My kittens are dying fast with seizures and diarrhea. Why?

I’m so sorry for your losses. The only way to determine what the babies have died from would be to have a necropsy or postmortem exam done. I understand with foster pets this might not be financially feasible, but it may give answers and potentially help the remaining kittens. If all from the same litter they could have a congenital Disorder causing the seizures and death, or they may have been exposed to a virus while in utero or shortly after birth. Some toxins, exposure to flea control products, or medications can cause seizure and death. Diagnostic testing can be difficult with kittens this little but it may be worth discussing running a Health screen or viral panel on the remaining kittens to assess their health. Otherwise, the best thing to do is make sure they are on a good plane of nutrition, use only Anti-parasite products recommended by your veterinarian, and vaccinate as they get old enough. Thank you for taking care of these kittens, best of luck with the rest of the litter. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Tiger and John. I am sorry to hear that they are not feeling well. They will need to see a veterinarian right away. I am concerned they are affected by the same disease that took the life of their litter mate. They will be evaluated and hopefully their disease diagnosed. I am worried they are suffering from feline panleukopenia. Their veterinarian will let you know if this is the case and how best to treat them. In the meantime, try to get them to eat and drink small amounts if possible. I hope this information helps. Good luck!

Hello, several viruses such as panleukopenia and FIP can cause this. Parasitic infections such as coccidia and giardia may also cause this. Testing with a parvo test and checking a stool sample may help you rule some of these diseases out. Hope this helps and best of luck!

Thank you for submitting your question regarding your new kittens. They are having trouble using the litterbox due to the diarrhea they are experiencing. Diarrhea is usually accompanied by urgency and an increased frequency of defecation. This makes it difficult for young kittens to make it to the box in time. They will need to see their veterinarian and have fecal testing performed. From there medication can be prescribed. Once the diarrhea is resolved, I suspect they will use their box again. I hope this information helps you!

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Kittens may have diarrhea and low energy due to a number of conditions including intestinal parasites, viral infections, or a change in diet. I recommend having both kittens examined by a vet as soon as possible, as it is likely that the condition is contagious. To speed up the diagnosis, I recommend bringing a stool sample from the sick kitten in a disposable container for your vet to check for parasites. It is important to have the sick kitten evaluated as kittens can quickly become dehydrated and have low blood sugar, making them feel even worse. While it is unlikely that your son got sick from one of the kittens, it is possible. I recommend that you have him seen by a physician if you are concerned.

Hi and thanks for your post on Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It is hard to say exactly without seeing the kittens first for an exam, but I can certainly offer some insights. If they have not been vaccinated, it may be something infectious such as pankleukopenia which is viral infection. Ingesting a toxin or a parasitic infection could also be possibilities. Vomiting all night for 6 week old kittens is a very serious concern as kittens that young are very susceptible to dehydration from the vomiting and that can sometimes be fatal if not treated. My best advice is to take the kittens into your veterinarian as soon as possible for treatment and so a diagnosis can be made. Best of luck to you and I hope for a swift recovery!

I'm so sorry for your loss! Rescue work can always be heartbreaking. I worry that since the mother abandoned the kittens, she may have known they were sickly. They could have had a congenital issue or mom could've been infected with a disease that severely affected the kittens. You could take the kitten to have post-mortem performed if you would like a final diagnosis, but unfortunately, this is something that happens and we don't always get closure.