My sick 3-week kitten isn't improving. Is her doxy safe to use?

This is a great question. Doxycycline falls into the category of antibiotics called tetracyclines. Other tetracyclines- namely oxytetracycline- are shown to disturb bone and teeth developement in fetal skeletons or in young growing animals. Doxycycline is MUCH less likely to do this than other tetracyclines. Even so, the formulary recommends considering the risks and benefits before prescribing. Though I don’t routinely give this to kittens (I prefer clavamox) I do often give it to puppies. I have not yet seen or heard of a case of abnormal bone developement with doxycycline in kittens or puppies - but it could theoretically happen. In my opinion, doxycycline is a great drug for upper respiratory infections in cats- especially in a shelter situation which may not have the labor, funding, or storage abilities of my suburban clinic. I also feel that - especially in a shelter situation - the benefits far outweigh the risks. I am far more worried about a kitten in a shelter dying from complications from a URI than I am about the minuscule chance of affecting bone development. Of course, if your shelter had plenty of liquid clavamox and people to administer it, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to switch the young ones to something like that. Hope this helped clarify some things! Thank you for all you do!

Doxycycline can cause nausea and affect appetite. You may want to ask whether you can stop the Doxy and either not replace it or replace it with another antibiotic if needed. It is really important that your kitty drinks her kitten milk otherwise she will not survive due to dehydration. The other problem is if she is so congested that she cannot smell her food that will not eat. I can only suggest that you keep her warm and massaged, speak cat to her if you can (no this is no joke, try purring like a cat mama does) and often try to offer warm kitten milk. I hope she will start eating for you again.

This may be a virus and not a bacterial infection. If that's the case antibiotics will not help and the virus needs to run its course which can take up to two weeks. As long as she isn't getting worse, running a fever and is eating I would keep monitoring her. If at any time she does get worse or isn't getting any better after 7-10 days, I would call your veterinarian. Let her rest unless she wants to play. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Yes, pedialyte is safe to give to kittens. You can offer this 3-4 times a day. Let her drink as much as she wants and then offer her plenty of fresh clean water. Alternatively, you can mix oral rehydration salts in water as directed by the manufacturer and give this free-choice along with fresh water. Ideally, you should consult your vet if she is having problems. Doxycycline can cause damage to the esophagus and stomach, which will decrease her appetite. In these cases we usually advise to stop the doxycycline and switch the antibiotic. You can help the congestion by giving him a steam bath. There is a link below that has good information about how to do this and other helpful tips for this condition. http://www.wikihow.com/Help-Your-Cat-Breathe-Easier It's best if you can get her to a vet within the next day. While these infections are often due to a virus, they can become complicated with bacterial infections, which will make things much worse. The vet would be able to prescribe the necessary treatment to make her feel better and keep the infection from getting worse. I hope this helps and she feels better soon.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I’m so sorry to hear about Misty. If the medication had caused the vomiting, I would have expected it to cause vomiting days ago when you started it. That leads me to believe it is less likely related to the medication and more likely related to something else. That being said, double check that you are giving the correct amount and do shake the bottle well each time you give it. Just like in people, there are dozens of reasons vomiting occurs including: infection, dietary indiscretion (eating that piece of plant or human food, or dead mouse), GI foreign body (eating that hair band which is now causing problems), toxin, non specific nausea, diet change or new treat, and the list goes on. If it was just the three times in a row, I would just withhold food and water for 2 hours, then reinteoduce water. If she holds that down well, offer a small bit of food 8-12 hours after the last episode of vomiting. Don’t repeat tonight’s dose of medication. I am concerned in the back of my mind that something else is going on since her appetite had started decreasing. Is it related to the disease we are treating with the doxycycline or some other problem? Certainly if the vomiting continues or she is not ready to eat in the next 24 hours, or you see any new signs, please head to your vet or an emergency vet for re-valuation. Best wishes to you and Misty!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Doxycycline is not a good antibiotic for a UTI. If you are worried about a UTI in Jewel it is best to take her to a vet so they can look at the urine under the microscope and determine which antibiotic would be best and safest for her. If she doesn’t have bacteria in her urine, an antibiotic will not help her. Good luck and kisses to Jewel!

Hello. If you can go one step further than the humidifier & use actual steam, that would be better. You can also perform a procedure called coupage where you gently thump the chest with your open hand to try to break up the congestion. I would also talk with your veterinarian about adding another antibiotic to the regimen, especially since doxycycline is generally avoided in kittens. Clavamox or cephalosporins are better first choices. Keep the kitten warm. Ambient temperature should be 85-95 F. Administer glucose orally by rubbing on to the gums. You can use Karo syrup or Nutrical 2-3 times daily. Your kitten may be a little dehydrated. If she is not eating well, talk to your vet about sending home some fluids that you can administer under the skin. This should help with the bowel movements, too. Stay with it & hopefully your kitten will pull through. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.