Urolithiasis in cats

What types of stones do cats have with ICD

Urolithiasis in cats manifests itself in the formation of two types of stones: struvites and oxalates. The first are formed in an alkaline environment, have a solid structure. Urine alkalinization is mainly due to an excess of phosphorus and magnesium in the cat's food.

The second type occurs if the pH of the urine has a high acidity, the cause of which is an increased calcium content. Oxalates are characterized by the presence of sharp edges and a loose structure.

Why cats get urolithiasis

Among the causes of urolithiasis (another name for urolithiasis) in cats are:

• errors in the diet (predominance of any substances in the food);
• lack of water or its excessive saturation with salts;
• the presence of chronic diseases, foci of inflammation, metabolic disorders in the animal's body;
• congenital or acquired features of anatomy;
• hereditary factor.

How pathology manifests itself

To find out that a pet has urolithiasis, at the beginning of its development it will not work: he cannot complain of discomfort or problems with urination, so the owners will learn about the presence of a dangerous pathology when it has gone too far. You need to run to the clinic if the following symptoms of ICD appear:

• the cat goes to the toilet not to the usual place, but anywhere;
• little urine is excreted, grains of sand, blood may be noticeable in it;
• the urge to excrete urine itself, on the contrary, becomes frequent;
• pain and irritation of the urinary tract with sand make the cat lick the urethra.

Gradually, the pet's body temperature rises (up to 40 C), he refuses food, moves little. When urine cannot pass through the paths, the cat becomes very restless, meows, and assumes a characteristic pose to facilitate outflow.

It is especially important to have time to see a veterinarian in a critically dangerous condition of the cat, which is characterized by the following symptoms of urolithiasis:

• the stomach is compacted, its volume becomes noticeably larger;
• since urine can no longer escape, it stagnates in the bladder, causing severe tissue intoxication;
• the cat hardly moves;
• foamy saliva is released from the mouth;
• the temperature of the animal drops, the pet shivers;
• vomiting is possible.

In the absence of timely assistance, the animal dies.

Important: intoxication occurs a day after urination stops!

Is it possible to diagnose urolithiasis in a cat

ICD in a cat can be diagnosed at the initial stages of the development of the disease, if regular examinations are carried out. To identify the disease or differentiate it from other pathologies (tumors, cystitis, and others), such methods as:

• urine tests (general and microscopic polarized);
• X-ray;
• Ultrasound of the abdominal cavity.

During the diagnosis, the veterinary specialist will definitely ask the owner about the conditions of keeping the cat, its physical characteristics, diseases and other nuances. It is important to tell when the first signs of the disease were noticed, how often they manifest themselves, and so on.

Treatment of urolithiasis in cats

When contacting a veterinarian with an attack of ICD in cats, the treatment of the disease necessarily begins with the restoration of the patency of the urinary tract. To remove the urinary stone or to clean out the accumulated sand, use a catheter. All manipulations are carried out under general anesthesia. After the formations are removed, the urethral lumen is thoroughly washed with an antiseptic solution.

In difficult situations, doctors must first create an artificial excretory duct – such an intervention is called urethrostomy. However, with very large deposits that greatly exceed the diameter of the urethra, a cavity operation is performed, directly removing the stones.

Further treatment is aimed at normalizing the acid-base balance in the pet's body, cleansing from toxic products. In parallel, they eliminate the inflammatory process by prescribing antibiotics and anti-inflammatory drugs. The total duration of therapy may be 14 or more days, depending on the complexity of the intervention, the condition of the animal and other circumstances.

Features of drug therapy

A mustachioed patient may be prescribed different groups of medications for the treatment of urolithiasis:

• painkillers (often - Papaverine, analgin);
• antibiotics (for example, Tseparin);
• medications that eliminate the inflammatory process (Palin, Furagin and others);
• antispasmodic drugs (Baralgin).

Supportive therapy is indicated if necessary. These can be: vitamin complexes, drugs aimed at normalizing the work of the heart, drugs for restoring the digestive tract. All medications are prescribed only by a veterinarian in accordance with the age and sex of the cat.

What to do after treatment

Regardless of the complexity of the treatment (even if the urolithiasis of the cat was detected at an early stage), the further life of the pet should take place in conditions of constant preventive measures. The owner will be required to conduct a regular examination of the pet: to take urine for analysis and do ultrasound diagnostics of the urinary system organs.

In addition, the cat should be immediately transferred to an appropriate diet that excludes components that provoke the development of the disease. If necessary, the mustachioed friend will need to be given antibiotics and / or diuretics periodically.

How to feed a cat (cat) with urolithiasis

Only with proper nutrition, a cat with a diagnosis of ICD can live painlessly for several more years. Since some pets prefer exclusively dry food, while others prefer homemade food, the approaches to the diet will vary.

Dry cat food with ICD: which one to choose

Most of the dry food is completely unsuitable for feeding a cat with urolithiasis – there are too many mineral salts in their composition. But there are also special mixtures that can be selected depending on the type of urinary stones, for example:

• Oxalates – Royal Cannin Urinal S/O LP34, Hill's PD Feline K/D;
• Struvites – Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diets UR, Hill's Prescription Diet C/D.

You only need to buy feeds that belong to the premium and super-premium class.

How to feed a cat with homemade food

Home feeding of a cat with urolithiasis also depends on the type of stones. Since the high acidity of urine is due to calcium, it is necessary to limit the pet in eggs and milk (and their derivatives). Vegetables rich in this element should also be excluded from the cat's diet. In addition, with oxalates, it is extremely undesirable to give offal to a pet, since they contain a large amount of oxalic acid.

Monotony in food should be avoided. The basis of the cat's menu should be meat dishes, while it is forbidden to add industrial feed of any kind to food.

It is important to provide the animal with free access to water. Since cats drink little, you need to try to teach your pet to regularly visit the "watering hole". A bowl of water should not be near the feed, so that the cat does not switch attention to food.

Important facts about urolithiasis in cats

There are several important facts about ICD in cats that every owner should know.

• Cats living in hot environments are at risk, as elevated temperatures cause urine to thicken and increase its concentration.
• It is noted that most often urolithiasis develops in animals in the age period of 2-6 years.
• Obese cats who are overweight are also more susceptible to the development of ICD than thin or with normal body weight.
• Predisposition to the deposition of stones in the urinary system is noted in cats of long-haired breeds.
• Due to the narrow urethra, the disease affects cats more often than cats.
• The disease is more often noted in cats after castration, as well as cats whose estrus is "wasted".
• Experts have noticed that cats suffering from urolithiasis have relapses more often in the autumn period (especially at the beginning) and from the 1st to the 4th months of the year.
• The formation of struvites is more often observed in animals under 6 years of age. At the same time, the formation of oxalate stones is more typical for cats older than 6-7 years.

Urolithiasis in neutered cats: true or not

The development of urolithiasis in neutered cats is confirmed by statistical data. However, there is no scientific confirmation of the fact of the direct effect of castration on the formation of stones. It turns out that both facts contradict each other. In fact, castration has an indirect effect and leads to ICD indirectly.

A neutered animal has a sharp hormonal failure. Changes in the activity of the endocrine glands contribute to the appearance of slowness in cats, some passivity (although a young pet can be very active), calmness in behavior. With age, the cat moves slower, reacts less to stimuli, including the opposite sex, eats more. All together causes the appearance of excess weight, sometimes obesity.

It is known that most of the overweight animals sooner or later get urolithiasis. Moreover, the slow metabolism of castrates causes rare emptying of the bladder, which leads to stagnation. And if the operation was performed too early, then the urinary canal remains underdeveloped and narrow, which also provokes the formation of stones. It can be concluded that neutered cats are indeed at risk.

How to prevent urolithiasis in cats (cats)

Prevention of ICD in cats is as follows:

• monitor the variety of the pet's diet, and if necessary, purchase specialized food;
• avoid the development of obesity by controlling the calorie content of food (you can contact a specialist for this);
• encourage regular use of water, ensuring its availability and freshness;
• maintain the activity of the animal, not allowing laziness to develop;
• do an ultrasound every six months, especially if there is a predisposition to ICD;
• regularly take cat urine to the clinic to detect salts;
• undergo a full course of treatment when sand or stones are found.

Such simple measures will ensure the health of a mustachioed pet for many years. If the cat has already been treated for urolithiasis, then they will help to avoid relapse, because it is impossible to completely get rid of this pathology.