Can kitten spinal deformity cause incontinence, pain, and suffering?

Hello, what a sad little kitten. I hope the veterinarian is trying to help Allister with his diarrhea & limb deformity. He may need to be dewormed & placed on an antibiotic. The veterinarian should take x rays of those front legs to see if any bones have been broken or crushed, otherwise, very simple splints can be made to gently straighten out the front legs until the ligaments can heal. If this is not done soon, the kitten may be left with a permanent deformity. I think Allister is very stressed right now, hence the crying. He may be quite uncomfortable, but there are no medications that you can give at home to help. Please contact your veterinarian soon. thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. There is definitely a possibility of congenital defect. He could be the runt of the litter, he could have dwarfism, or he could just have an abnormal skeleton. The runt of the litter or a "depressed", poor doing kitten often has an underlying reason for being that way. Is there a liver shunt? Heart defect? Brain abnormality? If you want to know for sure, you'd need to see a vet who may be able to tell some based on the physical exam but who may also recommend bloodwork and/or x-rays. Pain assessment is difficult to begin with in cats but I certainly could not tell you if he were in pain without an exam. My gut says he is likely not painful because he is eating and resting comfortably - but again, no way to know for sure without an exam. Long story short, get a vet involved soon to help weigh in on what might be going on. For now, keep doing what you're doing: feed him plenty, love on him lots, treat him gently, and keep watching. Best of luck to you and the kitten!

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! If Co is constipated you should contact your vet for stool softeners. Medications can constipate. He may just not be able to figure out how to posture to urinate and defecate due to the hip dislocation. I would take him to the litter box often and support him. Hopefully that is all it is. Also be sure he isn't painful he should be on pain medications for his hip. I hope this helps!

Hi there and thank you for posting this question. If he does have a cervical (neck ) deformity, then he may well likely have other vertebral deformities as well. If he walk abnormally I would encourage the rescue group to have their veterinarian examine him And take some spinal radiographs. Best of luck and I hope you get some helpful information from the x-rays. Thank you for using Pet Coach.

Poor kitten! Trouble with defecation and walking usually means there is a problem with the anatomy of the hind end (birth defect), a neurologic problem, or an injury to the nerves and muscles of that area. There are no over-the-counter pain medications that are safe to give a kitten. It is difficult to give advise for comforting him without knowing the cause of the problem. Allow him to be in the position that is most comfortable for him until you can take him to the vet. I hope he feels better soon!

Sounds like she may have sustained damage to the nerves that go to the rectum and therefore, she can't hold her bowels. This is called fecal incontinence. I cannot tell you what the cost of treatment would be because I don't really know what is going on with her without examining her myself. Depending on what your vet finds on the exam they may want to x-ray her pelvis/hind legs/lower spine area to see if there is any fractures or dislocations. Sometimes the animal appears to be walking normally but there is still something wrong underlying. The way she is sitting in that one photo makes me think there is something wrong in the hind end area.... I would guess you are looking at $150-$200 minimum. I cannot diagnose over the internet nor do I have any idea what vets charge for services in your area so you will just have to get the examination done first and go from there with your vet. Hope this helps. Best wishes!

If your foster kitten has some abnormality (such as dwarfism) that is affecting his bones, it can also affect the spine, so it can cause problems with normal defecation. I would recommend having a veterinarian perform an examination (including a neurological examination) to determine if there are any abnormalities. If the foster kitten has fecal incontinence because of a neurological condition, then he may be a special needs adoption. Good luck! I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.