How important is taking my new HEALTHY kitten to the vet?

[Angel13]

This is a sad story...happened at work today, and really has bugged me all night.......

First thing this morning a girl walked in with a little 8 week old kitten that wasn't moving or responding in any way. Crying, she handed over the little guy and asked if he was dead. We quickly took him to the back and checked all his vitals. He wasn't breathing but did have a faint heartbeat. His temperature was only about 95 degrees (normal temp for kittens is around 101). While the doctors worked on the kitten, I went back to the front to find out what had happend..."Nothing" she responded..."he was fine last night, playing normally, and then this morning, he was like that" I asked if there was any way he could have gotten into something and she said "no", he had been in the room with her all night with the door shut. Finally I asked if the kitten had been checked by a vet and when she actually aquired him. She said she had him for 2 weeks, and had not taken him to the vet yet....until now. I asked her if he had been eating normally, and she said that he was eating some, but not much and figured it was normal because he was so small, she didnt think he would eat that much.

After warming the kitty up, and giving him a small blood transfusion, he began to respond very little. Was breathing better, but still not moving much at all. There was nothing else we could do. We took a stool sample from him and found that he was LOADED with whipworms and roundworms. We also found that he had a few fleas. There were no obvious signs of infection, virus or injury.

A kitten or cat will "act" normal even if it's sick. Cats do not show obvious signs of being ill until they are extremely ill. This little kitty died of something that could have been avoided if it had been to the vet just 2 weeks prior. Intestinal parasites and fleas are deadly to kittens Yes, fleas....when you consider that this kitten was a mear 2 pounds with extreme amounts of worms eating away at everything it ate, and just a few fleas taking some of what little bit of blood a 2 pound kitten has...yes its deadly. The kitten died later today.

PLEASE take your new kittens to the vet for that first check up, dont put it off! This little kitten was obtained for a 5 year old little girl as her first pet.....really sad that she had to experience a first pet dying at the age of 5...especially when it could have been prevented.

[Crittercall]

Angel, the fleas apply not only to kittens and to puppies. I had an 80 pound dog that bit down the side of my head even though he was so anemic from the fleas that he was as white as could be. So many people don't seem to realize that a flea feeds on the blood of an animal - and the animal will die if there fleas infestation is that bad.

I agree 100% - be proud to take your new baby and show him/her off at the vet clinic!!

[Jade]

Been there, seen that. Thanks for sharing, Angela. My heart goes out to that little girl.

[Jodi]

Bless her heart - that poor little girl. I feel terrible for her!

[Deja]

oh sheeesh, that's tragic

[capnsweets]

My friend Resa's cat had kittens this summer, this is when things were "not right" between us. Instead of calling me and saying anyhting she lost all of the kittens to fleas, by the time she took them to the vet it was too late. My heart went out to her and then my anger rose. She knows about me coming here and knew I could have helped her but pride blocked her vision. I bawled for kittens I had never even seen

[Pigsterz]

So sad. I wish people would get educated before taking on any new pet. And I wish people would realize how important it is to get a new pet checked out by a vet, regardless of how "healthy" it appears to be.

[yayi]

Why can't people realize that going to the vet for a simple checkup is not only good for the pet but also for the peace of mind and well being of the owner? Sheesh!

[kittygurl823]

Thats is SO sad! If only they had brought that kitten in when they got it!