My newborn kitten is bleeding and paralyzed, what should I do?

Oh dear poor Silvia! From the picture, I can see the open wound down her back. If that was present at the time of birth, my best guess is that this is a congenital defect that she was born with. If she is truly paralyzed, she may also have difficulty urinating or defecating. Regardless, you really do need to take Sylvia to the vet for a physical exam. Veterinarians cannot euthanize a pet without your permission. That said, in some cases, euthanasia is the best option to prevent any suffering, particularly if there is a poor quality of life. At the time of Sylvia‘s exam, her vet will be able to discuss any possible treatment options, diagnostic testing, and her quality of life with you. From there, you and the vet will be able to discuss the best option for Sylvia. I hope that all goes well.

This is an emergency. You need to take your kitten to a pet ER right away. Small kittens can die very quickly from injuries but they can also recuperate very quickly if treated properly. It is important to find where the blood comes from and how serious the injury is. The fact that the neck is hurting is especially concerning. Please take your kitten to an emergency veterinarian now.

Ideally, the kitten should be physically examined by a veterinarian to diagnose any other injuries. If it is a minor bleed, it should stop with some gentle pressure. If there is internal injury, that can be addressed by the veterinarian after the exam. Monitor for lethargy, ataxia (wobbly gait), difficulty breathing, pale gums, uneven pupils or bleeding from the ears or anywhere else.

Poor Bubblu! It's very concerning that she was bleeding from the nose and mouth and seemed unresponsive at first - so I would be worried that she may have some serious internal injuries, even if she seems okay right now. I'm afraid there is no way that you can determine this at home, so she really does need to see a vet right away. If you call your regular vet's office, their voicemail or answering service should have information about where the nearest emergency clinic is, or contact information for an on-call veterinarian who can see your kitten tonight.

There is not much you can do medically. Please keep him with the mother to stay warm and see if he is able to nurse. Kittens that get cold and don't nurse get weak quickly and can die. If he's nursing and warm he could recover if the injury isn't severe. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to care for your kitten Ollie.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding your kitten. If possible, you need to seek emergency veterinary care. The injuries need to be investigated. He will likely need antibiotics, pain medication and food or sugar to support his blood sugar. In the meantime, you can rub syrup in the gums if the kitten has not eaten recently. I hope this information helps.

Unfortunately that is impossible to know and I hate to hear this is happening. As you likely realize, young children should never be unsupervised around pets because they could hurt them by accident. I recommend to always keep them separated when not supervised. Also, make sure to have the mother spayed and that all the pets are up to date and regularly tested for parasites because people can get parasites from pets. I hope this helps.