Why is my kitten not eating and hunching after dewormer shot?

Thank you for submitting your question regarding your kitten. If he is not improving, then I recommend that he has a further work up. He should have fecal testing, blood work and x-rays of his abdomen to determine the cause of his vomiting and inappetance. Kittens can react to deworming medication, but it is typically a short lived reaction. It worries me that he is still ill. There is likely another another disease process present. In the meantime, encourage him to drink so that he does not become dehydrated. I hope this information helps!

Some loss of appetite/lethargy can be normal after a deworming, especially if there was a heavy worm load that is now dying off. You can try to entice eating by offering some plain boiled chicken or wet food warmed up as cat's appetites are driven by smell. However, if it's been several days and Layla still isn't back to normal, isn't eating or drinking at all, or is very lethargic, it is best to let your vet know to make sure there isn't another underlying issue that needs to be addressed.

Poor Frodo! Some cats do vomit during deworming due to the strength of the medication combined with the parasites moving through the GI system. These side effects should only last a few days, so if it's been longer than that, I would be concerned that it could be due to something else, such as a GI illness, a foreign body, or pancreatitis. I recommend withholding food for 12 hours, then feeding a bland diet of boiled white meat chicken (no bones) in small amounts several times a day for a couple of days. Then slowly add back in his normal diet. If the vomiting continues in the absence of food, he vomits the bland diet, develops diarrhea, stops drinking water, starts vomiting water, or becomes very lethargic, he will need to see a vet right away.

It could be due to the death of the worms in Remy's system, as this can lead him to feel nauseous and thus decrease his eating. Try tempting him to eat by adding some boiled white meat chicken (no bones or skin) or tuna in spring water to his food. His appetite should return to normal over the next couple of days. I hope this helps!

Hi and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Sorry to hear about Laila. I would advise taking her to your vet immediately if she won't eat. She may be running a fever, have some pain/discomfort, etc. Your vet can take a detailed history, perform an examination, and recommend a diagnostic/treatment plan. Once a diagnosis is made a sound treatment plan can be implemented. You can try cyproheptadine if you have it but I'm concerned she may be running a fever from a viral infection, not sure how much the cypro will help. The normal dose is 2 mg every 12 hours in cats. Good luck

He needs to be seen by a veterinarian for a wellness exam. He may not be able to poop and may be constipated, or he had so many worms that all the dead worms are making him ill. Keep him warm, entice him to drink water, and should he deteriorate he needs to be seen at a petER tonight.

What a cute kitten! Offering a meat flavored baby food may help entice him to eat. Warming his food may also allow him to smell it better which will help his appetite. Offer him small meals several times a day as his stomach is too small to eat a lot at one time at this age. Definitely have him rechecked by your veterinarian if he's not eating by tomorrow. I hope he's feeling better soon.