4 week old kit not thriving

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horseysale

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Hoping someone here has some experience with hand raising kits. I have raised a few by hand before over the years but those were already 3 week old kits so only had to supplement for a week or so till they were eating pellets and hay good. This time I was given a box of 7 kits maybe 2 days old after a cat had eaten a few of the litter. One of the 7 they pulled out of the cats mouth and had a pretty good cut on its chin .. he passed the next day. I ended up losing all but 2 (and learned a lot more in the process).

These 2 here now are coming up on 5 weeks (born xmas or xmas eve - I got them on the 27th of Dec). Eyes opened up days 11 and 12... The one is doing great...full of energy...started eating pellets and hay a week ago and backed off himself on the formula. Runs around like crazy and full of energy. I am still hand feeding him 2x a day as he goes crazy when I feed the other kit (otherwise would back him off to 1x as he is eating plenty on his own). Growing like crazy and now 4x the size of his sister. His sister I am not sure if I can save. She will hop around but is in pain...digestive issues... has pretty normal poop and no diarrhea otherwise would think enteritis. Hunched up and grinding the teeth although will stretch out and flop flat out while laying with me and will hop around some when let loose in the room (inside buns). Never a good do'er eating but will eat some (pretty much enough to survive it seems as she never ate more than 9cc) and never had any interest in hay or pellets and that's really when her grinding started -- around the 4 week mark. I have had these guys on kitten milk replacer mixed with a drop of heavy cream. Tried changing the little one to evaporated goat milk with an egg yolk and nope -- hates it --so went back to the kmr and is hungry but only wants 6 if I'm lucky.. upped the benebac (which she LOVES...eats it right off my finger and will search out the tube and pick it up herself).... been giving simethicone (loves as well) which seems to help even though she doesn't 'look' or really feel bloated. The benebac and simethicone have helped her poop look better and more so hate to stop. Honestly not sure what else I can do for her. Maybe critical care? Thoughts? Phoned a few vets and they said at that age there's really nothing more to do so now reaching out. She easily ...at 5 weeks old...fits in the palm of my hand and maybe the size of an orange.

Want to add she does drink water on her own :) was thinking of adding some pedialyte as well. I was going to get some yogurt for her (found googling) but yogurt is milk based so don't want to make her issues worse. No interest in old fashioned oats either....

Attached a pic of the 2. The dark one is the tiny one..this pic was taken a week ago -- the lighter guy has doubled in size whereas the dk brown is the same.
 

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Hi, great job done already and I think you are doing everything to save them, if they are 4 weeks now maybe she will start eating hay/pellets soon, the only if she's grinding teeth is no good maybe she's in pain. You give gas drops already maybe try massaging her belly as well, I would also offer mint, fresh or dried and chamomile, also I make some tea chamomile or fennel ir there's a problem with stomach and give instead of regular water of if you give a little should be fine. Even 4 week babies like mint and chamomile, and I find they are quite effective.
At 4 weeks maybe you can feed some pellets make a paste? Beautiful kits hopefully they will grow big and healthy happy buns, good luck with raising them
 
They’re at the age when they would start being weaned from Mom’s milk and onto pellets. It sounds like the girl’s gut hasn’t really developed as it should, and typically the weaning process is when this shows up. You’ve pretty much done what you could, and though not easy to do, sometimes it’s best to let nature take its course.
 
They’re at the age when they would start being weaned from Mom’s milk and onto pellets. It sounds like the girl’s gut hasn’t really developed as it should, and typically the weaning process is when this shows up. You’ve pretty much done what you could, and though not easy to do, sometimes it’s best to let nature take its course.

Yes she ended up passing 3:30 in the morning poor thing. It ended up being enteritis. Got her started on IV fluids but it was too late. You have to catch it early and get them on antibiotics fluids and proI learned a lot raising this litter by hand and named the remaining little guy Lucky. I wasn't aware enteritis can strike with no diarrhea...hers came literally right before she passed. I also now see why it is said to be a 90% death rate when raising kits before their eyes open.
 

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