Cat Food Information for Urinary Health Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease (FLUTD) can be considered a catch-all phrase which describes several conditions affecting the lower urinary tract of cats. These conditions can be uncomfortable and in severe cases, life-threatening. Find out more about FLUTD and why nutrition is an important factor in treating and preventing conditions related to urinary crystals or stones. Understanding FLUTD: Conditions & Symptoms The three most common conditions are: These conditions may cause a variety of symptoms: The exact cause of these diseases is unknown. However, it can occur when crystals accumulate and form stones that prevent urine from passing. Crystals can also form smaller pieces, called plugs, which may block the urethra, particularly in male cats. The two most common types of crystals associated with FLUTD are: Because urinary obstructions related to FLUTD can be life threatening, consult a veterinarian if your cat is showing any urinary symptoms.

How Urinary Health Cat Food Can Help A balance of nutrients helps maintain proper urine pH levels so it does not become too acidic or too alkaline and produce crystals. If your cat is susceptible to struvite crystals, look for urinary health foods that: Managing your cat's feeding schedule is also important in maintaining the proper urine pH. Feeding multiple, small meals throughout the day helps minimize pH fluctuations. Decreased water intake and obesity can be risk factors for FLUTD, so ensure your cat is drinking plenty of water. While surgery is sometimes needed to treat FLUTD, many cases of struvite crystals or stones can be treated with specially formulated or prescription foods for struvite dissolution and feline urinary tract health. If you suspect your cat has urinary stones or crystals, consult with a veterinarian before attempting to treat your cat with a targeted diet. Diets designed to dissolve and prevent struvite crystals may not be effective against calcium oxalate stones and may worsen that condition.

How to assess your cat’s If you see your cat: Urinating in the house please consult your vet. Cat's bladder health affected by FLUTD Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease (FLUTD) is a general term and includes for example urinary stones and other causes of bladder irritation. FLUTD does include urinary tract infections but only seldom. If you see blood in your cat's urine, it is most probably a sign of FLUTD, bladder stones or a urethral plug — not an infection. In dogs, blood in the urine often is a sign of an infection, but this is rarely the case in young to middle aged cats. Sometimes FLUTD is caused by bladder stones. Struvite and calcium oxalate stones are common stone types. Struvite crystals in your cat’s urine can combine with mucous and form a urethral plug. The urethra is a tube that carries urine from the bladder and out of the body. If your cat is not peeing freely, a urinary blockage may be the cause. Contact your vet immediately as this condition is urgent and could be fatal if not treated.

Common FLUTD risk factors Some cat foods may be high in certain minerals, which may cause bladder stones to form. Overweight cats are also more likely to suffer from FLUTD. When pets drink less, their urine is more concentrated, which increases the likelihood of stone formation. Your cat’s environment plays an important role in supporting urinary health. Watch our videos with helpful tips. How can the right food help?Remove Sink Stopper Delta Faucet Clinically proven nutrition to helpKittens For Sale Liberty Mo support urinary tract healthBlack Labrador Puppies Bakersfield Ca Register today and get £5 off your next purchase of Hill’s™ food Try the food vets feed their own pets and stay informed on news and cat care with our monthly newsletter.

Start enjoying the advantages of being a Hill's registered user today and don’t miss the chance to WIN a year’s FREE food. Terms & Conditions Apply Hill’s™ Prescription Diet™ pet foods are available at your vet clinic and online. Locate a vet clinic near you or start shopping online for fast, convenient delivery to your door.PERINEAL URETHOSTOMY (Urinary Obstruction in male cats) Cats that have urinary obstruction require emergency treatment. Why Urinary Blockage is life-threatening? The urethra is a tube-like structure that carries urine from the bladder to the outside of the body. Sometimes, mineral crystals or stones form in the urethra and block the path to the outside. The blockage is called a urethral plug. Because a male cat’s urethra is longer and narrower than a female’s, urethral plugs are most often seen in males (whether or not they are neutered). Once a plug has formed, urine builds up in the bladder. This is not only painful to the cat, but can quickly cause kidney damage.

The kidneys’ job is to release poisonous wastes from the body; when kidneys don’t function properly, these poisons accumulate in the bloodstream. The final result, if not treated: a painful death. What does the perineal urethrostomy surgery entail? The surgical procedure is called a perineal urethrostomy. Your veterinarian will remove much of the penis and the narrow portion of the urethra and leave a wider opening for the remaining portion under the anus. Your cat may be hospitalized for several days, and often a catheter will be left in place overnight or longer. Afterward, Kitty may be treated with antibiotics, urinary antiseptics, and urinary acidifiers. Post-operative care at home will require you to carefully observe Kitty and his potty habits. Perineal urethrostomy will permanently cure urethral obstruction in 90 percent of male cats. The surgery does not affect the formation of crystals (which result in the plug to begin with), but provides a wider passageway for their release outside the body.

Thus, blockages should not recur, but bladder infections might. How to prevent Urinary Problems? All cats should be encouraged to exercise and be kept at a trim, healthy weight. Feed your cat a high quality cat food that is low in magnesium. Entice him to urinate frequently by keeping his litter box clean and always accessible. He should have constant access to plenty of fresh water, as well; if necessary, you can add salt (sparingly) to Kitty’s food to encourage him to drink more. If your cat is prone to obstructions, you may need to administer medications, Vitamin C, or a special diet to help keep his urine acidic. You can also increase his urine’s overall acidity by restricting feeding to twice daily. This is because the digestive process temporarily lowers the acidity, so every time Kitty eats, his urine becomes less acidic for awhile. In addition, have your veterinarian perform periodic urinalyses on Kitty. This will keep you and your veterinarian alert to the urine’s acidity level and to the presence of any crystal formations, so you can stop problems before they start.

Be sure to discuss these and other preventative measures with your veterinarian, and get his or her approval before administering any medication or supplements to your cat. How to help your cat live a long, full life? Urethral obstruction in cats is becoming less common as more cats are routinely fed premium quality cat foods that discourage crystal formation. But Dr. Valerie Creighton, an AAHA veterinarian who specializes in feline medicine, reminds pet owners that the condition is an emergency situation. "Urethral obstruction can rapidly become life-threatening over the course of just one to two days," says Dr. Creighton. "Because of this, any cat owner whose male cat is showing signs of frequent efforts of any kind in the litter-box is strongly urged to seek veterinary attention at once." Now that you know what to look for, you can help ensure your cat’s good health by reacting quickly to signs of obstruction. What are the indications for performing a  perineal urethrostomy (pu)?

Urethrostomy is indicated when the urethral opening is too narrow or persistently obstructed. This procedure is most often used in male cats with feline urologic syndrome prone to urethral obstruction from protein plugs, bladder “sand”, or bladder stones that enter the urethra and obstruct urine flow. While some cats with these problems respond to diet and medication, others experience recurrent episodes of urinary obstruction. In these cats, surgery is the best treatment. Urethrostomy also is indicated in cases of severe penile trauma or scarring that does not allow for normal passage of urine. What preoperative tests are needed before a urethrostomy? Preoperative tests depend in part on the age and general health of the animal as well as the cause for the urethrostomy. If treatment for urinary obstruction is the cause, a packed cell volume (or complete blood count) should be determined and a serum biochemical profile test done to assess the kidney function and blood potassium.

Often an abdominal x-ray or ultrasound of the bladder will be recorded. If the need for urethrostomy is related to major trauma to the area, more extensive tests such as radiographs (x-rays), blood count, serum biochemical tests, a urinalysis, and possibly an EKG may be necessary. Creation of the urethrostomy may even be delayed until the animal is stabilized. What type of anesthesia is needed for a urethrostomy? As in human patients, the procedure in cats requires general anesthesia to induce complete unconsciousness, relaxation, and relief of pain. In the usual case, the pet receives a pre-anesthetic sedative-analgesic drug to help him relax, a brief intravenous anesthetic to allow placement of a breathing tube in the windpipe, and inhalation (gas) anesthesia in oxygen during the actual surgery. How is the urethrostomy operation done? Following anesthesia, the pet is placed on a surgical table, typically lying on his abdomen with the perineum exposed to the surgeon.

The hair is clipped around the area selected for the surgery. The surgery is done typically between the scrotum and the rectum. After clipping, the skin is scrubbed with surgical soap to disinfect the area. A sterile drape is placed over the surgical site, and a scalpel is used to incise the skin. Your veterinarian will have to dissect surrounding tissues until the urethra is exposed, and then will make an incision in the urethra and the penis. The surgeon will suture the edges of the urethra to the edges of the skin incision to create a wide urethral opening. Some surgeons choose to use absorbable sutures (stitches) that dissolve over time. Other surgeons use non-absorbable sutures that need to be removed in about 10 to 14 days. When the procedure is done to intact tomcats, castration is usually performed as the same time. That procedure is explained elsewhere on this site. How long does the urethrostomy procedure take? The procedure takes about 45 minutes to an hour in most cases, including the needed time for preparation and anesthesia.

In cases of severe trauma or scarring, the procedure can take longer and may require two surgeons or referral to a board-certified surgical specialist. What are the risks and complications of a  Perineal urethrostomy Surgery? The overall risk of this procedure in a healthy cat is very low. The major risks are those of general anesthesia, bleeding (hemorrhage), post-operative infection, and wound breakdown (dehiscence) over the incision. Scar formation occurs in some cats and leads to closing off the urethra. While the overall complication rate is low, a serious complication can result in death or the need for additional surgery. What is the typical postoperative aftercare for a urethrostomy ? Postoperative medication may be given to relieve pain, which is judged in most cases to be mild to moderate, and can be effectively eliminated with safe and effective pain medicines. The home care requires reduced activity until the stitches are removed in 10 to 14 days and preventing the cat from chewing or licking at the sutures.