FKS is an abbreviation for fading kitten syndrome. This is a broad spectrum diagnosis and is usually used for neonatal kittens along with kittens 4-12 weeks old. FKS is used to describe when a neonate or kitten has begun to rapidly decline and is approaching death. For any rescuer this is devastating as we pour our entire selves into trying to help these babies and reduce their suffering.
The truth is that the neonate or the kitten is not actually dying from FKS. They are declining because something is not right in their system. There are many reasons for this, and some are out of our control but with taking a few extra steps you might be able to figure out what is going wrong, and able to correct it before the organs start shutting down. Neonatal care is very unforgiving. If you make a mistake you might get lucky. Make a few and the neonate will decline. Here are some scenarios and steps you can take to try and figure out what your neonate or kitten needs.
Immediately when you see your neonate is declining take their temperature with a rectal thermometer. Use a safe water based lubricant before placing it. If you are fostering neonates and are uncomfortable doing this have someone experienced show you. You need to figure out if they are running too hot or too cold. If they are running very hot it could be a fever or it could be your heating pad is too hot and/or you need to add an extra blanket to the incubator. If they are extremely hot you can place them on a cool surface for about 10-15 seconds and then take the temp again. You can also give fluids to lower the temp, but not everyone knows how and a cool surface temporarily works as well. If it is a kitten and not a neonate you can wet their neck and swipe their paws and tips of ears with an alcohol swipe. Keep alcohol swipes in your kitten room. I am a big fan of using antibiotics on neonates that are showing sign of infection. I most likely would start one if I see an elevated temperature. Find a vet or rescue to work with that can show you how to dose and use.
If your neonate's body temp is low this is when it can get tricky. Immediately check their gums. If your neonate has just come in and is not very responsive and has fleas check the gums immediately. If the gums are pale do not bathe but start to pick the fleas off in a warm room while they are on a heating pad on low. Some use a very tiny amount of capstar placed in the rectum for severe fleas in neonates but please do not do this unless someone has safely shown you. If you give too much you can cause irreversible neurological issues. Find someone in your area who is willing to teach you. If your neonate has pale gums for any reason do not bathe and do not give fluids. Even if they are dehydrated do not give fluids to a neonate or kitten with pale gums. Instead keep a bottle of rebound (unopened) on hand for situations like this. You can also mix Gerber baby rice with the rebound and give through a syringe. All of this is based off of my experiences fostering. I am not going to recommend mixing in Gerber rice under 2 weeks old. I haven't tried it that young and do not want to give improper advice. If you are going to use it with formula please make sure you mix the formula 3:1. If they have excess iron it can cause constipation. If constipation occurs act switftly and we have another blog post just about that.
Do not feed a neonate anything until their body temp has elevated to at least 95.5 degrees (chart at bottom of post) You must stabilize the temperature before any treatment is given. I think it should be safe to give a b12 injection at this point since its such a small amount but the main goal is getting their body temperature to normal range, and just my opinion. Consult a vet familiar with cases like yours.
Neonates and kittens can also fade by becoming hypoglycemic. After the body temp is taken you can rub sugar water on their gums while you are either warming them up or cooling them down. A lot of people use kyro syrup but I hate the stuff. It's just way too sticky and makes a mess. I take a shot glass and fill it up equal parts sugar and equal parts water. I stir it until all the granules dissolve. If its a neonate make sure the water is not cold even if its just a few drops. Better to be safe because of how vulnerable they are. I use a 1 ml syringe to get it on their gums and tongue. If you have a kitten that is seizing you can also try sugar water while you are organizing your vet visit, because hypoglycemia can cause seizures. Still have your foster checked out if this is the case as it can be a myriad of different issues but the sugar water may help.
Experiencing and helping different neonates and their conditions is what is ultimately going to help you grow as a rescuer. Every situation is unique and what helped one is not necessarily going to help another. Create a standard routine for all neonates that come in your care. All should have a chart. When they come in age, weight and body temp must be recorded. Check the gums, the ears, their skin under the arms and legs etc. This is going to help you assess problems before they become life threatening. If you are in FKS follow these few steps every time.
Take body temp and act accordingly (listed above)
Check gums
Assess what is the biggest risk. If you do not know call someone who does for help.
Create sugar water or
rebound with Gerber rice (for anemia) Rebound by itself can also help with dehydration.
Almost all neonatal rescuers at some point become medical fosters. 24 hour supportive care is what is going to help them survive. Keep good notes and don't skip steps even if it feels like everything is happening very fast. With experience and being able to take good notes you will start to recognize patterns in the different litters that come into your home. This is going to help you save even the ones no one believed could be. Good luck and send us an email at kittenseason.tv@gmail.com if you have any questions.
Thank you to the Kitten Coalition for the diagram above and to all of the rescuers and researchers who paved the way for us to help reduce the amount of suffering in our communities.
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