How to help a kitten with a chest cold and prevent dehydration?

Is she is coughing and sneezing a lot, it would be best to have her evaluated by a veterinarian, as she may need some medications to help her. But to answer your question regarding why can be fed-- you can offer her canned cat food, canned tuna, cooked chicken. It may help to moisten the food with a little broth or water and warm it up to make it more aromatic. Good luck with her, thank you for asking Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

You can use a humidifier or have Ariel in the bathroom when you take a hot shower. That will help clear her up a little. Also using a warm wet cloth to wipe the discharge from her nose may improve the nasal air flow. I like to add some tuna juice to the food for increased odor if she isn't eating normally as cats often don't eat well when conjested. Be patient she will improve daily. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you get answers to your veterinary questions.

Aw poor Socks! It's pretty common to have a rescue kitten develop upper respiratory infections. I'm glad to hear he's acting normally otherwise. You can try to run a hot shower and steam up the bathroom while Socks is in the room. Sometimes this will help break up congestion. Make sure he continues to eat and drink normally. Warming some canned food up will often encourage a cat to eat more as they will eat more if they can smell the food. If Socks continues to be congested or at any point he stops eating, develops an eye issue, or becomes lethargic he should be examined by a veterinarian. It's best not to wait too long as kittens can develop pneumonia or labored breathing if the respiratory infection progresses. If necessary antibiotics can be prescribed or a supplement like lysine can be used. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Wishing Socks a speedy recovery!

Hello. If you can go one step further than the humidifier & use actual steam, that would be better. You can also perform a procedure called coupage where you gently thump the chest with your open hand to try to break up the congestion. I would also talk with your veterinarian about adding another antibiotic to the regimen, especially since doxycycline is generally avoided in kittens. Clavamox or cephalosporins are better first choices. Keep the kitten warm. Ambient temperature should be 85-95 F. Administer glucose orally by rubbing on to the gums. You can use Karo syrup or Nutrical 2-3 times daily. Your kitten may be a little dehydrated. If she is not eating well, talk to your vet about sending home some fluids that you can administer under the skin. This should help with the bowel movements, too. Stay with it & hopefully your kitten will pull through. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

If it is bacterial in nature, antibiotics may be indicated. If it is viral, supportive care and possibly antibiotics to teat or prevent secondary infections my be indicated. You can have Coco seen by your veterinarian for an exam, diagnosis and treatment, Use a warm washcloth to keep the eyes and nose clear. Make sure she continues to eat and drink to prevent dehydration.

I am so sorry to hear that the kitten is so sick. Most URIs in kittens are viral, however it is common to treat with antibiotics to help prevent secondary bacterial infections. Pneumonia is certainly possible but typically they are coughing with pneumonia. I would also be suspicious of a nasopharyngeal polyp that typically could be adding to the congestion, but doesn’t usually cause lethargy. I am glad you are going back to the veterinarian. Perhaps they can prescribe a nebulizer to help her more than steam. Also you may want to discuss using saline drops to help loosen the congestion. Best of luck and I hope she improves soon. Thank you for using Pet Coach.

Yes, pedialyte is safe to give to kittens. You can offer this 3-4 times a day. Let her drink as much as she wants and then offer her plenty of fresh clean water. Alternatively, you can mix oral rehydration salts in water as directed by the manufacturer and give this free-choice along with fresh water. Ideally, you should consult your vet if she is having problems. Doxycycline can cause damage to the esophagus and stomach, which will decrease her appetite. In these cases we usually advise to stop the doxycycline and switch the antibiotic. You can help the congestion by giving him a steam bath. There is a link below that has good information about how to do this and other helpful tips for this condition. http://www.wikihow.com/Help-Your-Cat-Breathe-Easier It's best if you can get her to a vet within the next day. While these infections are often due to a virus, they can become complicated with bacterial infections, which will make things much worse. The vet would be able to prescribe the necessary treatment to make her feel better and keep the infection from getting worse. I hope this helps and she feels better soon.