Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I've only had my new kitten for 2 days now. My friend found her laying underneath his truck at an apartment building so I took her in. So the problem is she keeps dry heaving like she's going to puke but never does. And it also sounds like she's kinda weezing at the same time. This has happened to my friend and is continuing to happen with me, and it doesn't matter if the kitten had just eaten or is sleeping, the dry heaving/weezing happens anytime. Help?
Any kitten that you take in should be seen by a vet right away, because the kitty may have parasites, worms, fleas, etc. Most vets will give a new kitten a free first exam. They will also give you medication to deworm and recommend the proper shots for the kitten's age. Most kitties do have worms.
Sometimes the dry heaving and wheezing can be caused by a hairball, but please do not take this for granted. It could well be something else.
I agree to take the kitten in to the vet, the sooner the better. Sadly, kittens can go downhill quickly. It could easily be something like other posters mentioned--parasites or worms. Bring a stool sample to the vets if possible so they can check it for parasites.
I seriously doubt there are many vets giving kittens FREE first exams.
All vets around here give kittens/puppies free first exams. When I lived in the Twin Cities they did also. Here are some others as examples. Just Google "Veterinarians Free First Exams". You will find loads of them...or just call a vet's office and ask. I'm not claiming that they will do free lab work, but they will do wellness exams free. They are happy to do it in hopes of gaining you as a permanent patient.
We therefore offer free wellness exams for the little ones. You received your puppy or kitten from the Humane Society/Animal Care Society or Shamrock and ...
In fact, we think your pet's early health is so crucial, we offer a free puppy/kitten wellness exam uniquely designed to highlight all of the important parts of your ...
By all means, rush the kitten to a vet as everyone else has mentioned. I wouldn't hesitate to use an animal emergency clinic in this case. "Better safe than sorry" is the operative cliche here. Just be aware of a few things beforehand:
1) In my experience, every veterinary practice expects payment - usually in full - at the time of service. A few may differ in that respect, such as those in the two randomly selected small cities up-thread, but that's far from the norm. And what happens if you do find a "free exam" clinic but they can't see a new patient for a month and a half? My point is that adopting a pet means assuming associated expenses. Do you have the financial resources if the kitten has an illness that's survivable but entails costly treatments and medications?
2) No mention has been made of the age of this kitten. If she is much younger than eight weeks, separation from the mother happened too soon. It's essential that she be fed "mother's milk substitute" which can be found at pet supply stores. Not that anything is quite as good as the real thing (for nutritional as well as immune-system reasons) but it's better than cow's milk or nothing. One of the many things causing the symptoms described could be premature weaning. The cat's system simply isn't ready to handle "grown-up" foods.
3) This has been brought up already, but not in the same words: There's no such thing as something for nothing. A "free exam" is typically free only when the vet has looked in the cat's mouth and done a check-up by external touch. Vaccinations, lab work, and spaying will all carry price tags. See also Point 1.
If it's realistically not feasible to bring the kitten into your life for as long as she lives (at least under current circumstances) cut your losses early. Relinquish her to a no-kill shelter or someone you trust. This many sound "mean," but it's the kinder and better thing for the cat.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Kitten Dry Heaving
