How to Diagnose and Treat Urinary Blockages in Cats
Assess your cat's risk factors., Look for physical problems with urination., Pay attention to behavioral changes., Take your cat to see a veterinarian immediately., Allow the veterinarian to do a physical exam., Approve diagnostic testing., Approve...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Assess your cat's risk factors.
Above all, only male cats get complete urinary tract blockages.
However, there are some other risk factors that could increase your cat's risk of getting this veterinary problem.All risk factors include:
Being a male cat:
The urethra in a male cat, which is the tube that urine flows through to the outside of the body, is very narrow and can get obstructed easily.
Female cats can get a variety of problems in their urinary tracts, such as feline idiopathic cystitis or stones, but they do not get completely obstructed urinary tracts.Being in a multi-cat household Eating dry food Being an indoor cat only Being an older cat:
Cats of any age can get a urinary blockage but older cats are more likely to get them. -
Step 2: Look for physical problems with urination.
Having a blocked urethra will cause your cat to show a variety of symptoms having to do with their urination.
Symptoms connected to urination that your cat might have include:
Strained urination Frequent urination Blood in the urine Painful urination , Trouble urinating can cause your cat to act out in problematic ways.
Perhaps most problematic, many cats who have urinary blockages begin urinating in inappropriate places.
This is due to the cats discomfort and inability to control its urination normally.
Also, due to the pain associated with this condition, your cat may begin to cry uncontrollably.
Your cat may hide and refuse to eat or drink.
If your cat is not eating or drinking you should take it to a veterinarian right away. , Having a urinary blockage can threaten your cat's life.
In fact, within three to six days of having a blockage, your cat could die from the buildup of urine.
Thus, it is important that you get it veterinary treatment as quickly as possible.
Call the veterinary office on your way to warn them that you are coming in because of an emergency.
This will allow them to prepare for your arrival.
Be prepared to tell the veterinarian about all of your cat's symptoms. , If the veterinarian suspects that the cat has a urinary tract blockage they will feel the cat's abdomen.
When they do this they are feeling for the firmness of the bladder and urinary system.
If your cat is skittish or aggressive toward the veterinarian, it may need to be restrained during the exam. , In order to get a definitive diagnosis, your veterinarian may want to do diagnostic tests on your cat.
For example, the veterinarian may want to have a urine sample analyzed or they may want to do a urethrogram, which shows them a detail of the cat's urethra.The urine sample will be analyzed for the presence of crystals, which are often the culprit for a blocked urethra. , If your cat has a severe case of urinary tract blockage, they will need immediate treatment.
This immediate treatment usually includes sedation, intravenous fluids, and pain medication.These immediate treatments will make your cat much more comfortable by minimizing its pain. , In order to clear the obstruction, your veterinarian will need to implant a catheter in the cat's urethra and flush the area.
This will allow the crystals or stones to pass through.This is not a permanent catheter.
It will be removed once all obstructions and infections have cleared up.
This typically takes a few days. , Your veterinarian may suggest that your cat needs to get a cystotomy, which is a procedure in which the veterinarian opens up the bladder and removes all stones.
This procedure may be necessary for cats that have a lot of bladder stones and repeated obstructions.This is a common surgery and cats usually recover quickly from this procedure., A perineal urethrostomy is a veterinary surgery in which the cat's urethra is widened, minimizing the chance of it getting blocked in the future.
This surgery is done most often on cats that have had repeated episodes of urinary blockages.This is a major surgery and it requires that the cat be put under anesthesia. -
Step 3: Pay attention to behavioral changes.
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Step 4: Take your cat to see a veterinarian immediately.
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Step 5: Allow the veterinarian to do a physical exam.
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Step 6: Approve diagnostic testing.
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Step 7: Approve immediate treatment.
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Step 8: Have a urinary catheter implanted.
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Step 9: Discuss the need for a cystotomy.
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Step 10: Consider having your cat get a perineal urethrostomy.
Detailed Guide
Above all, only male cats get complete urinary tract blockages.
However, there are some other risk factors that could increase your cat's risk of getting this veterinary problem.All risk factors include:
Being a male cat:
The urethra in a male cat, which is the tube that urine flows through to the outside of the body, is very narrow and can get obstructed easily.
Female cats can get a variety of problems in their urinary tracts, such as feline idiopathic cystitis or stones, but they do not get completely obstructed urinary tracts.Being in a multi-cat household Eating dry food Being an indoor cat only Being an older cat:
Cats of any age can get a urinary blockage but older cats are more likely to get them.
Having a blocked urethra will cause your cat to show a variety of symptoms having to do with their urination.
Symptoms connected to urination that your cat might have include:
Strained urination Frequent urination Blood in the urine Painful urination , Trouble urinating can cause your cat to act out in problematic ways.
Perhaps most problematic, many cats who have urinary blockages begin urinating in inappropriate places.
This is due to the cats discomfort and inability to control its urination normally.
Also, due to the pain associated with this condition, your cat may begin to cry uncontrollably.
Your cat may hide and refuse to eat or drink.
If your cat is not eating or drinking you should take it to a veterinarian right away. , Having a urinary blockage can threaten your cat's life.
In fact, within three to six days of having a blockage, your cat could die from the buildup of urine.
Thus, it is important that you get it veterinary treatment as quickly as possible.
Call the veterinary office on your way to warn them that you are coming in because of an emergency.
This will allow them to prepare for your arrival.
Be prepared to tell the veterinarian about all of your cat's symptoms. , If the veterinarian suspects that the cat has a urinary tract blockage they will feel the cat's abdomen.
When they do this they are feeling for the firmness of the bladder and urinary system.
If your cat is skittish or aggressive toward the veterinarian, it may need to be restrained during the exam. , In order to get a definitive diagnosis, your veterinarian may want to do diagnostic tests on your cat.
For example, the veterinarian may want to have a urine sample analyzed or they may want to do a urethrogram, which shows them a detail of the cat's urethra.The urine sample will be analyzed for the presence of crystals, which are often the culprit for a blocked urethra. , If your cat has a severe case of urinary tract blockage, they will need immediate treatment.
This immediate treatment usually includes sedation, intravenous fluids, and pain medication.These immediate treatments will make your cat much more comfortable by minimizing its pain. , In order to clear the obstruction, your veterinarian will need to implant a catheter in the cat's urethra and flush the area.
This will allow the crystals or stones to pass through.This is not a permanent catheter.
It will be removed once all obstructions and infections have cleared up.
This typically takes a few days. , Your veterinarian may suggest that your cat needs to get a cystotomy, which is a procedure in which the veterinarian opens up the bladder and removes all stones.
This procedure may be necessary for cats that have a lot of bladder stones and repeated obstructions.This is a common surgery and cats usually recover quickly from this procedure., A perineal urethrostomy is a veterinary surgery in which the cat's urethra is widened, minimizing the chance of it getting blocked in the future.
This surgery is done most often on cats that have had repeated episodes of urinary blockages.This is a major surgery and it requires that the cat be put under anesthesia.
About the Author
Deborah Roberts
Professional writer focused on creating easy-to-follow crafts tutorials.
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