Need Help With Fragile 5-Week-Old Kitten (Hypoglycemia, Breathing Issues, Fleas)

We rescued a tiny kitten on Nov 13th. She was wet, cold, lethargic, and had dried blood around her nose. The ER gave fluids and gabapentin and told us not to feed her, but she declined and we rushed her back.

At the second ER visit they suggested euthanasia, but I asked them to check her blood sugar. she was severely hypoglycemic. After dextrose and warming, they sent her home. She has now been with us for about 15 hours since the crash.

We are doing:
Small formula feeds every 1–2 hrs
Karo syrup on gums when needed
Blood sugar checks (so far stable)
Keeping her warm
Steam bathroom sessions for breathing fits

Current concerns:
Breathing fits when waking (fast, open-mouth, “bubble” sounds)
Very hazy/glassy eyes
Slow responses and occasional small twitches
Dried blood still in nostrils
Fleas, and she’s too tiny/fragile for strong treatments

She’s about 1 lb 15 oz and estimated 5 weeks old. She settles between episodes and hasn’t crashed again, but she’s still very fragile.

I need advice on:
1. Safest flea treatment for a medically fragile 5-week-old
2. Best way to clear her tiny nose of dried blood
3. What breathing signs mean danger
4. Whether neuro symptoms are normal after severe hypoglycemia

I am a new cat owner to a 3 year old cat and she is acting strange all the sudden and very vocal. I’ve had her since September and she’s never been this restless or been this vocal.

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I just moved over 3 states, which was a financial blow. I expected to adjust to my new life, but my kitty baby (Female 2 yr old Calico Cat) at the end of July – beginning of August 2025 suddenly had major weight loss and impacted anal glands. Being experienced I relieved them successfully externally, but took her to the vet to get antibiotics and anti-inflammatories and to get to the bottom of what caused it in the first place. I had to struggle finding a vet since I moved here, and no one wants to take payments anymore… the doctor that I talked to was horribly mean to me, made sure to let me know that I was un-welcome, but that they would work with me this one time and to never expect this grace again. From the small town in Arkansas that I grew up in, we have always been able to do payments or a tab, the animal always came first… I have literal receipts and statements from other vets showing that I never miss my payments with the vet, regardless of my credit. I did not realize it then, but their goal was to give me the anti-biotics and anti-inflammatory and send me on my way. But not before they tried to express her anal glands internally in an un-necessary manner. They were not gentle about it either, as she is an extremely quiet animal whose cries and screams when upset or in pain are almost inaudible. But when they took her back there, I could hear her all the way from the other room. I noticed that stuff did not look 100% correct when we got home, but everyone kept gaslighting me and saying it was just the inflammation and it would heal and go away eventually and that I just needed to let the drugs do what they were supposed to do. She started eating again and things were looking up, until this past weekend. She suddenly quit eating and I had to encourage her to eat. I changed her diet to the science diet so she has been on that since the visit. She was losing weight so I got her some vetri-cal while I logged her BM’s and everything until I could figure out what is going on to tell someone. Her butthole did look fine, until it didn’t. I don’t have money, so I was working to try and get to where I can take her, because I know they are going to want payment for EVERYTHING up front. But tonight, when I got home from working late, she was anxious to be going to the bathroom. So, I tried my best to encourage her, but noticed that when she was trying to have a BM she was straining and the inner lining of her butthole was trying to protrude with the BM. She pooped successfully crying the entire time, and there is no protrusion at this time. everything looks normal and dark pink to light red. She has an issue with it gaping off & on. But I am shocked and taken aback and sick to my stomach because I need help and I don’t know where to take her. I can pay, but I just can’t pay all at once in this economy, what can I do? Just took these photos a few seconds ago so you could have a reference to see what it looks like right now.

Hello Dr. Magnifico,

I found your videos on YouTube recently and am grateful for the clarity and compassion with which you explain feline urinary issues. I’m hoping you might be able to offer some guidance—or possibly see my cat, Sole—for evaluation and a treatment plan.

Sole is a stray I rescued about 11 months ago, with the hope that he could become a companion for my father, who is a senior citizen and disabled. My father lives on a fixed income below the poverty line, and I’ve been subsidizing Sole’s veterinary care myself. Unfortunately, the cost of care he may need if he becomes blocked has reached a point that I simply can’t afford on my own.

About six weeks ago, Sole was diagnosed with struvite crystals via urinalysis that showed ammonium magnesium phosphate crystals (grade 2+, 6–20/HPF). He was immediately switched to a strict diet of Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Adult Urinary SO wet food, with extra water added to each meal. His CBC/Chem-21 panel was entirely normal—no biochemical evidence of kidney, liver, or systemic disease. The only abnormal finding was the presence of struvite crystals in alkaline urine, exactly as you’ve described in your educational videos.

Initially, the diet seemed to help—his urine pH normalized—but over the past 48–72 hours, his Fresh Crystals Health Monitor litter has shown his urine trending alkaline again. Finally yesterday, his urine changed back to the acidic range indicated by the Health Monitor litter.

I’m monitoring him closely and trying to develop a plan in case he does become obstructed.

I’ve contacted over a dozen veterinary hospitals and clinics in my area, but I’ve exhausted every affordable option. I’ve been quoted $3,000–$4,500 for diagnostics and catheterization, and between $6,500–$12,000 for a PU surgery with postoperative care. Unfortunately, financial aid programs here only apply if the applicant is denied CareCredit. My father, despite living below the poverty line, was approved for a $3,000 line—which paradoxically makes us ineligible for assistance.

We are scheduled for a follow-up urinalysis with our local vet in about two weeks, but their pricing is becoming increasingly difficult to manage. After seeing your work and approach to compassionate, accessible care, I wanted to reach out to ask whether you might be able to help us.

Thank you so much for your time, compassion, and all that you share to help both pets and their people.

With gratitude,
JP
and Sole 🐾

My 5 month old kitten Milo very likely has FiP. Waiting on test result but he has yellowish fluid in his belly. I am not a client yet at Jarrettsville Vet, currently using Hickory Vet. My vet seems to think treatment for FiP isn’t successful but I’m reading otherwise online. I need help finding good treatment options and a plan forward. I want to save his life if I can.

My 2 mos. old rescue kitten was born with her 2 back legs like a pretzel. We corrected the paws with a splint already. They are not in an L shape, but are straight now. The next step will be splints that go from half her paws to half way on her thighs. We are making these splints from human finger splints, and a Dr. will help put them on. Dr. will need to use gas so that kitty is asleep when she puts them on. I just need to know if any part of this plan sounds bad. The kitty is healthy otherwise; playful and growing. It will be beautiful to see her use her legs instead of walking with her front legs and seeing her crooked little legs dangle.

Edit*** i forgot to mention he is a great dane

My 3 year old (4 in nov) has been super lethargic for the past 5 days. Took him to the vet and started with bloodwork. According to the vet nothing is off. When he does wake up he eats and drinks fine and is using the bathroom. Recently the last day or so hes been pacing but goes right to sleep when i place him in bed. All of his hair is raised ONLY when hes outside. Im at a loss..financially and emotionally. Ive added pictures of his bloodwork and some videos.

My 13 year old lab/husky mix licks his paws. It started a few months ago with just a little, now it is almost all the time. I have added a daily probiotic. He has experienced negative reactions to antihistamines. His adoption folder said “No Antihistamines”. Three months ago, the vet gave him a shot which only made his sluggish for about three weeks. Suggestions? preferably with out injections or medications.

I just brought my 4 year old male cat home from a very very expensive trip to the ER. 6k expensive. He was blocked and in extreme distress and the ER I went to was down the street. They unblocked him the first night and it went well, inserting a catheter. They kept him a second night to monitor his creatine levels and the output of urine, which was high. The following day they suggested a bladder flush and I agreed to it since they saw a lot of grit in his bladder from the ultra sound. They said it went smoothly and a lot of that material came out with some blood clots. They told me not to worry about the blood clots as those wouldn’t block him. And in the third night they removed the catheter and monitored his ability to pee. Gave me a run down this morning on everything and what to look out for. I’m just worried about him reblocking. Is that something I should lose sleep over? I’m my mind I am thinking that since his bladder is flushed out, he should be good to go with a much lower risk for blocking, right? I’m be heading to the store with his prescription to buy the hills urinary wet food shortly. That’s about all I will be feeding him going forward.

And reassurance would be much appreciated as I’m just freaking out because I can’t afford more of this! 🙁

UPDATE: 31 hour update since we left the vet. He urinated on his own around 2pm on Sunday Sept 14th, the day I got him home. He has a little trouble but interestingly enough, a struvite crystal popped out of his penis! About the size of the head of a needle. I think that’s the crystal that the vet saw on the X-ray the first day he got in, near the penis. He bled in his pee right after this. He isn’t urinating a ton each time he pees, it’s about 4ml to about 6-8mls of urine each time. The blood pretty much dissipated after about the 3rd pee. After that I have him 1ml of Gabapentin. Vet told me that it is used not only to calm them but provide pain relief and allow them to accumulate pee. I was so exhausted, I think emotionally more than anything, that I laid down around 7pm. He woke me up so that he could get under the covers and go between my legs. He hasn’t done that in a long time so I really was enjoying that. I woke up around 11 so that I could give him another half dose of the gabapentin to last through the night. Again, he climbed under the covers with me and slept their through the night with me. I was surprised that I didn’t move at all throughout the night. I think subconsciously I needed him next to me like that and he knew that.

I woke up around 5:30-6am the next morning. This is when he got up and ventured over to the litterbox. His first attempt, nothing came out. And then I came to the realization that he preferred to pee on the pee pads I had laid around the room. At this point, IDC where he pees, just that he’s doing it. So the next 8-10 times, he urinated the same amount that I noted above. I did Google how much a cat’s bladder can hold and it said anywhere between 25-50 ml. And by how much he was peeing, I felt confident that he emptied his bladder this morning. I have him a decent dose of the gabapentin around 7, so now I’m just waiting for him to try to urinate again. It’s just so anxiety inducing because I’m worried about reblocking. The vet has given me direction to give the gaba starting at 10 on Sunday but he fell asleep around that time and I opted not to give it to him. When I called the vet to get some reassurance, they told me what the purpose of the gaba was, as noted above, so I have come to realize that the gaba is more than likely helping with the inflammation caused by the catheterization being in him for 2 and a half days. At this point I’m just waiting to see how he does this evening, mostly because I need to return to work tomorrow. So I’m just praying that he’ll be fine tomorrow and the next coming days. Praying….