Update: Jubbs' Cystotomy

It's been a while since I've visited here. I posted a while back about my guy Jubbs having bladderstones.

We were using Dissolution food and antibiotics to see if they wold dissolve, went back for more xrays after two onths. No changes. Still straining and peeing blood.

I got lucky and ended up getting a job at this clinic as a veterinary assistant after finishing school. About 3 weeks ago, he had his surgery to remove the stones, which I somehow managed to assist through! Didn't think I'd be able to do it, but I did. two large stones were removed. After sending them for analysis to the urolith centre, they were calcium oxalate. We also did a histopathology on a piece of his bladder tissue, and it came back non-cancerous! Yay! (the bladder was very inflammed and swollen, and didn't look right.)

Bad news: It is likely that these stones could reoccur.
Good news: I work in a clinic where we can do the surgeries.

After the surgery, he spent two dys at the clinic (which was nice, I was able to care for him, so he wasn't as traumatized or upset) He recovered great at home from the surgery, never licked at his incision, and was very happy to be pain-free! So far he has been in the clear. Nice, normal coloured and sized pees! I actually forgot a cat isn't supposed to pee 50 times a day like he was before the surgery!

Anyhow, just wanted to give you all a happy update!

One of our kitties had to have a cystotomy due to what turned out to be calcium oxalate stones. Our vet recommended the Science Diet C/D food. I know it's kind of junky food and very expensive for what it is - but it has now been three years since then, and prior to that he was having regular problems with crystals, stones, and bladder issues.

So people like to poo-poo Science Diet - but it has really worked for us. (And we have another male that had repeated blockages due to struvite stones, and he hasn't had any further problems since switching to the C/D diet either).

Hope this will be the last of his crystal and stone problems!

Sounds as if the surgery went very well (how brave of you to assist)!

Here's hoping for a stone-free future for Jubbs.

He's actually eating Medi-Cal Mature, which also helps with stone prevention (like a milder form of Urinary s/o), being an older cat (11) we thought it would be best. (since this whole ordeal started he's been eating Medi-Cal foods, and his health has been great, great BM's, super shiny fur, etc) c/d have been one of our options had he not liked the Mature wet/dry. I don't see an issue with c/d, it's definately a lot better than a LOT of other foods out there!!!

Today I had to bring him into work with me to get his 4 week post-surgical urinalysis done, and vaccines and a courtesy cut... Poor puffy butt boy with all that hair! Not too fun for him as he had to be poked with needles and one more for cystocentisis! He passed the urinalysis, and it looks like he's in the clear until 3 months from now when we do another urinalysis and an x ray.

He's been so good and so brave through all this. It amazes me what animals will go through, and still be in good spirits!