvovirus. They are housed within our ward, but have a separate volunteer team for feeding, and a Panleuk Tech for intaking. They are treated by the Parvo Ward staff and volunteers during the treatment shifts if the Panleuk Tech is not available (their schedule is posted here). 

Kittens sick with panleuk will have a combination of (or all of) the following symptoms:

• inappetance

• vomiting

• diarrhea

If the kitten is in a non-quarantine area, it should be tested immediately. If it is in foster care and the foster is aware of the risk, treatment can be started without a test. The treatment plan does not depend on the test results. If a foster insists on knowing or there are other kittens at risk, test the kitten.

Panleuk is very contagious, just like Parvo. Fosters should be aware especially if they have unvaccinated cats or kittens under 4 months of page.

Kittens must have a heating pad/disc, plus the appropriate food, water, and litter box in their cage (unless noted otherwise).

Medication and Doses

The standard medications for treatment of panleuk kittens includes the following medications:

These are the medications given to a kitten/cat on intake into the PL Ward.  

  ·        Baytril - 0.02cc / lb, SID SQ x 5 days (ALWAYS in SQ fluids)

·        Polyflex - 0.05cc / lb, BID SQ x 5 days

·        Cerenia -   SID SQ x 5 days (FOR VOMITING)

<1.0 lb -- 0.05 cc  (less than a pound, give 0.05cc)

1.0-2.0 lb -- 0.10cc (1 to 2 pounds, give 0.10cc)

>2.0 lb -- 0.04 cc / lb (if more than 2 pounds, give 0.04cc per pound)

*May redose if vomiting persists (2 doses per 24hrs max)

·        LRS - 15cc / lb, TID SQ x 5 days

·        Marquis - 0.2cc / lb, SID PO x 3 days

·        Panacur - 0.2cc / lb, SID PO x 3 days

·        Fortiflora – a pinch in warmed food per feeding – at Panleuk Tech’s discretion

Feeding Guidelines

FEEDING G/SG KITTENS IN THE PANLEUK WARD Neonatal program feeding protocols apply to all kittens in the neonatal program (under 6-8 weeks of age). 

Gruel kittens must be fed every 4-5 hours 

• When kittens are not eating independently, they must be syringe-fed. If the kitten’s beginning weight is not equal to or greater than the previous ending weight, then the kitten is not eating sufficiently on its own. 

WEIGH/FEED/WEIGH: Kittens being syringe-fed must consume 5% of their body weight after feeding; use posted feeding chart for help with calculations. 

• Some panleuk+ kittens will be too sick to eat on their own but if not, always give kittens a chance to eat on their own before syringe feeding. Weigh them, allow them to eat on their own, weigh them again so you’ll know how much to syringe feed them so they consume a total of 5% of their body weight. 

• Take care not to over-fill a kitten’s mouth with gruel as it is possible to aspirate a kitten while syringe feeding. It is normal for a panleuk+ kitten to be unenthusiastic about eating so be patient. 

• To make gruel, mix 2 cans food with 1 can water, a ratio of 2 parts food to 1 part water. This will ensure that kittens are getting sufficient nutrition and hydration in their diet. Be sure to mix thoroughly. 

• *Adding more water will dilute the nutritional value*

•  *Adding less water will not provide proper hydration* 

• *Only nursery approved food should be used*

•  *Baby food (pure meat, chicken or turkey only) or canned chicken (packed in water, no additives) can be used ONLY to entice kittens to eat on their own and should never be used in place of nursery approved canned food or left in crates more than 4-6 hours*

•  When making gruel for syringe feeding, the ratio remains the same. The only difference is that syringe gruel will be pureed in a blender so it will flow through a syringe. Do not mix KMR with gruel.

•  Kittens transitioning to independent eating must be monitored to ensure they are gaining weight appropriately. If they have access to food 24/7 and are gaining weight steadily, do not syringe-feed. If kittens have been reliably eating on their own but have an unusual weight loss, consider if they had run out of food in their crate, if they filled the litter box, if they went an extended period of time without being fed as these can be contributing factors. While we want to ensure kittens are fed properly, we do not want to contribute to them regressing by syringe feeding them unnecessarily.

•  If an independent gruel kitten loses weight for three consecutive feedings or loses 10gr or more at one feeding, it must be syringe-fed until it is eating sufficiently on its own again. © 2020 Austin Pets Alive! All Rights Reserved