Hi,

My 2 month old kitten got sick very suddenly. I noticed she was making a weird noise in her stomach and her back legs were very weak/wobbly. I brought her to the vet and he diagnosed her with an upper respiratory infection and gave her antibiotics as well as some critical care canned food that I have to force feed her (since she won't eat).

He also tested her blood sugar level and it was fine. This was yesterday. Today, she can't even walk on her back legs at all. She will try to walk around, but she just drags her back legs. Do you know why she would do that? Is it just a symptom?

Also, her eyes have been very dilated since the vet visit. Even in light, they are very dilated. Do you know why they would be like that?

I look forward to hearing from you. Thanks.

I am so sorry to hear about your kitten. It sounds like she is very ill. I believe you should rush her back to an emergency vet right away or she is in danger of dying.

Even though her blood glucose was normal yesterday, it can change suddenly and it is quite possible that she is not getting enough nutrition to keep it normal. Low blood glucose will create profound weakness and even seizures that could result in blindness and ultimately death.

There are also kittens that simply fail to thrive and we never know exactly why they become so sick and die. There are also genetic diseases that can cause some of the signs you observe.

However, if she has a "simple" respiratory infection (nothing is simple in a kitten), keeping her warm and providing fluids and enough nutrition and antibiotics may lead to her survival. But I strongly believe she needs to return to the vet ASAP.

Good luck, Please keep me posted.

Best,
Dr. Neely