He is a male cat, neutered, about seven to nine years old. Yesterday afternoon he began urinating very small amounts of blood/bloody urine, such as on trashbags, and left diluted smears of blood where-ever he'd sat otherwise. We took him to the vet immediately, gave them a urine sample, but they haven't reached us back yet with the results of the urinalysis because of weather complications.
They gave us pills to give him in case it's a bladder infection, but we don't know yet; in fact we think it was brought on by stress, because he made a trip on Thursday to the vet for the first time in years and was terrified out of his fluffy mind.
But, since we don't know the cause, and can't tell if he's in pain or straining or anything, how can we tell if he gets a urethral obstruction? He hasn't seemed to urinate much today, that I know of, and since if the blockage isn't treated within forty-eight hours he's doomed, I'd very much like to know if there are any signs I should watch for.
2007-03-17 13:00:23 · 8 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pets ➔ Cats
Urethral obstruction is a very complicated and life threatening disease. You will not get the info you need here. You need to call the vet. If your vet is not open, you should call an emergency vet.
The symptoms you describe could be cause by obstruction or a urinary tract infection. The thing is, if you have any doubts whatsoever that he is urinating normally, you need to take him. An obstructed cat can die within 48 hours. They can suffer irreversible kidney damage is less time than that.
If he is obstructed, he needs to be hospitalized with a urinary catheter in place and his blood work monitored closely.
The vet can feel his bladder and tell if it is large.
I strongly recommend taking him in.
2007-03-17 13:09:50 · answer #1 · answered by tmrvt 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The signs are quite obvious. You will need to dump his entire box and start fresh. Then feed him maybe some chicken broth or canned food or baby food with warm water mix in. Or you can use a little milk if he likes it. The reason I say this is two things one is it will help flush his system if he does indeed have just infection and it will let you know if he can pee. I agree with you these things do sometimes come on with stress. I run a luxury cat boarding facility and I have seen it happen at our facility and I have other clients who will only board at my place because they got bladder condition when boarding around dogs. STRESS and BLEEDING but no infection found. So they sometimes give IV or sub Q fluid and a pain and anti Infammatory medication.
If he is plugged or getting blocked you will know he will go off his food get a fever and his new litter box will have no urine in it at all. I have had 4 emergencies of males getting plugged and this was the exact symptoms with the addition of them going into litter box straining and crying and licking themselves. Hope this is not what it is but if it is they can unplug him and if it continues to be problem after diet changes they can do surgery and remove his male part and "make him a girl" and he will never get plugged again Because the urethra opening will be way larger not narrow as it is in male cats.
2007-03-17 21:02:57 · answer #2 · answered by KittyCondos 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Not urinating is the biggest sign. And it sounds like he may be starting an obstruction, if he is only urinating small amounts of bloody urine. An obstructed cat in an Emergency! I don't know why your vet hasn't gotten back to you yet, because this is serious. If this was my cat I would take him to another veterinary clinic right away. Good Luck, I hope everything works out for you!
2007-03-17 20:07:32 · answer #3 · answered by Stark 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
They become very uncomfortable, straining in the litter box, meowing because of the pain. The medicine may relieve the infection from urine not being express but the blockage is a physical one and the diet will need to be altered. I would go to an emergency clinic if you are worried where they can do a procedure and catherterize him
2007-03-17 20:11:32 · answer #4 · answered by ? 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
When one of my cats (a long long time ago) had this problem, I was alerted to it becuase he looked depressed. I never noticed if he was straining in the litter box - I just came home from work one day and saw him sitting on his tummy awake but with a very dull look to his eyes. I gently looked him over and noticed that he was "protecting" his belly. I rushed him to the vet and sure enough, he was obstructed. The other signs that I noticed on looking back (that time) was my cat used to lick and lick his penis.
But if you noticed that your cat has not urinated at all for the day, best ruch him to an emergency vet so they can relieve him through a caterer.
2007-03-17 21:14:49 · answer #5 · answered by Phoebhart 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is more likely a bladder infection than just stress. Male cats are very prone to urethral obstruction.
2007-03-17 20:17:11 · answer #6 · answered by redunicorn 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Take it to the vet and demand the tell you right now
2007-03-17 21:20:56 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I THINK ALL YOU CAN REALLY DO IS WAIT FOR THE VET AND HOPE FOR THE BEST
2007-03-19 21:47:12 · answer #8 · answered by donielle 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋