Nya's cronic UTI's

So Nya had another urinalysis this week, a re-check. There was bacteria again. Sent it in to the actual lab to figure out what it WAS, and the vet wants to put her on 3 weeks of anti-biotics to fight this thing. She's been on and off anti-biotics for what seems like forever, and I'm skeptical that putting her on them LONGER is going to solve the problem, but I'll do it.

I've tweaked her diet, I've looked at suppliments but havn't used any yet. Mostly I'm just worried that even after this round on anti-biotics, in a month or so it's going to happen all over again. I need to know how to STOP this from happening again...

I'm sorry... I know this can be so frustrating. I've heard that with UTI's sometimes many different course of antibiotics need to be tried over several months. Are they absolutely certain there is bacteria? I'm going thru this with my male cat and there wasn't any bacteria. I was told he has "sterile cystitis", which basically means his condition is chronic and could come and go for the rest of his life. If your baby is showing bacteria, there is definitely an infection and they should be able to rectify it. Maybe some others on the board can offer more... I know Beandip is well educated on this topic. Hang in there...

Question is Nya eating raw lamb???

2furbabies is right. True bacterial infections are not very common in cats, but they do occur more in older cats than any other age group.

If they collected the sample w/ a needle, and cultured it...that's the best way to find out if it's really bacteria causing a problem or not. I guess they did that from what you said.

Does she have a history of crystals? Are they finding crystals in her urine now? Crystals and stones can encourage bacterial growth, because they irritate the bladder and urethra.

Has her bloodwork looked good?

Does the vet think the reoccurance is a relapse of the same infection, or a brand new infection? Has she ever been tested right after completing a round of antibiotics...within a few days or so?

Originally Posted by sharky

Question is Nya eating raw lamb???

Click to expand...

Nope, no lamb. I avoid it as a practice since it's naturally lower in taurine.

The urine was collected via cysto (sp) which is the needle through the bladder wall method. It's the only way we're able to get a decent sample from Nya.

Yes, we're sure there is bacteria. It's staph actually. I found that interesting because I'm not familiar with staph in this type of infection!

She's had crystals only once that I know, just a few months ago. They were gone after a month of prescription food (ick) and two weeks of anti-biotics.

I didn't get to talk to the vet directly yet about this, it was the tech who phoned me. I do have a series of questions to ask her still, like wether this is a continual infection from previous or if this is new.

Input is still very much appreciated, I'll keep everyone updated as well!
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What meats ... veggies and organs is she getting.... I am sorry to pry but ...

Sharky, we just changed foods last week, and I don't know the ingredients to the new food off the top of my head, but I'll look them up tonight. Meats are a rotation of: Beef, Chicken (they hate chicken lol), Duck, Rabbit, Turkey and Venison. I eliminated all fish a few months ago, and the new food has a lower veggie content than the old one, and there is also a formula that is complete, but veggie free, using herbs and grasses for fibre and some nutrients, which I've been rotating in as well, in those same meats.

Jean, the RX food was only to dissolve the crystals. It wasn't a maintenance food. I'm not too concerned about crystals at the moment, as I believe once we address the bacterial issue, the crystals wont' be a problem.

I would actually elminate the venison it mimics lamb in heat leval ...

Not a problem, she wasn't all that crazy about the venison anyways

Meats to fight inflamation

Rabbit

Chicken

beef