Treatment for Urinary Tract Problems in Cats:
- For cats who show no infection, stones or crystals in the urine, the urgency is on reducing the pain of the symptoms with proper pain medications and providing stress reduction to lower the likelihood it happening again. Environmental enrichment that lessens the stress in the household is a crucial element of conduct. In especially anxious cats, anxiety medications may also be suggested.
- Cats with crystals or stones often need long-term dietary improvement to keep the urine pH at appropriate levels. Large stones may need to be removed surgically.
- Felines with obstructions require immediate hospitalization. The bladder is decompressed, usually by performing a cystocentesis through the abdominal wall and removing urine with a needle. The veterinarian may need to position a urinary catheter in order to absolve the obstruction of the urethra, often under anesthesia. These cats may need several days of hospitalization, depending on the severity of their symptoms.
If a cat suffers multiple recurrences of obstruction, the veterinarian may recommend a perineal urethrostomy. This surgery expands the urethra and forbids additional obstruction, though the hidden causes of inflammation are still existent.
FLUTD is stressful for both cats and cat parents. It can be unnerving for cat parents to realize that this is often a lifelong problem. The good news is, vigilant care, appropriate diet and stress management go a long way in prohibiting recurrence, so cat parents can take heart that their good care will pay off for their favorite feline.