How The Vet Treats Urinary Blockage In Cats
Just imagine if your feline friend developed a urinary blockage in cats. This condition is a serious complication of feline lower urinary tract disease, also known as FLUTD. It's often caused by cat bladder stones blocking the urethra so your male cat can't pass any urine.
Why Does This Happen To Male Cats?
A cat blockage is rarely seen in female cats. This is because the urethra in females is much shorter and broader than it is in males. Although this puts females at greater risk for cat bladder infections, this does protect them somewhat from a feline urinary blockage.
Because male cats have a much smaller urinary opening than females do, it doesn't take a very big feline bladder stone to cause urinary blockage in cats.
How Your Vet Treats A Urinary Blockage In Cats
If your cat is unable to pass any urine, or can pass very little, this is an emergency. Your cat's kidneys stop functioning when the urine has no place to go, which allows toxins to build up in the body very quickly. This toxin build-up causes death within a few days if it's not treated.
Your vet will insert a catheter to allow the urine to drain out of the bladder. Your cat will probably need to stay at the animal hospital for a few days, as the catheter may be stitched in place.The bladder may need to be flushed out with fluids to remove any bladder stones that are there.
To keep him from becoming dehydrated, your feline friend will need to be given fluids, either by IV or under the skin. He'll also be assessed for any problems related to the toxic build-up in his system.
Most cats can go home after a few days. But you'll need to feed your cat a special diet for the rest of his life to prevent bladder stones from forming again.
What If The Blockage Happens Again?
If your kitty continues to have problems with a cat urinary blockage, surgery may be the next step.Feline perineal urethrostomy is an operation that can be done to enlarge your cat's urinary opening, which will prevent any more blockages.
This operation only prevents cat urinary blockage, not FLUTD. A kitty who has had this operation is more likely to develop feline bladder disease and cat bladder stones. He should have urine cultures done three or four times a year to be sure he's not suffering from a cat bladder infection.
Prevent Cat Bladder Stones
If you can keep cat bladder stones from developing in the first place, your cat won't get this condition. Cats with very concentrated urine are more prone to developing stones.
Cats that eat only dry food have this problem a lot more than cats that eat canned food. Cats are meant to get most of their water from the food they eat. A high quality canned food has a moisture content closer to what a cat in the wild would eat.If your cat is only fed dry food, he's more than likely chronically dehydrated.
Be sure your cat always has access to plenty of clean, fresh drinking water.
Herbal and homeopathic remedies for cats are now available. These remedies are especially formulated to treat and prevent cat urinary problems.You should buy them only from a reputable company that's known for manufacturing the best quality products for pets.
If your feline friend is prone to feline lower urinary tract disease, click on any link in this article to learn more about a high-quality natural remedy for cats that may help to solve his problem.