Well hydrated kittens have dark pink gums. Very light pink, white, or grayish gums means one of two things – either the kitten has excessive worms or they are dehydrated. You can also pinch their skin to test hydration. Pinch the skin on your forearm and it immediately goes back into place meaning YOU are NOT dehydrated. Pinch the kitties skin, if it goes back into place immediately, this indicates they are hydrated. If their skin sticks and takes a second or two to go back into place, they are dehydrated. When checking kitty hydration, we use both the gum and pinch the skin method for added assurance.

Hydration is important. You can lose a distemper kitten to dehydration or secondary infection, PRIOR to losing them of distemper. This is why distemper kitties are put on IV’s at the vet office, to prevent dehydration. Dehydration causes the organs to work harder and the body can shut down quickly, resulting in death.

There are 5 hydration methods that I have heard about. They are: IV’s (Intravenous fluids); Subcue fluids injected under the skin; Oral fluids; Enema fluids; and placing the dehydrated being in body temp water. This last mentioned method is not something I would recommend with kittens.

IV’s and Subcue fluids are hydration methods that a vet or a person trained in these methods can do easily. We recommend IV’s or oral/enema dosing, as we are hearing that Sub Q fluids are not releasing fluids back into the system fast enough, when a kitten is continuing to vomit or have diarrhea, so they can still dehydrate. Personally, we have always used the oral and enema methods to keep distemper kitties hydrated. If a distemper kitty continues to vomit oral fluids, we generally use the enema method to help get them hydrated again, until they can keep fluids down orally. Using the Feline Distemper remedy and Pedialyte, per the Feline Distemper remedy insert instructions we have found enema fluids are completely retained in kitties who are dehydrated.

It is recommended to use an antibiotic in conjunction with Kitty-DT, to prevent secondary infection. Distemper can eat through arteries, therefore, it can create secondary infections. As noted above, a distemper kitten can die of dehydration OR secondary infection PRIOR to dying of distemper, so a good antibiotic is very important.

When dealing with distemper, any antibiotic should do, though our preference has always been to use Colloidal Silver (EIS) or a natural herbal antibiotic such as Vibactra Plus. Both EIS and herbal antibiotics are known to kill viruses, bacteria, and fungi unlike traditional antibiotics which are only known to kill bacteria and fungi. Plus, of course, being holistic minded, we always choose the holistic remedies, because we have found them to be far more effective than traditional ones. If you do not have a natural antibiotic though, use a traditional one. Just make sure you are dosing the distemper kitten with an antibiotic as directed to prevent secondary infection.

Please note, we highly recommend using Vibactra Plus or Colloidal Silver in conjunction with Kitty-DT remedies” when treating distemper. #1 because Vibactra Plus and Colloidal Silver are known to kill viruses, which NO traditional antibiotic can do and #2 because too frequently, kitties are being diagnosed with distemper when they either don’t have it or they have BOTH distemper and coccidia. Vibactra Plus or Colloidal Silver kill microscopic single celled organisms/parasites, such as coccidia protozoan (they do not kill “worms” like roundworms, tapeworms, etc.). Instances where a kitty is treated for “distemper” and their kitten really had “coccidia”, kitties die, whether treated on vet IV’s or at home. Therefore, using Vibactra Plus or Colloidal Silver helps heal kittens or cats whether they have distemper or coccidia.

When a distemper kitten starts to feel better, it is best NOT to give them kibble. Their tummies are raw and kibble would be too hard to digest. When they are ready to start eating, we usually make up an “appetizer” plate. Giving the recovering kitten a choice of things to eat such as a little plain yogurt, scrambled eggs, small amounts of raw or cooked liver (excessive amounts of liver can cause diarrhea due to the vitamin A content, so don’t feed too much – liver is also excellent to combat anemia), cooked chicken and rice, raw or cooked hamburger, low fat cottage cheese, Imutek Colostrum, raw goats milk, etc. As they start eating, it is best to give them numerous small meals throughout the day to help them recuperate more quickly and prevent overloading their tummies with bigger feedings. You could also give them baby food meats.

We have ALWAYS given raw or cooked liver (we make liver treats by boiling raw liver for a few minutes until it is cooked enough to cut, then cut the liver into bite sized chunks and put on a baking sheet in the oven at a low temp till dry – these will keep in the frig for 2 weeks), Imutek Colostrum, along with raw soft foods.

Do NOT force feed a kitten solid food, as this can make them regress.

IF your kitten hasn’t eaten for 3-4 days, we usually syringe a small amount of raw egg, colostrum, or yogurt into them. We personally have found Imutek Colostrum excellent for soothing distemper kitten digestive tracts and to help boost their immune systems. They don’t need as much as their normal hourly dose of Kitty-DT remedy and Pedialyte, but just enough to give them some protein. These things are easily digested.

The information on this web site is not intended as a substitute for the advice of a physician or veterinarian. This information is not intended as a substitute for the reader’s independent judgment and personal responsibility. Health issues are far too important to delegate to anyone else. It is highly recommended you research and seek information and counsel from as wide a variety of sources as possible, so you can make well informed educated decisions about you, your child’s, or your pet’s health, as in the end YOU make the decisions.