Hello:
We just got back from the vet with Montana, our 4 year old Manx cat. Today when we came home from work, we found her vomiting and constantly crouching and struggling to pee. Only a few drops would come out, and she was doing this in strange places (the couch, on the kitchen table, on our chairs, etc.) She would sometimes vomit while trying to pee.
The vet feels that Montana has IFLUTD (Idiopathic Feline Lower Uniary Tract Disease). She gave us Amitriptyline to treat her. The vet feels it is not a regular UTI. Montana's Bladder is empty and she is not blocked (neither is her colon).
Does anyone have any experience with this disease? Are there any other possibilities? And what can I do for my poor cat in the mean time (when she is not sleeping, she is howling in Pain).
Thank you for any help!
Steve
HELP! MY CAT IS HOWLING AND STRUGGLING TO URINATE!
Did your vet perform a cystocentisis during kitty's exam today? If so, is he also going to do a culture? Did he check for crystals, or simply prescribe the amitriptylline? If only the latter, seek a new vet immediately please.
You need to know if crystals (i.e., struvite or oxalate) are potentially problematic, and you need to know if there is a bacterial infection that may not respond to common antibiotics (i.e., staph), or if there is bladder constriction or inflammation that is causing the problem. Without knowing this, it's nearly impossible to advise.
You need to know if crystals (i.e., struvite or oxalate) are potentially problematic, and you need to know if there is a bacterial infection that may not respond to common antibiotics (i.e., staph), or if there is bladder constriction or inflammation that is causing the problem. Without knowing this, it's nearly impossible to advise.
..........Traci
Hi Traci:
I am not sure if there was a cystocentisis performed(I do not know what it is). Blood was taken, and the she felt and probed the cat (she said she felt a possible thickening of the intestine).
The bladder was empty, so she could not get a sample. She told us to bring the cat in tomorrow if the syptoms continue and she will hold her for a sample. Montana did pee a few drops on her carrier liner, and the drops were bright yellow & concentrated, and that made the vet feel that the urine was OK.
She also mentioned getting montana on Cosequin. Could this be a good treatment? Montana also had knee surgury a while back and still limps, and the vet said it would help manager her pain as well. Sounds like a good thing to me, any thoughts?
Thanks You Very Much for your help!
I am not sure if there was a cystocentisis performed(I do not know what it is). Blood was taken, and the she felt and probed the cat (she said she felt a possible thickening of the intestine).
The bladder was empty, so she could not get a sample. She told us to bring the cat in tomorrow if the syptoms continue and she will hold her for a sample. Montana did pee a few drops on her carrier liner, and the drops were bright yellow & concentrated, and that made the vet feel that the urine was OK.
She also mentioned getting montana on Cosequin. Could this be a good treatment? Montana also had knee surgury a while back and still limps, and the vet said it would help manager her pain as well. Sounds like a good thing to me, any thoughts?
Thanks You Very Much for your help!
Steve, a cysto is inserting a needle directly into the bladder to obtain urine, it doesn't require anesthesia, it's a quick procedure that also allows an uncontaminated sample for testing.
If the bladder was empty, your vet couldn't do a cysto.
Amitriptyline might help with bladder constriction, but it is not for every cat, if your vet feels inflammation is a problem, she might consider phenoxybenzamine, which is becoming increasingly common for treating FLUTD if inflammation is a concern.
Cosequin is being used experimentally for FLUTD and I don't have enough studies to refer you to to determine if this would be ideal for your kitty or not. It's not going to help her inflammation in the urinary tract because of timing, it can take up to 6 weeks or more to cause an effect. Although, assuming your kitty had luxating patellar surgery, cosequin would be ideal in that situation, it can help cartilage and reduce the effects of arthritic conditions later on. Keep in mind it doesn't work for every cat, but I recommend giving it a shot, it's safer than other meds...
As for her immediate symptoms, I would stress how important it is to watch her carefully for signs of distress....crying out, painful abdomen, squatting and trying to urinate in unusual places, blood in whatever amount of urine she produces. Without the urinalysis, your vet has yet to discover potential crystals or blockage, so that's why it's paramount you watch her like a hawk. Should those symptoms occur, no matter how slight, don't wait, get her to an ER vet immediately, they can catheterize her and try flushing if they suspect crystals. If not detected, they can cause scarring, infection, and a host of other problems.
If all goes well tonite, report to your vet in the morning and take it from there, pending her thoughts and approach.
If the bladder was empty, your vet couldn't do a cysto.
Amitriptyline might help with bladder constriction, but it is not for every cat, if your vet feels inflammation is a problem, she might consider phenoxybenzamine, which is becoming increasingly common for treating FLUTD if inflammation is a concern.
Cosequin is being used experimentally for FLUTD and I don't have enough studies to refer you to to determine if this would be ideal for your kitty or not. It's not going to help her inflammation in the urinary tract because of timing, it can take up to 6 weeks or more to cause an effect. Although, assuming your kitty had luxating patellar surgery, cosequin would be ideal in that situation, it can help cartilage and reduce the effects of arthritic conditions later on. Keep in mind it doesn't work for every cat, but I recommend giving it a shot, it's safer than other meds...
As for her immediate symptoms, I would stress how important it is to watch her carefully for signs of distress....crying out, painful abdomen, squatting and trying to urinate in unusual places, blood in whatever amount of urine she produces. Without the urinalysis, your vet has yet to discover potential crystals or blockage, so that's why it's paramount you watch her like a hawk. Should those symptoms occur, no matter how slight, don't wait, get her to an ER vet immediately, they can catheterize her and try flushing if they suspect crystals. If not detected, they can cause scarring, infection, and a host of other problems.
If all goes well tonite, report to your vet in the morning and take it from there, pending her thoughts and approach.
..........Traci