5 week old kitten swallowed a rubber teat

RE: 5 week old kitten swallowed a rubber teat

David Mills — Fri, 01 Jun 2018 22:21:39 GMT

The issue with apomorphine is its mechanism on dopamine receptors. They are a minor part of the cat vomiting centre. Same reason why metoclop is a crap anti emetic in cats.

This is an interesting blog

http://vetemccsmalltalk.blogspot.com/2014/07/inducing-emesis-in-cats-whats-to-be-done.html?m=1

RE: 5 week old kitten swallowed a rubber teat

Sarah Keir — Fri, 01 Jun 2018 21:30:35 GMT

Feed a meal first then give a tiney dose of any alpha-2 e.g. medetomidine.

RE: 5 week old kitten swallowed a rubber teat

Edward Jones — Fri, 01 Jun 2018 10:28:49 GMT

Thank you Beats, clearly I was making assumptions! Although interestingly wikipedia says that naloxone can be an antidote for the respiratory depression effects.

I'm going to wait and see for the time being.

An animal who undergoes severe respiratory depression due to apomorphine can be treated with naloxone

RE: 5 week old kitten swallowed a rubber teat

Beats — Fri, 01 Jun 2018 10:09:08 GMT

[quote user="Edward Jones"]Thank you! I don't think I'll go off data sheet with this client and I'd be a bit anxious giving an opiate to such a young kitten - I've read that they can't increase cardiac stroke volume to compensate for the bradycardia. Although I do have naloxone to hand.[/quote]

I don't think apomorphine is an opiate? I thought it had its emetic effect on dopamine receptors and the dogma has been that dopamine receptors are not a feature in cats vomiting (same reason that metoclopramide was claimed not to work in cats for many years).

I'm not sure what difference a 5 week old kitten is when comes to making vomit.

I would probably try apomorphine (unless someone can come up with an actual contraindication in a 5 week old kitten... anything that age does make me nervous), but I guess observation and intervention at first sign of clinical signs might be reasonable enough? Milk diet for another week and you have a slightly bigger 6 week old maine coon kitten rather than a 5 week one to deal with? Probably depends on whether you think there's a significant risk of said teat being of a size to get out of stomach into intestines and get stuck or not. 5 week old Maine Coon intestines are probably surprisingly wide (a barium/milk feed might show you just how big they are)

EDIT: also I'd use apomorphine iv rather than SC if I could.

RE: 5 week old kitten swallowed a rubber teat

Edward Jones — Fri, 01 Jun 2018 09:49:02 GMT

Thank you! I don't think I'll go off data sheet with this client and I'd be a bit anxious giving an opiate to such a young kitten - I've read that they can't increase cardiac stroke volume to compensate for the bradycardia. Although I do have naloxone to hand.

You're right I don't have xylazine to hand!

RE: 5 week old kitten swallowed a rubber teat

bob lehner — Fri, 01 Jun 2018 09:37:15 GMT

[quote user="Edward Jones"]Soda crystals or medetomidine to induce emesis?[/quote]

I have found Xylazine to be the most reliable emetic in cats - tho' you may not have any if you are in a solely SA practice.

(Have heard it said that Apomorphine is actually fine in cats - tho' it is contra-indicated on the data sheet - never tried it myself for that reason).