Feline Urinary Syndrome Treatment

Treatment for feline urinary syndrome depends on several factors.

Feline urinary syndrome (FUS), or feline lower urinary tract disease (FLUTD), involves the urinary bladder and urethra. Symptoms include frequent trips to the litter pan, urinating in inappropriate places, straining, blood in the urine or producing little or no urine. The exact causes of FUS are unknown but there are several factors involved including viruses, diet, obesity, stress, bacteria, stones or tumors. Treatment depends on which of these factors are present.

Risk Factors

Male cats with FLUTD are at risk for urinary obstruction.

According to Dr. Andra Gordon-Gatica of petside.com, FLUTD affects about 1/2 to 1 percent of the feline population annually. The average age of an affected cat is about 3-1/2 years old and it seems to affect males slightly more often than females. Males are at risk for a more serious form of FLUTD called urinary obstruction, a life-threatening condition.

Treatment for an Unobstructed Cat

A routine urinalysis checks for blood, bacteria, pH and protein in urine.

To plan treatment for cat that is not obstructed, the veterinarian will conduct a thorough physical and run a routine urinalysis, looking at bacteria, urine pH, red and white blood cells, crystals and protein. He may recommend a bacterial culture and sensitivity test, abdominal radiographs or an ultrasound to look for bladder stones or tumors. If there are no stones, he may prescribe pain medication, muscle relaxants and anti-inflammatory medications to make the cat more comfortable. If there is infection present, he'll prescribe antibiotics. If there are crystals, he'll determine what type they are and suggest dietary changes to adjust the pH of the cat's urine.

Treatment for Bladder Stones or Tumors

Radiographs may be taken to look for bladder stones or tumors.

If there are bladder stones or tumors, the veterinarian will probably recommend surgery. In the case of stones, they may be sent for analysis to determine what they're made of, so that diet and medications can be tailored to prevent recurrence. Tumors will be sent for analysis to determine their degree of malignancy.

Treament for an Obstructed Cat

Urinary obstruction in a male cat is an emergency.

In male cats with FLUTD, the penis plugs with crystals or tiny stones so the cat can't urinate. This is extremely painful. If a male cat isn't producing any urine, it should be brought to a veterinarian for immediate treatment. Left untreated, toxins accumulate, making the cat very ill, and the kidneys can be severely damaged, resulting in renal failure and death. The cat will be anesthetized and a urinary catheter used to remove the obstruction. Once the physical obstruction is gone, the urethra and the bladder are repeatedly flushed with saline to remove any remaining debris. The veterinarian may flush the bladder with an anti-inflammatory like dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). The catheter may be sewn in place for a few days, until the cat can urinate on its own. The cat will be put on intravenous fluids to flush the bladder and antibiotics to prevent secondary infections. When the cat goes home, the veterinarian may prescribe anti-inflammatory medications, antibiotics and a special diet.

Prevention/Solution

Increasing a cat's water consumption may help to ward off urinary disease.

As many as 50 percent of cats with FLUTD will experience a recurrence. There are things that cat owners can do at home to help prevent problems. This includes increasing the cat's water consumption by feeding canned food instead of dry or adding water to its food and making sure that there is always fresh water available, maintaining the cat at a healthy weight, keeping litter pans clean and minimizing stress in the cat's environment.

References

• The Cat Health Guide: Feline Lower Urinary Syndrome
• Chris C. Pinney, DVM: Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease
• Pet Education; Drs. Foster and Smith: Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease (FLUTD, FUS)
• Pet Side.com; Andra Gordon-Gatica, DVM
• The Vestal Veterinary Hospital; Drs. Jeff and Laura Shafer, Dr. Tracy Durham, Dr. Christopher McKinney