Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease - FLUTD
Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease or FLUTD is one of the most common medical problems in cats.
Through the years this disease syndrome has had several names including Feline Neurological Syndrome or FUS,
Idiopathic Feline Cystitis and Interstitial Cystitis.
It occurs in both male and female cats but due to the different urinary anatomy it is a much more serious problem in male cats because of their smaller urethra .
FLUTD occurs due to the formation of crystals in the urine made up primarily of either struvite or calcium oxalate these sand like crystals irritate the bladder lining , promote bacterial infections and cause urinary pain.
In the male cat crystals and clumps of mucous can combine to form a plug within the urethra which blocks urination.
If not treated promptly the cat will become toxic from its inability to pass urine and death can occur within 48 hours .
Female cats have a urethra with a larger diameter which allows passage of these plugs so they only rarely have urethral obstructions ,however they normally have severe pain when urinating.
Both male and female cats can also develop stones in the urinary bladder.
Clinical Signs of FLUTD are :
- Blood in urine.
- Straining to urinate which is often confused with constipation .
- Pain on urination .
- Frequent urination often outside the litter box on hard surfaces such as tile floors, counter tops ,sinks and bathtubs is common .
-Cats should not be punished for this as it is an indication of extreme discomfort, it is not a behavior disorder ,it is a medical disorder and they need veterinary help immediately .
- Male cats that have a urethral obstruction and unable to urinate will often become suddenly and extremely ill
- You may see vomiting ,depression, squatting in a strange position ,reluctance to move or walk and loud cries of distress " Signs of urinary blockage symptoms ".
This is a true veterinary medical emergency .
Treatment of Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease - FLUTD:
- If an FLUTD cat has an obstruction a catheter must be passed into the urinary bladder to dislodge the plug while the cat is under a short-acting anesthetic .
- The catheter is frequently left in place 24 to 72 hours to allow the passage of urine .
- The cat is normally discharged from the hospital when it appears that it can urinate comfortably usually one to three days later .
- Careful observation is required to make sure the problem is resolved .
- In some cases surgery may be required to eliminate chances of repeat obstructions .
- Special food is necessary for the lifetime of an FLutd cat .
without long-term dietary management the problem is much more likely to recur.
Prevention of Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease - FLUTD:
-Several things should be done to help prevent recurrence of FLUTD :
1- Special foods or diets are available from your veterinarian to help control this disease the specific diet is chosen based on the type of crystals present in the urine .
2- Restrict the cat's intake of dry cat food and increase the cat intake of canned food .
Canned foods increase fluid intake which increases urine production .
3- Avoid over feeding to prevent obesity because FLUTD is more common in overweight .
4- Always encourage frequent urination by keeping your cat's litter box clean and adding extra litter boxes and providing plenty of fresh water .
Remember urethral obstruction in male cats is a medical emergency call your clinic immediately if your cat shows any signs of not being able to urinate.
Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease or FLUTD is one of the most common medical problems in cats.
Through the years this disease syndrome has had several names including Feline Neurological Syndrome or FUS,
Idiopathic Feline Cystitis and Interstitial Cystitis.
It occurs in both male and female cats but due to the different urinary anatomy it is a much more serious problem in male cats because of their smaller urethra .
FLUTD occurs due to the formation of crystals in the urine made up primarily of either struvite or calcium oxalate these sand like crystals irritate the bladder lining , promote bacterial infections and cause urinary pain.
In the male cat crystals and clumps of mucous can combine to form a plug within the urethra which blocks urination.
If not treated promptly the cat will become toxic from its inability to pass urine and death can occur within 48 hours .
Female cats have a urethra with a larger diameter which allows passage of these plugs so they only rarely have urethral obstructions ,however they normally have severe pain when urinating.
Both male and female cats can also develop stones in the urinary bladder.
Clinical Signs of FLUTD are :
- Blood in urine.
- Straining to urinate which is often confused with constipation .
- Pain on urination .
- Frequent urination often outside the litter box on hard surfaces such as tile floors, counter tops ,sinks and bathtubs is common .
-Cats should not be punished for this as it is an indication of extreme discomfort, it is not a behavior disorder ,it is a medical disorder and they need veterinary help immediately .
- Male cats that have a urethral obstruction and unable to urinate will often become suddenly and extremely ill
- You may see vomiting ,depression, squatting in a strange position ,reluctance to move or walk and loud cries of distress " Signs of urinary blockage symptoms ".
This is a true veterinary medical emergency .
Treatment of Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease - FLUTD:
- If an FLUTD cat has an obstruction a catheter must be passed into the urinary bladder to dislodge the plug while the cat is under a short-acting anesthetic .
- The catheter is frequently left in place 24 to 72 hours to allow the passage of urine .
- The cat is normally discharged from the hospital when it appears that it can urinate comfortably usually one to three days later .
- Careful observation is required to make sure the problem is resolved .
- In some cases surgery may be required to eliminate chances of repeat obstructions .
- Special food is necessary for the lifetime of an FLutd cat .
without long-term dietary management the problem is much more likely to recur.
Prevention of Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease - FLUTD:
-Several things should be done to help prevent recurrence of FLUTD :
1- Special foods or diets are available from your veterinarian to help control this disease the specific diet is chosen based on the type of crystals present in the urine .
2- Restrict the cat's intake of dry cat food and increase the cat intake of canned food .
Canned foods increase fluid intake which increases urine production .
3- Avoid over feeding to prevent obesity because FLUTD is more common in overweight .
4- Always encourage frequent urination by keeping your cat's litter box clean and adding extra litter boxes and providing plenty of fresh water .
Remember urethral obstruction in male cats is a medical emergency call your clinic immediately if your cat shows any signs of not being able to urinate.
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