Is my 6-week kitten's diarrhea, bloated stomach, and red butt serious?

Small specks of red blood during a bout of diarrhea is not unusual as the delicate lining of the back passage can become damaged from straining. As long as he is bright and alert, eating and drinking it would be ok to leave him but if any lethargy, weakness or vomiting occurs he should be seen urgently by your vet. Be sure he is up to date with deworming medication as intestinal worms are a common cause of diarrhea in young kittens

It can take a few days for the stool to get back to normal after having diarrhea. If you haven't yet, I would have your kitten examined by a vet for intestinal parasites, such as worms, Giardia, or coccidia, that can cause a persistently bloated appearance. If a kitten eats a lot, they will appear bloated, but it goes down over time until the next meal. If she is on wet food, and especially if you are adding water, then you may not see her drinking any water by itself. Wet food has a high water content, and she may be getting everything she needs from her food. If she is eating normally, then I would not be concerned about her water intake. Just make sure she has easy access to fresh, clean water.

My biggest immediate concern would be for intestinal parasites. Most kittens have them, and if she hasn't seen a vet yet and been dewormed, she needs to. She's suffering pretty significant fluid losses for a tiny creature. Make an appointment tomorrow, and bring a stool sample with you, so that the type of parasite can be determined and appropriate treatment started.

It is possible Coco has intestinal parasites. You would need to submit a stool sample to your veterinarian for confirmation. A physical exam would be recommended to rule out other causes. If intestinal parasites are diagnosed, your veterinarian can dispense or administer the appropriate dewormer. It may need to be repeated in 2, 4 and 6 weeks. He should be eating a quality kitten food. Fish alone is not a balanced diet for a growing kitten. Discontinue the milk as well since it may cause stomach upset.

Hi there and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. There are many causes to diarrhea with a red perhaps inflamed anus. Parasites could be the cause or a bacterial or viral infection. I would take your kitten to your veterinarian soon for a fecal test where they will test his stool for parasites and bacteria and/or certain viruses that could be causing the diarrhea. They may Rx a medication to your kitten depending on what the veterinarian discovers on the fecal test. Best of luck! I hope this has helped.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Diarrhea can be observed with conditions such as colitis, gastroenteritis, dietary indiscretion, intestinal parasites, among many other possibilities. I recommend that you have him evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. They may choose to check for parasites and to start medications for diarrhea depending on the results. Good luck! Hoping for a speedy recovery!

I strongly recommend an urgent vet check and fecal exam - profuse diarrhea and inappetance is very serious in such a young kitten and could rapidly lead to severe dehydration and debilitation. Offer only bland feeds of boiled chicken, fish or egg in the meantime, with an added probiotic such as fortiflora