Couple of weeks ago I had to face the problem what if the kittens and the mother has different blood groups which can cause neonatal isoerythrolysis.
Let me give you first a draft explanation (from here): (later you get more)
What is neonatal isoerythrolysis?
A cause of fading kittens in pedigree cats is neonatal isoerythrolysis, where kittens have a different blood type from their queen, and, on suckling her milk, receive antibodies against their own red blood cells. The antibodies cause destruction of the kittens red blood cells which leads to jaundice, brown urine, and rapid death.
What should we do???
On the internet we can find just basic information about genetics and that which kittens are in danger, and we have to separate kittens from mom.
OK but how can we do this in reality?
All of the kittens are in danger if they have different blood group from mommy?
Actually, before knowing the exact blood type of the parents, we had healthy kittens from stud A/a female b/b. So what then??? Not all of the kittens are in danger! I have found a survey from Sweden vets that to consider all of the illnesses and problems that can happen with babies, not more kittens die from mother B than mother A from stud A/a!!! OK but witch is the bigger risk separate the newborns or not? What it is dependent on? That were the main questions what I wanted to get answers for. And I did. Now I would like to share the information I have collected. Maybe recieve new ones from other breeders who know more. I believe if we help each other our life will be easier and happier. Important!: genetic test is necessary blood test is not enough!!!
First genetic facts from Animal DNA Laboratory Australia, where we did all of our genetical tests:
and a link to a deeper explanation.
The most important thing is:
Should we separate A/b kittens from mom if she is B?
It depends on how strongly this mother producing antybody against A. Blood test exists for this. There is a certain level if our cats under it, than babies are safe we don’t have to separate, if result is above that level than kittens in danger we should separate them from mommy. I got information that in the Nederlands they do such type of test, but I do not know exactly where. So if any of you know this or more labs please share the contact with me!!!!
I did not separate newborns from momy who already had healthy kittens, and we have never had any problems!
But I did the separation with my other mother, because that was her first birthgiving and we were short of time to make the other test.
How did I solve this problem?
First I let babies be with mommy during birthgiving hours, but I did not let them sucking milk. After that I put on baby cloth (yes, human baby cloth) onto the mommy tp prevent babies to suck, but let them be with the mother. Every 1,5-2 hours I fed the babies with goat milk. I bought 3 different baby feeding milk as well, but my personal openion is that goat milk is the best. Let me know If somebody has bad experience with it.
After 24 hours I stopped the separation, and helped babies sucking from the mother but continued feeding them for 3 more days, but less and less times daily.
We succeded! We didn’t loose any of the babies! So please consider: different blood groups are not a disease! Just can cause a problem what we have to solve. I hope I can save other breeders time and energy to collect that information. Sorry if somebody wasted her/his time because already knew everything, But please if anybody have more information in this topic please let me know.
Special thank for their help: Animal DNA Lab Australia, Anne Davis: Shakandah Birmans Australia, Pápis Erika: British short hair breeder Hungary
Kata Bodó: Sábacat Cattery Hungary
www.birmans.eu
