If you pour yourself out for the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then shall your light rise in the darkness and your gloom be as the noonday.

~ Isaiah 58:10 ESV

Neonatal Support Program

Preface

PAWS needs you! The KITTENS need you!

YOU can make the difference!

Life-Saving Goal: 250 Kittens

Traits needed to become a neonatal foster:

commitment, dedication, reliability, motivation, passion, loyalty

Program Synopsis

• 5-7 Team Members will be attached to 1 Team Leader

• Kittens come in from ACC:

• Initial Physical

• Care Plan will be established

• Matched up with a Team by the Team Leader

• “The Library System” - Pick up at 4-6PM. Drop off 3-5PM At PAWS

• PAWS will provide supplies and are expected to be exclusively used.

• When the kittens become 6 weeks of age, PAWS will process the kittens for adoption

Team Members

*Dedication, Reliability, Dependability Motivated Loyalty Passionate

*Team player

*Caring

*Follow directions

Team Leader*PLUS…

*Team spokesperson for their litter

*Coordinator

*Team scheduler

*Assure kittens are picked up EVERYDAY!

*Emergency Contact

*Roles and Responsibilities

RECOMMENDATIONS: *Exchange contact info * Communicate Everyday!!!- changing situation

*The Library System

*The Check-out Process

*Pick up at 4-6PM Drop off 3-5 PM Next Day At PAWS

*Pick up in Volunteer office

*Go through checklist (notebook)*Check your kittens

*Log weight

*supply bag Re-stocked

*Off you go…

*Supplies- Baby Bag

*Carrier/ Cover blanket/Heating pad

*Notebook:

*Take home list

*Calendar

* Age/Development Goals

*Kitten Development Log

*Weight/Eating/Elimination

* KMR/RC Baby Cat- canned/dry

* 3 Bottles/Syringe feeding

* Karo Syrup

*Q-tips

*Towels/Absorption pads

*Thermometer

*+/- litter pan-Cat litter

*Cleaning and Disinfection

* Very important!!!

Disease Transmission

* Bottle care

* Rinse in Hot running water after every use

* Kitten care

* Clean mouth/front paws/ elimination

* Rinse (no soap) ONLY if you can 100% dry (blow dry)

* Housing care- Carrier

* frequent changes of absorption pads – cut the soiled out?

* Wash hands between before and after handling

* Use good sanitation practices

* No Harsh Chemicals-

* Use Dish Detergent and Water

* Avoid Mixing Litters/Pets

* A Tiny Head’s - Necessities

*WARMTH- Housing

*0-2 weeks ~96-99 F

*2-4 weeks ~ 98-100 F

*4-6 weeks ~100-101 F

*SUGAR- Nutrition

*Sleep

*Elimination

Click icon to add picture*Carrier covered with a blanket in

a Quiet non-drafty area.

*Heating pad (w/o auto shut-off) LOW

Secured under towels

Absorbance pads top layer

½ the Den (Cool side/Warm side)

Temperature control

86-90 F first week

80-85 F second-third week

74-79 F fourth week

*MAKE IT EASY!!!= Isolation is THE SECRET!!

*Hypothermia = WARMTH!

*Housing 101

Do’s

*Supplement with hair dryer after bath

*Bean bag microwave warmers (rice socks) during return phase

*Keep Carrier COVERED

*Store in a warm room of the house

*Take Temp as often as needed!! (Lube)

Do NOT

*Attempt to warm them with your body heat

*Heat

*Feeding

*Mixing KMR

*Mix 1 Part(tablespoon) to 2 parts H20

*Mix up in closeable container

*Shake well

*Pour into bottle

*No need to blend

*Heat bottle under running hot tap water

*Mixed enough for your 24 hours

*Refrigerate excess for next feeding

*Do Not Give other “milks” including

* Cow’s milk!

*Other Kitten Milk Replacers

*KMR

Age In Weeks

Average Weight

mL of KMR per Day

Feedings per Day

1 4 Oz (112g) 32 6

2 7 Oz (196g) 56 4

3 10 Oz (280g) 80 3

4 13 Oz 104 3

5 1 lbs 128 3

Stomach Capacity in Neonates ( 4ml/100g)

Weigh daily @ Newborn ~2-3.5 ouncesDaily weight gain

0-2 weeks ~0.35 ounce/day2-4 weeks ~0.5 ounce/day

1teaspoon= 5mLs 1tablespoon= 15mLs

1ounce= 28 grams

Stomach Capacity per Feeding

4 mLs

8 mLs

11.2 mLs

14.5 mLs

18 mLs

YOUR TARGET

*Bottle Feeding Techniques

*Warm milk – Hot Running Water/Microwave

*Wash your hands- Create a “Nest”

*Open mouth with tip of finger- slip nipple in

*Hold kitten vertical/slightly sternal with head between thumb and index finger

*Very lightly squeeze to allow the kitten to “taste” the milk.

*Eventually kitten will latch on, continue with light pressure on the bottle to help suckle reflex.

*Will stop when full – “Pear-shaped”

*Burp the baby

Do*Rubbing forehead or

stroking back to mimic mom’s stimulation

*Try changing nipple sizes

*Try rewarming bottle

*Give 2nd and 3rd chances

Do NOT*Feed kitten “like a baby”

*Force feed-Pressure wash kitten

*Rely on Syringe feeding. =starvation + aspiration

*Feeding Tips

*Gruel Babies

*4.5-5 weeks(1 month old)*Biting/chewing the nipple- extreme milk

consumption

*½ teaspoon RC canned + ½ formulated KMR per kitten in a shallow bowl

*Offer syringe tasting before milk

*To start – at feedings

*Offer warm gruel 3-5 min before bottle.

*Offer shallow litter pan in carrier

*Offer dry kibble in carrier

*Allow for exploration.

*Eventually offer only kibble.

Do*Be Patient!!!

*RC + KMR in applesauce form

*Entice with syringe tasting; Offer when kittens are hungry.

*Warm gruel in microwave stir with your finger.

Do NOT

*Maintain kittens on Baby Food(chicken or turkey ONLY no additives)

*Use canned kitten food other than PAWS supplied food =Diarrhea

*Leave Gruel out

*Making a Gruel

*Elimination

*1-4 weeks*Needs to be done till eating solid food

*Rub anal/genital area with warm cotton ball/Q-tip in a back and forth motion

*Rub till results

*Defecation once a day/ Urination every time

* Take note of Frequency/Quality and report any abnormalities

*Medical Guide

*Any Medical condition should be brought to the attention *1st TREAT THE KITTEN >Fading Kitten Syndrome Protocol* Get Temperature- Warming Procedure

* Raise Blood Glucose- Karo Syrup (Every 2 Hrs)

* Call Team leader

* Alert PAWS Staff Next day.

*Maintain Fading Kitten Syndrome Protocol WATCH CLOSELY- not an emergency

AtaxiaLoss of AppetiteHeavy Abdominal Breathing/ PantingDiarrheaCoughing; Wheezing or SneezingLack of Urination or Defecation–

in 24 Hours

Notify Clinic/Team Members Next Day

URGENT issues: Profuse Bleeding= Not Good

Extreme Lethargy/Depression MentationSudden Unconsciousness; Breathing heavily, gasping, breath interval is low Head slumped in food/water bowl and can’t wake up: Vocalization; Circling Staggering; Body is completely limp and non-responsive:

FADING KITTEN SYNDROME PROTOCOL

*Troubleshooting

*Aspiration

*FKS

*URI

*Ringworm

*Kitten Diarrhea

*Other Stuff*Hypoglycemia

*Hypothermia

*Diaper Rash

*Prepucial Nursing

*Aspiration

* Formula in the Lungs*Forcing Syringe Feedings

*Squeezing Nursing Milk Bottle

Firmly Pat kitten’s back until you hear a cough

If no coughing, turn baby upside down (tail over head) and shake

GENTLY, then pat back againNotify Clinic/Team Members

*Fading Kitten Syndrome

*Viral, Bacterial, Dehydration, Hypoglycemia, Hypothermia

*Clinical Signs

*Sudden obtunded

*Vomit/spit-up

*Found unconscious

*Vocalization

*Ataxia/Falling over

*“This kitten doesn’t look right?” Fading Kitten Syndrome Protocol

*Fading Kitten Syndrome

*Treatment

*HEAT, SUGAR, FLUIDS

*Wrap kitten in heating source/pad, protected with a blanket, like a burrito

*Take Temp every 1hr

*Karo syrup on the gums/under tongue every hour

*Call team Leader for support

*Notify Clinic/Team Members

*URI

Clinical signs:Ophthalmic

Sinus Congestion

Oral Ulceration

Calici/Herpes.Ect

Treatment:

Notify Clinic/Team MembersWipe eyes with warm cotton ball.

Opht ointment/Oral Abx

Viral Characteristics:

Persist in the EnvironmentLive on hands/clothes

Vaccination

*Ringworm

*Dermatophytosis

ZoonoticRound Dry Scaly Hairless lesionsExtremely Pruritic

Viral Characteristics:

Extremely persistent in the environment. Fomites

Treatment:

Notify Clinic /Team MembersOral Anti-fungalBetadine 10% spot treatment

*Kitten Diarrhea

Zoonotic; Salmonella, E.Coli

Dehydration

Diaper Rash

Electrolyte Imbalance

Sepsis/Hypoglycemia

Disruption of Digestive Microflora Viral, Bacteria Disease Characteristics:

Source of Secondary Infection Sepsis

Treatment:

Notify Clinic/Team MembersPossible SQ FluidsDigestive Enzymes+/- Oral Abx

*Other Stuff

*Hypothermia

*Hypoglycemia

*Diaper Rash

*Notify Clinic/Team Members

*Desitin

*Umbilical/Prepucial Nursing

*Notify Clinic/Team Members

*Generally Harmless

*Check frequently for tissue damage

*YouTube

*Instructional Videos- Watch Later

* Youtube Video on how to feed and care for bottle babies:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lifzi3oOVo4&feature=relmfu

* Youtube video on how to feed and care for gruel babies:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nFNcs3mCCUQ