Need help with rescued kitten care, malnourished

I am looking for some ideas of what to do for 4 kittens my wife and I have recently recieved. The vet indicated that the weakest one was 'in the worst shape he seen yet this year'.

The kittens were rescued from an aprtment building, one of which was trapped in a heating vent. They were flee infested, had eye infections and all had raspy breathing. The vet prescribed Clavamox (.5 ml twice daily) and Tetracycline eye ointment and treated them for flees. The vet thought they were about 8 weeks old, but I feel they are colser to 6 weeks based on the slight blue tint to their eyes and their ears are not yet fully errect.

Our problem is that these poor guys so badly need nourishment and they have terrible diarrhea (liquidy and white). These guys have definitely had a diet change; from basically nothing to a mixture of kitten milk replacer and rice pablum. To try and reduce the problems we have reduced the amount of milk replacer, increased the solid (pablum) content and added some growth formula wet food to make a gruel mixture. It is too soom to tell if this is making things better or not.

We wash the kittens, especially their bottoms, several times a day since their litter box skills are severly lacking. This is greatly agrivated by thier bad diarrhea.

Does anyone have any other ideas of what we should be doing to make sure these guys all pull through?

Your help is greatly appreciated.

If they're eating well, I wouldn't change their diet again - if they are not eating well, try adding some Hills a/d, a high calorie & nutrient food. Have they been tested for coccidia? This also causes severe diarrhea and is easily treated with Albon.

Good luck!

They seem to be doing better now, they still have diarrhea but the color is improving. They now have nice round bellies after they eat and don't feel quite so frail. It will probably take a few more days before the stomachs settle down and I know the Clavamox causes diarrhea as well.

As for tests, I was not the one that took them to the vet so I don't know for sure what was done, or not done.

They are eating very well, they current recive a gruel mixture of; 1 TBSP KMR milk replacer powder 2 TBSP Rice cereal pablum powder Water to form thick paste from above ingredients 1/2 can MediCal Development Cat Food, mixed in with paste

The four of them are currently consuming 3-4 bowls of this each day. In addition they have water and Royal Canin Babby Cat pellets that they are just starting to eat.

It is nice to see them improving and the one in the worst shape actually has the best appetite and is also improving well. I am not quite so worried about their survival now.

Try bene-bac or perhaps some live yogurt cultures. Maybe the antibiotics killed the good bacteria in their stoumach. Just a tiny bit. Did the doctor give them a shot of antibiotics then instructed you to give clavamox? If so, check that dosage. Bene-bac is fine for newborns. When they have firm stool you can give them a little nutri-cal for extra nourishment. Be careful as it has oil in it and you don't want them to get diarrhea again. If their poops are looking better, just continue whatever you're doing. Thanks for taking such great care of them.

What a great thing to hear Troy!