Manx syndrome questions

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BendyMom
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Re: Manx syndrome questions

Post by BendyMom »

a lot of vets don't have much experience with it, I"m glad you foudn a vet to work with you.
i have found the number one issue is to keep the gut moving, they get constipated so easily! fiber added to their food (pumpkin or physillum husk) and a lot of liquid are critical. some need medication, some don't.
the second big thing is urinary tract infections, treating them and keeping them from coming back is another challenge. I feed at least half their diet a desiginated urinary diet and I add vitamin C to their other food (it acidifies the urine) and again, lots of liquid. a fountain can encourage them to drink, or adding water to their food can help too.

please tell us about your kitten and what is gong on, and post some picts for us to oooh and aaaah over :)
we're here to help!

read read read the various posts on this subject (there are a lot of them i think) and you can learn a lot that way too!

and

WELCOME!!!!!!!!!!
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LisainCAN
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Re: Manx syndrome questions

Post by LisainCAN »

Hi there,

How old is your cat? How did you save her three months ago? What treatments have you been trying? It is very hard, no question. You found the right community here :)
Bwalden
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Re: Manx syndrome questions

Post by Bwalden »

Manx syndrome. Sorry using my talk-to-text LOL. She is 10 weeks old and her name is Abigail and she was born in a litter of two from my Himalayan mom. It was her first litter and she came out totally without a tail. I have never seen this or had any experience with this. She seemed ok while mommy was taking care of her 100% but when she started eating solid food then everything started happening. At first she had diarrhea really bad and the doctor gave her and her brother something for it which caused her to have an impacted bowel. She had to go to the emergency and have an enema there then when I got home she got worse and had to go to my doctor and be sedated totally and be totally cleaned out. Two different vets said just put her down and continued to give her enemas daily through the week and told me I would have to give them to her daily at home to. A friend of mine who's a nurse came to help me and we tried which made her bleed and she said no we need to take her to her vet. He's been a godsend he put her on a special canned food and lactrolux 3 times a day. I took her back last week and her bottom was really bad and she had a UTI so they gave her a shot as to not mess up her digestion with oral antibiotics. They also gave me a steroid cream for her bottom which wasn't getting any better until the other day A friend of mine he's also a nurse told me the steroid might be stopping it from healing. So I stopped the steroid and I've been using Desitin and that seems to be getting better. She was dropping little poop pellets everywhere but for the past couple days that hasn't been the case. I'd give her a little sitz baths 1 or 2 times a day and wiper with baby wipes. I was putting baby shampoo in the sitz bath but the doctor said that could be drying her out too much so I just use water now and it's better. She is such a happy playful thing and loves her brother so much who I am keeping also. His name is Hershey and he is devoted to her. I also have a Frenchie who thinks he's her mommy also and follows her around constantly. I was thinking it was because she is a human candy dispenser LOL. I will post some pictures as soon as I can get to my computer. Thanks for all the advice that I have read on here so far it really really helps. It is very hard taking care of a special needs animal and I have totally new respect for people that do it with their children and loved ones.. we also lost her daddy a little over a month ago. He had a UTI and I knew there was something else going on but the vet didn't think so. A week after restart his antibiotics he took a turn for the worse in the evening and I was going to take him to the vet the next morning but he disappeared and we have not seen him since. I believe he had crystal's and it got really bad. She looks just like her daddy so it just breaks my heart if I had to put her down too.
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BendyMom
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Re: Manx syndrome questions

Post by BendyMom »

Destin is poisonous to cats! PLEASE do not use it unless you are using an ecollar or pants or something to make absolutely sure she does not lick it, it can kill her.
I almost lost my first incontinent boy to that.
yes it is amazing for healing, but it is also deadly.

i remember you talking about this little tyke, your vet didn't take a UTI seriously and now your dad-cat is gone? Dump that vet! jeez. crystals are easy to diagnose, all they have to do is look at the urine under a microscope, which is a standard thing to do. I' very very sorry that happened to your boy.
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Chonky's Mom
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Re: Manx syndrome questions

Post by Chonky's Mom »

OMGsh! I wish I could have found this website back in October! I rescued a little two-month-old Manx baby that someone had dumped at my sisters apartment complex. We noticed he had no tail but had no idea what else was up. After having him for a few days I noticed he wasn't using the restroom so I started doing all the things that people say to do two young kittens like stimulating his rear end by wiping it with a warm washcloth but nothing was working. I got him some powdered kitten milk and it seemed to help because he finally started making little " nuggets" and so I thought it was OK. He was young still so I didn't really know if he just didn't learn how to use the restroom in one spot or what. I got to poking around on the Internet and figured out he had Manx syndrome and it became quite overwhelming- being the only person here with all of these new responsibilities. I'm reading now that all of the things that I went through with my Chonk, many of you have went through or are going through now. The baths, the messes, the worries, etc. It was very overwhelming at first and now it's become routine and it's so much easier but I used to literally cried myself to sleep trying to figure out how I was going to do this because I knew I could never put him down. Other than his rear end issues he was a perfectly normal kitten and he absolutely loved me. I just wanted to say that the things that worked for me we're the 100% pumpkin, Rachel ray Nutrish wet and dry cat food and I sewed my own diapers for him while he was young so that he could be cuddled and play in the house with the cat and dog. However he has since outgrown them and knows how to undo the Velcro. I did not buy the $25 cat pants, I made my own and I am absolutely not a seamstress of any sorts. They definitely were not for fashion but they worked. If anyone is interested I'd be glad to tell you how I did it. I've spent so much money trying different foods and altering things that I would love to share what I've learned. Most of all if anyone has just recently acquired a Manx baby, don't give up – once you figure it out it's not bad at all. It's totally doable! Good luck! And bless your soul for taking one of gods creatures into your heart and home.
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BendyMom
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Re: Manx syndrome questions

Post by BendyMom »

Welcome! Glad you found us.
Sounds like you did a fantastic job :) It's always great to have new people here to contribute. Can we see some picts of Chonk? some cat pants are insanely expensive. i found some cute ones much much cheaper on ebay, but I have also made my own.
We'd love to hear all about Chonk and you :)
I have two spina bifida cats, two manx syndrome cats and two who are continent but have very strange hind legs. They are a happy bunch and that's what counts.
http://www.alittletlc.com

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Bendy Kitty
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critters
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Re: Manx syndrome questions

Post by critters »

:whale: You might try baby Onesies for keeping diapers on. Some of the real hard heads need turtleneck Onesies to keep them from coming through the neck hole. :twisted: He can walk, right?
Sethsfaerie
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Re: Manx syndrome questions

Post by Sethsfaerie »

We were just offered yesterday an abandoned rescue kitten with no tail at all and the long hind legs. She walks, but hops when trying to run. She's very young, probably 5 weeks. She's been pooping the litter box when placed there but so far I'm not sure about urinary issues, as I have noticed her peeing. She urinated on my son, while bring carried, and her bottom is slightly damp sometimes. I don't want to jump to conclusions but the lady who found her said she could find a new home if she didn't work out for us. What are the earliest signs of Manx syndrome? Should I give her time? I'm not sure that the special needs are something I'd have the ability to manage, with my hands full with two toddlers, and if there's a chance of severe issues, it would be easier to place her in the right home while she's still so tiny and not yet bonded with us. I hope I don't sound heartless... I just know my limitations! She's wonderful and loving and I want what's best for her.
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CarolC
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Re: Manx syndrome questions

Post by CarolC »

Sethsfaerie wrote:We were just offered yesterday an abandoned rescue kitten with no tail at all and the long hind legs. She walks, but hops when trying to run. She's very young, probably 5 weeks. She's been pooping the litter box when placed there but so far I'm not sure about urinary issues, as I have noticed her peeing. She urinated on my son, while bring carried, and her bottom is slightly damp sometimes. I don't want to jump to conclusions but the lady who found her said she could find a new home if she didn't work out for us. What are the earliest signs of Manx syndrome? Should I give her time? I'm not sure that the special needs are something I'd have the ability to manage, with my hands full with two toddlers, and if there's a chance of severe issues, it would be easier to place her in the right home while she's still so tiny and not yet bonded with us. I hope I don't sound heartless... I just know my limitations! She's wonderful and loving and I want what's best for her.
Hi there. I was hoping someone with actual experience with manx kittens would reply, and hopefully they still will. I can give you my :2cents: not based on actual experience. That's great if she is using the litter box. But I do think you are right to consider your limitations, and you absolutely do not sound heartless. Obviously you have a big heart because you are considering her, but common sense is important, too. Having any new pet when you have your hands full with small children is a big enough challenge.

You might want to wait a couple more weeks to decide, because 5 weeks is just beginning to use the box and it is possible she just hasn't learned to get there soon enough every time. She is probably not doing as much grooming as an adult cat yet either, because she is so busy playing. At this age in an ideal world, her mother would still be looking after her. But if you've noticed her little bottom being wet, that might continue and it would be better to know before you decide so you can make an informed decision. A couple more weeks might give you a better understanding of whether she is leaking and how much.

You would need to decide whether you are comfortable having the kids handle her and maybe get it on their clothes, and how will you respond if parents or inlaws have a fit about you raising the grandchildren with a "messy cat", also be sure how your spouse would feel about it longterm, and are you willing to perhaps cover the furniture or bed to keep her comfortable and your house tidy. If she honestly is a little leaky, diapers may be an option, you would need to find her size and adjust it as she grows. If you could get the rescuer to do that legwork for you, find the right diapers and train the kitten to hold still while it is put on, then you would be ahead of the game. I don't think I'd try that until she has had more time to learn using the box.

This might be an easier kitten to have if you had grown children or at least the kids were in school. If the rescuer actually knows of another home that can take this kitten, it might be better in the long run, but you also have to go with your heart. Raising a disabled pet is such a good lesson for your children about accepting and valuing differences, and you need to try to think if you will regret it the rest of your life if you pass her up. But sometimes we give up a pet if we think the pet can have a better home at that particular time. It is hard to know if the other home is really going to be better, that would be something to try to question the rescuer about. Either taking her or not taking her could be the right answer. If you are worried about this kitten, you might want to tell the rescuer, "I don't think this is the best time for me to take this kitten, but if you absolutely can't find another home, let me know, I wouldn't want anything to happen to her."
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LisainCAN
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Re: Manx syndrome questions

Post by LisainCAN »

Hi there,

It has been a while since I have cared for a Manx Syndrome kitten, but I certainly can advise. First of all, it does take a bit of time for the full extent of the problem to show up. That is because the kitten will grow until she is about 8 months old. In the meantime, it sounds like based on the absolute lack of tail, the dampness, and the hop, she is on the path towards Manx Syndrome, but I am not a vet. That said, while your intentions are certainly good and kind, the kitten needs someone who can devote more time to her needs. She would be like having another baby: she would need baths, diapering (and diapers changed frequently to avoid urine burns), time in a set area with a diaper, vet visits, medications, and possibly special foods and a diet. In my opinion, it would be too much with two toddlers, and it would be better for the kitten if you could find her someone who has the time and the patience. You have the love, but she needs more.

The world needs more kind people like you who are willing to put the animals`needs first, even if it means admitting that you are not the right home. It is a wonderful lesson to teach your children.
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critters
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Re: Manx syndrome questions

Post by critters »

I agree with all. There are people who take handicappers. You might find a home for this baby here. https://www.facebook.com/groups/CatsWithParalysis/
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