How do you collect a urine sample?

I'm just curious in case it comes up for my CRF girl in the future -- how do you collect a urine sample and how much urine do you need? She's uses Dr Esley's Precious Cat clumping litter. THANKS A BUNCH from me and Boo

I let the vet do it.
It is better that way.
I have a CRF cat with bladder problems.

You can buy a urine collection kit from a vet's office, which consists of plastic non-absorbing "litter", a test tube and a little pump to collect the urine (a test tube's worth is enough). You can also use plastic beads from a craft shop or toy store in the litter box, and use a syringe without the needle to collect the urine from the box and put it in a clean glass jar. Uncooked rice can also be used in the box.

Both the plastic "litter" from the vet and the plastic beads are reusable. Scoop them into a knee-high nylon stocking, tie the top loosely, and hand wash them in the stocking. Hang the stocking up to drip dry, and use it for storage.

Most vets will collect a sterile sample by cystocentesis. They will stick a needle into the full bladder, and draw off a sample with a syringe. It doesn't need anesthesia, and most cats will tolerate it very well. Lola has had about 6 of them done this year, as she has chronic UTI's and crystals in her urine.

My other two girls are CRF, so I understand your concerns. Usually, you only need to do one urinalysis, early on in the diagnosis, to find out what the USG (Urine Specific Gravity) is. This measurement tells how well she is concentrating her urine. Once you start doing sub-Q fluids, the USG measurement is pretty meaningless. Most other CRF tests will be done via bloodwork.

Good luck to you and your baby!

I agree with getting the cystocentesis. It's the best way, the vet gets a nice clean sample. Once air hits the urine, it changes, there's nothing that can be done about that.

Just make sure your kitty has a full bladder when you take her in. You can do this by feeding her a watery meal (add water to some canned food, mix well) about an hour before her appointment, then put her in her carrier to keep her from using the litter box, until it's time to go to the vet.

I have a FLUTD cat, Mazy, who gets her urine checked annually (or more often if trouble is suspected) and, even though she can be a real terror when at the vet, she alllows the cystocentesis with just a little musical growling.

I also agree that a CRF kitty, unless UTIs are suspected should not need more than the one urinalysis. My CRF kitty, Ootay (rb 5/09) also had no trouble with the cystocentesis. She, also, had to have blood work every few months, until her last few months, I stopped the blood work, wanting her to just enjoy her last months without any extra stress.

(She also had megacolon, hyperthyroid disease, high blood pressure, arthritis, heart murmur and stroke.)

Are you giving Boo subq at home?

.

If the vet wants you to collect a specimen, most will send you home with a little kit. My girl can hold it forever if she has to rather than pee in the litterbox using the stuff they send home. To create less stress on me and the cat, I just have the vet do it.

One vet's kit I use used to use sterile aquarium rocks, a syringe, and a specimen cup. Our other vet uses this black plastic "litter" and a little collection cup. Supposedly, if you get some of the black plastic litter in the cup, it doesn't affect the sample.

I slide a shallow lid or container under while they are urinating, put it in the fridge and take asap to the vet. No longer than a few hours.

Thank you all so so much for sharing your insight and tips with me. It's really heartening for me to hear from other kitty parents who are successfully dealing with renal and/or urinary tract issues with their babies. My Boo bear isn't on subQ fluids yet, but I'm preparing myself for that possibility when she has her check up next month. So far her vet has me watching her for any concerning symptoms and monitoring her food and water intake. she's completely mesmerized with her petmate fountain and doing really good with her water

I'm so glad to have found this community. Thanks again!!

I'd like to give you a little bright spot of hope in your CRF diagnosis. Cleo was diagnosed at 6 months old, when my vet did pre-op blood work for her spay surgery. She turned 9 years old in May, and is positively thriving. Even my vet is amazed at how well she is doing. Maggie was diagnosed at 3 years old (very low numbers....more like renal insuffiency, than failure) and she turned 8 in May.

Cleo gets subQ's, Calcitriol, prescription food with phosphorus binders, and B complex vitamins. Maggie (she's a whack-job) only gets the prescription food. Dr. Sue thinks that if they continue to do this well, I could have them with me for a good long time!

I bought a Pet mate fountain last week......all three of my girls are afraid of it...go figure!!!

Good luck to you and your sweet Boo!

My Coco is 17.5 and has CRF.
We found out last Sept.
She has a lot of meds and gets fluids.
It is easy once you get used to it.

Ootay(rb 5/09) got sub q for four times a week for 3 years. She was still doing well with the kidney disease, it was the third stroke that was her last straw. I miss her so much. I spent the last three years arranging my life around her care.

Pookie-poo, did your vet hazard any guess as to why you had two cats develop kidney disease at such young ages?

Giving subcutaneous fluids at home takes some practice and some cats are more agreeable than others, but it can be managed and gets easier as time goes on.

I know a 22 year old kitty who has been in renal failure for almost seven years. That kitty was my inspiration when Ootay developed CRF. Up until then never in my wildest imagination would I ahve thought I could have done the subq at home. But now I have also given sub q to my other cats for other illnesses, and for some of my mother's cats.

By by the time Ootay left me, I was even giving her shots, and the occasional enema.

(disclaimer:never attempt to give your cat an enema at home. I was given special cat enemas to use, and was carefully trained by my vet how to do it.)

.