Cats suffer from stones (FLUTD) just like dogs and humans, even more than them. But whereas, for its barking furry cousins, the most frequent location of stones is in the kidney and upper urinary tract (kidney and ureter), the cat suffers the effect of these formations above all in the lower urinary tract, bladder and urethra. .
In fact, cat urinary stones are one of the causes of "feline lower urinary tract syndrome," the FLUTD, Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease.
Urinary tract diseases in dogs and cats are very common. Knowing how to recognize any symptom can help identify the problem and avoid complications which can sometimes get complicated. Lower urinary tract diseases in dogs and cats are the subject of this article in which we will discuss:
- FLUTD and urinary tract disorders in felines.
- Diagnosis and remedies for urinary tract disease in cats.
- How to cure struvite.
- Symptoms and pathologies of the urinary tract in dogs.
- Proper nutrition in case of Flutd and how it relates to feeding cats.
FLUTD and Feline Urinary Tract Disorders
Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease (FLUTD) it remains one of the leading causes of feline visits in veterinary practice, with a reported frequency of 1-6% of all observed cases. Regardless of the underlying cause, cats with FLUTD show a relatively limited spectrum of clinical signs:
- pollakiuria;
- hematuria;
- dysuria;
- periruria (urination outside of the toilet bowl);
- strangury (difficulty urinating);
- excessive licking from the perineal/pelvic region (as a result of local pain and discomfort).
FLUTD is a syndrome with many possible causes. The most common cause is feline idiopathic cystitis (CIF), but other possible etiologies should also be considered. In cats with persistent, recurrent or severe clinical signs, a diagnostic protocol is indicated which should include:
- urine analysis;
- ultrasound of the bladder.
A systematic investigation makes it possible to identify the cause of FLUTD or, in the case of FIC, to exclude other pathological conditions, favoring a diagnosis by exclusion.
The majority of FLUTD cases are diagnosed in cats between 2 and 6 years of age, while the diagnosis is rare in cats younger than 1 year or older than 10 years.
differential diagnoses for feline lower urinary tract disease include:
- Cystitis feline idiopathic (55-70% of cases).
- Urolithiasis (15-25% of cases).
- urethral plugs (10-20% of cases).
- Infections urinary tract (UTI) (1-10% of cases).
- Spasm urethral.
- Stenosis urethrals.
- Neoplasms.
- Disorders behavior, etc.
Remedies and diagnosis for cats
The illness of the feline lower urinary tract is often affected by chronic stress. Treatment has two main goals: stress reduction through environmental modifications and reduction of bladder irritation/inflammation. Although controlled studies evaluating the efficacy of environmental enrichment are lacking, numerous studies indicate a beneficial effect.
changes we can do to improve the situation:
- allow indoor cats access To the exterior;
- make available a litter box for each cat of the room plus an additional one;
- la sand must be abundant and fragrance free;
- keep clean the toilet box;
- make available a feeder and another for water for each cat present in the environment plus one additional for each type;
- place the toilet bowl and food and water cups in a quiet and undisturbed area;
- encourage the cat to explore the environment hiding food in different places;
- foster interactive games imitate hunting behavior and change toys regularly;
- make available a scraper;
- allow access to numerous resting places and escape routes where they can hide to feel safe;
- allow access to high places;
- in severe cases, consider reducing the number of cats in the environment or assigning the affected cat a dedicated home, as the feline conflict is one of most common causes of stress.
A positive effect on pathology is the more dilute urine output obtained by increasing water intake. The increased urine dilution is likely to result in less bladder irritation, but the benefit may also come from stimulating more frequent urination.
This can be favored by:
- Switch from dry food to food wet.
- If the cat refuses wet food, give it a dry food with a moderately higher amount of sodium, so that the cat is more thirsty and to increase the intestinal absorption of water, improving urination.
- Identify what the cat prefers to drink: flavored water, water in a bowl, or plain water, etc.
- Evita containers that can alter the taste of the water (like some plastics and metals).
Struvite: how to cure it
The vast majority of feline uroliths consist instead of struvite or calcium oxalatewith approximately the same frequency. Unlike in dogs, struvite uroliths are rarely associated with urinary tract infections in cats. He urinary pH (Struvite tends to form more easily in alkaline urine) and the type of crystals present in the sediment can provide useful clues as to the probable nature of the urolith, however, a quantitative analysis is necessary of urinary calculi in cats for an accurate diagnosis. Initial treatment of urolithiasis may be surgical (struvite or urinary oxalates) or medical (struvite dietary solution), depending on the type of stone present and owner/veterinarian preference. Contains calcium oxalate and struvite.
For the treatment of urolithiasis, it is better to choose food capable of inducing:
- unsaturated urine of struvite, to achieve its dissolution and prevent recurrences;
- controlled pH slightly acid (6,0-6,3), ideal to control struvite and which, in turn, is not harmful to oxalate;
- Feeding wet food (from a can) is ideal as it increases water intake and produces more dilute urine; however, some cats have a strong preference for dry food, so it's important to check with your vet for the right food. A thorough sediment analysis is indicated in all persistent/recurrent cases, combined with a urine culture (and susceptibility testing) when infection is suspected.
Urethral obstruction occurs almost exclusively in male cats and can be secondary to a number of causes, including:
- urethral plugs,
- urethritis,
- urethral spasm,
- urethral strictures,
- arrest of uroliths in the urethra.
Symptoms and pathologies of the urinary tract in dogs
Pathologies related to the urinary tract are frequent, from bacterial infections (rare in cats) to urinary stones in dogs. If your dog is diagnosed with a urinary tract disease, your vet will work with you to treat the symptoms and underlying causes to ensure your dog is as healthy and happy as possible.
As in humans, the dog's urinary tract is responsible for storage and expulsion of urine, which contains waste products, residues of the essential functions of the organism. Even mild urinary tract disorders can be painful and uncomfortable for dogs, influencing their behavior, while more serious ones, such as obstruction, can cause further health problems and even be fatal.
For these reasons it is essential to consult a veterinarian at the first symptoms of the onset of the disease.
Some frequent symptoms can be observed that can help to understand if the dog suffers from a urinary tract pathology:
- Difficulty urinating;
- straining to urinate;
- more frequent urination or failed attempts to urinate,
- loss of urine or urinary incontinence;
- cloudy urine;
- drops of blood in the urine;
- pain;
- increased thirst;
- reduced appetite.
veterinary advice
The vet will carry out, as with the cat, a thorough examination of the dog and will ask for information about water consumption and urination (frequency or what is your attitude when urinating). In fact, this information will help you establish the possible causes of your ailment.
Once made the diagnosis, the vet will explain the type of treatment to perform. Some serious urinary conditions, such as stones that block the flow of urine, may require surgery or the use of a catheter to relieve your dog's discomfort. Other problems may involve taking antibiotics or following a specific diet specially formulated for lower urinary tract disease.
Proper nutrition for dogs
The diet of the dog affected by the disease must be modified in order to facilitate and improve the health of the urinary tract with wet and dry foods that favor optimal conditions of the lower urinary tract, giving the animal access to plenty of clean drinking water and cheering him up to drink frequently. In fact, water dilutes your urine and helps you urinate more often, cleansing your body.
It is necessary to choose foods formulated for improve the proper functioning of your urinary system . In particular, there are food products designed to promote urinary tract health by dissolving certain types of stones and creating an unfavorable environment for the formation of new ones. These formulas are intended to dilute the urine and affect the mineral composition and pH of the dog's urine. Once recovered, the animals must still undergo periodic controls to avoid recurrences.