You’re giving me a special gift,
So sorrowfully endowed,
And through these last few cherished days,
Your courage makes me proud.

But really, love is knowing
When your best friend is in pain,
And understanding earthly acts
Will only be in vain.<

So looking deep into your eyes,
Beyond, into your soul,
I see in you the magic, that will
Once more make me whole.

The strength that you possess,
Is why I look to you today,
To do this thing that must be done,
For it’s the only way.

That strength is why I’ve followed you,
And chose you as my friend,
And why I’ve loved you all these years…
My partner ’til the end.

Please, understand just what this gift,
You’re giving, means to me,
It gives me back the strength I’ve lost,
And all my dignity.

You take a stand on my behalf,
For that is what friends do.
And know that what you do is right,
For I believe it too.

So one last time, I breathe your scent,
And through your hand I feel,
The courage that’s within you,
To now grant me this appeal.

Cut the leash that holds me here,
Dear friend, and let me run,
Once more a strong and steady dog,
My pain and struggle done.

And don’t despair my passing,
For I won’t be far away,
Forever here, within your heart,
And memory I’ll stay.

I’ll be there watching over you,
Your ever faithful friend,
And in your memories I’ll run,
…a young dog once again.

In Memory of Asta, Feb. 1997
(c) Karen Clouston

Many new pet owners wonder whether they should bother investing in a pet insurance plan for their new pet and while the decision should really be based on your families financial circumstances the decision to invest in a pet insurance plan primarily depends on what you expect from your pet’s insurance plan.

Most pet insurance plans in the US do not cover pre-existing conditions so if you find yourself with a dog who has an inherited or congenital birth defect that causes them ill health effects you should be aware that these will NOT be covered. If this is your primary reason for picking up pet insurance for your dog you may be better off tucking aside those monthly premiums in a savings account to cover medications your pet may need as well as to cover those emergency “what if’s.” Some people; however, like myself still choose to invest in a pet insurance plan regardless of a pre-existing condition that is not covered.

Pet insurance for us was a matter of being a worthwhile investment. Despite Jet’s hip dysplasia not being covered by his pet insurance, his insurance plan costs us $18 a month for a standard plan for a young senior dog and covers all of our “what if’s” and believe me we need that coverage. On average in our household Jet has one “what if” occasion a year that usually incurs us a cost of $500. With premiums of $216 a year we get our money’s worth. If you have a pet like Jet who is prone to one “accident” or illness a year minimum then it is definitely worth your while investing in pet insuance; however, if you have a pet who is not prone to illness you may find you are better served putting what would be your premium payments in to a savings account for your inevitable “what if” day.

Keep the babies together as long as they are about the same age; this will help socialize them to their own species and will help in keeping them warm. Try to assemble the following equipment:

The Nest Box

1. The nest box in which the babies live should have tall sides so that they cannot climb out by mistake and become chilled. A cardboard pet carrier is perfect as it is portable, dark inside, and closable. These are inexpensive and should be available from a pet store or your veterinarian.
2. Place towels in the bottom of the box and cover them with a diaper so the babies rest directly on the diaper. Most diapers have elastic leg holes and may have to be trimmed so they will lie flat. Expect to change the diaper several times daily. Keeping the babies clean and dry is very important.
3. Place a heating pad under the nest box so that only half of the nest box is warmed. This way the babies may crawl off the warm side of the box if they feel too hot.  Alternatively, a water bottle filled with warm water can be buried in the blankets as a heat source as long as the babies have room to move away from it if they are too hot.

If the baby’s temperature drops below 94F degrees, the heart rate drops and intestinal motion ceases.  Death occurs if this is not corrected. Warming should take place over an hour or two to avoid shock.

The Diet

1. Pet Ag manufactures KMR (Kitten Milk Replacer). It comes in a powder and a liquid. The powdered form seems less associated with diarrhea than the liquid plus with the powdered form, the water content can be adjusted in the event of dehydration.For puppies, Pet Ag makes ESBILAC. Again, both powder and liquid forms are available.
2. Mix up the powder according to the directions on the can. If you are using the liquid form, you may want to dilute it with one part water for every two parts of formula. As the babies get older, less water may be used whether you are mixing up the powder or the liquid. If diarrhea occurs at any time, you should add more water to the formula to make up for fluid lost as diarrhea.
3. Store the can of powder in the freezer after opening. Do not mix up more than a day’s worth of formula. Use a blender to mix the formula several hours ahead to allow time for the bubbles to settle.

MAKESHIFT FORMULA UNTIL KMR/ESBILAC CAN BE OBTAINED

PUPPIES
1 cup whole milk
1 tsp. salad oil
1 drop multi-vitamins (if you have any)
2 egg yolks

KITTENS

1/2 cup whole milk
1 egg yolk
1 drop multi-vitamins
3 Tums (antacid) crushed

Mix in a blender whichever formula you use.

The Bottle

1. Obtain a pet nurser bottle from a pet store or your veterinarian.
2. Use very fine scissors or a hot needle to make a hole in the nipple. The hole should be big enough that formula will slowly drip out if the bottle is held upside-down and gently squeezed. The nipple should not collapse when the baby is sucking.
3. Warm the bottle in a cup of hot water. Always test the formula before giving it to the babies. Taste it to be sure it is not sour. Do not use a microwave oven to heat the bottle as it may not heat evenly with some areas of the bottle being scalding hot.

How/When to Feed

1. Expect to feed them every 2 to 3 hours during the day. If this is done, the babies should be able to sleep through the night.
2. Do not wake the babies at feeding time. Let them sleep. When they wake up hungry, they will let you know.
3. During feeding be sure to tip the bottle so that no air is swallowed.
4. Play with/rub them after feeding to “burp” them.
5. Occasionally small amounts of formula will come out of the nose. The baby is drinking too fast. If excessive amounts of formula appear to be coming out the nose or if you are concerned, call your veterinarian.
6. Maintaining proper weight gain is crucial to survival.  Kittens with birth weights of less than 3.2 oz (90 grams) have a 59% mortality rate (though a less than 10% weight loss in the first 24 hours of life is considered normal).  After the first 24 hours, weight gain should be steady: 0.25 to 0.35 oz per day for kittens and 5% to 10% of the birth weight daily for puppies. An accurate postal or kitchen scale is helpful during this early period to be sure the baby is on a healthy track. If the baby is not gaining weight as desired, try to adjust food intake.

Urination/Defecation

1. Infant animals are unable to take care of these matters alone and must be given help. Normally their mother’s tongue does the job as she washes them. Use a cotton swab, tissue, or your finger to gently rub the baby’s genital area. Have a tissue ready to catch the urine.
2. Rubbing the anal area as well may also be necessary if the babies do not seem to be defecating as much as expected. Watch for diarrhea. Normal infant stool is normally very loose but should not be watery.

Bathing

1. Using baby shampoo and warm water, bathe the babies a couple of times daily. Urine will burn their tender skin and caked feces can lead to infection so keeping the babies clean is very important.
2. Take care not to submerge the infant in water. Be careful that it cannot drown or choke on the water and be sure the water temperature is acceptable.
3. Gently blow dry the babies when the bath is over. Do not allow chilling.

How to be Sure You are on Track

The best way to be sure everything is going well is to track weight gain in your new babies. A postal scale or food scale (ideally one that measures weight in grams) will be helpful. A puppy or kitten should gain 10% of the birth weight every day and should be drinking 22 to 26 cc of formula per 100 grams of body weight over the course of the day. Puppies are variable in growth expectancy depending on breed but kittens are more predictable and should gain 50 to 100 grams weekly.

Kittens weighing less than 90 grams (approx 3 oz) at birth have a very high mortality rate.

Starting Solid Food

1. When the babies start biting and chewing at their bottle instead of sucking (3-4 weeks of age), they may be started on some finely textured canned food. At first it may be necessary to mix solid food with a little formula and /or smear a little around their mouths gently with a finger.**Friskies canned Kitten Meals for kittens     **Chicken or turkey baby food for puppies
2. Between ages 4 and 6 weeks, they should begin readily accepting solid food. New homes may be found for them at age 8 weeks. Be aware that in many states it is not legal to transfer ownership of a puppy or kitten until this age anyway.

NOTE
Colostrum is the first milk produced by the mother shortly after giving birth. It is rich in antibodies which will protect the babies for the first several months of life.

Without colostrum (if their mother did not nurse the kittens during the first 2 days of life) the babies are virtually without an immune system. Especially great care should be taken in cleanliness and the babies should be vaccinated at 2 weeks of age. They may require a plasma transfusion to make up for the colostrum. There is no substitute for a real mother.

For more information on raising orphan kittens see: http://www.hdw-inc.com/tinykitten.htm

Many foster parents have difficulty distinguishing male and female kittens at this early age. For some guidelines and (illustrated) instructions, see: http://vetinfo.com/csexcat.html

Date Published: 1/1/2001
Date Reviewed/Revised: 08/14/2006

Copyright 2006 – 2009 by the Veterinary Information Network, Inc. All rights reserved.