Sasha is staying at the vet's tonight

Sasha was having trouble urinating this morning. He had been going about four times each day but in smaller than normal for him amounts. We thought he was going to improve. This morning he was leaving just a spot here then moving and doing it again. He did this for hours, probebly twenty times, as I was phoning vet's and leaving messages. Then he threw up his entire breakfast along with the antibiotic dose he got with it.

A recommended vet agreed to see him but they had no lab and wouldn't speculate on a course of action. Another vet with an in house lab also agreed to take him. The course of action they described was the action recommended by some on this site. I took him to the latter.

I called the original vet who has been treating him for the last two weeks and asked what her course of action would be at this point. She admitted that at this point, she would "probebly" Get a urine sample directly from his bladder and have the full sensitivity test done.

I had already decided to take him elsewhere so this was too little too late. I asked if she felt this blockage today was caused by the infection or crystals. I asked her to clarify the statement about the "normal" crystals we saw in his urine under the microscope. "It is normal for cat's to have crystals in their urine. They were not present in any 'concentration' to cause concern at that time", she said. I did ask her about the comments from the other vet about the crystaline glob I found in his urine last Tuesday. She admitted that he had indeed said what I thought I overheard. "If you're sure that came out of him, it must have really hurt", she said. I detected skeptisism in her voice.

She asked if I had been feeding him the canned Hill's c/d. I told her I had to mix his regular food with it and heat it up to get him to eat any at all. Even then he only ate 11oz over five days. I asked why she didn't give me the dry since I told her Sasha would not the canned. She replied that the two cans were less expensive than a whole bag. She added that the moisture content of the canned was more beneficial. I had just spent hundreds of dollars and she thought I would balk at the cost of a bag, however inflated the price might be at the vet! I could have mixing the two for the past week.
She then said that she had meant to tell me to feed him ONLY the c/d and nothing else.

I told her to fax his records associated with this episode to the new vet's office. "If there's anything else we can help you with just call", she said.


Meantime, Sasha is cooling his traumatized heels at the new vet's office. This is the same vet who treated Marlow's bite wounds last month. I'll call later to check on him. I know he's terrified.

Sending good thoughts to your Sasha. Sounds like you are doing the right thing dealing with a new veterinarian - it is hard enough to cope without feeling like you don't have the full trust for your practitioner.

My Apollo got blocked by crystals in the bladder/urethra. He was at my vets for a number of days and I left a Tshirt of mine with them so he had something familiar to snuggle. Once the crystals came out it took a number of days without a catheter for him to pass urine normally again as is bladder had been distended by the pressure (plus he had performance shyness and didn't like the litter the vets used).

I really do send the very best for a good and swift recovery and a good relationship with your vet.

So sorry to hear that hun. for Sasha, a quick recovery and a brill vet. xx

Crystals are no fun to deal with and do not always "go away" the first time even with treatment...I've had one cat's go away with meds and s/d food...the c/d was only giving AFTER crystals were gone...and I've been on the other end where surgery was needed..I've dealt with them with several male cats...I feel for you and your Sasha...I sure hope these nasty things get dealt with and he feels better soon

Sasha's doctor called to inform me that Sasha was partially blocked by struvite crystals forming an irregular shaped granule and lodging in his urethra. Who would have thought? Besides most of you I mean. Sasha has a bladder infection as well. He will be kept overnight and I should be able to bring him home in the morning.


He said Sasha had "a good stream goin" after he treated him. We'll try to control the crystals with diet. "Dry is fine if that's all he'll eat."


He said he would sell me his Science Diet or I could go buy any number of suitable substitutes. The only advantage of Science Diet is if Sasha won't eat it I can bring it back. My wife researched food and brought home a bag of Wysong "Uretic". She said she did not like the Science Diet brand. I will submit the Uretic for the vets approval in the morning when I can hopefully pick up my little buddy and bring him home.

Sasha watching his lunch being prepared.

Aw, the poor thing. Thank goodness you've got him under good care now.

The Hills Prescription Diet (not Science Diet, Science Diet is the grocery store brand) is an excellent food for controlling struvite crystals but as you have discovered there are a few other choices of prescription foods available.

Please keep us posted on Sascha.

He's gorgeous!

I'm sorry you're dealing with this frustrating problem, and I hope Sasha feels better soon.

Here's hoping Sasha feels better very soon - and that you're able to find a treatment that works for both of you.

I can't believe the line about the bag of dry food costing that much - of course, since a can of CD is just over $1, even the small, four pound bag is going to cost more - but as you said, you weren't going to balk at it, and I know my vet will take back unused food.

I hope you have luck with the Wysong - with Dante, after a month on the Hill's CD (wet and dry), I got him in for a urine sample and it came back clean. He's been ok since then, and he's due in March for another urine sample. I agree that in a perfect world, wet is great - but if kitty wants kibble, thank goodness there are dry prescription foods.

You and your wife have really been through the wringer on this - I surely hope things improve for all of you.

So sorry to hear about Sasha.. but it sounds like you found a good vet and kitty is on the road to recovery. Good luck in the food dept. Hill's prescription is good.. it's their grocery store/commercial line thats meh!

That Sasha feels better soon!!! I'm sure Marlow misses him too. I've been following all of these related threads. I hope it all works out well with this vet!

Wow, you sure have been through a lot! Now there is light at the end of the crystal tunnel!

Hope Sasha can come home tomorrow and will be on the road to recovery. Beeba is still on his s/d (Hills) dry. He will transition to c/d probably in a month or so. It can be licked, just takes a concentrated effort by both vet and patient.

You have been persistant and it is paying off. Please keep us posted on your buddy!

PS Push the water!!

It sounds like you might have finally found a good vet!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Unfortunately, when they first develop crystals, it can take a few vet visits, an empty bladder we think is a block, and a couple of blockages before the diet and/or acidifiers kick in and it all gets straightened out.

Many for Sasha!

Thanks for the vibes everyone. My Sasha didn't get to come home today. The vet will keep him at least til Thursday. He said Sasha ate and drank water overnight but did not urinate. His bladder was full again and his urethra, he said, was clear. He told me that Sasha is having a muscular issue related to urinating.

He is being treated with a drug that is supposed to tone up the muscles around his bladder if I understood the vet correctly.

He also changed the antibiotic. The Clavamox was not working against the bladder infection.

Meantime I miss him. Vet said it would stress him unduly to see me if I could not take him home. So I won't see him til Thursday. Did I say I miss him?

Originally Posted by diggerled

Thanks for the vibes everyone. My Sasha didn't get to come home today. The vet will keep him at least til Thursday. He said Sasha ate and drank water overnight but did not urinate. His bladder was full again and his urethra, he said, was clear. He told me that Sasha is having a muscular issue related to urinating.

He is being treated with a drug that is supposed to tone up the muscles around his bladder if I understood the vet correctly.

He also changed the antibiotic. The Clavamox was not working against the bladder infection.

Meantime I miss him. Vet said it would stress him unduly to see me if I could not take him home. So I won't see him til Thursday. Did I say I miss him?

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Thanks for the update, though I'm sorry it's not better news. I'm glad he's getting such excellent care but I disagree with your vet about visiting.

I think it's important for pets in hospital to see their people every day. It lets them know you are coming back. Every time you come in to see him, then leave, then come in again, it lets him know you will be back.

I think visiting is very important to keep his spirits up. I've never heard your new vet's point of view before.

In case you hadn't done this yet, take something to the clinic that smells strongly of you... like a sweaty tee shirt and give that to Sasha to cuddle with... it should help him.

Sorry Sasha can't come home yet. Beeba was in the vets for 2 days.

I wonder why you can't visit? My vet actually asked me to come in and spend some time with him. Not just with Beeb but he has asked me before when I have had cats in for a while to come over. I pull up a chair, sit next to the open cage and spend as much time as I want. I agree, take something familiar to him. Beeba has a stuffed Meerkat that I took to him.

But at least you are getting better treatment. Obviously your vet wants to take the time to ensure Sasha is going home in good shape.

These crystals take a long time to manage. Hopefully with the right diet and good water intake, you will have this licked.

Keep us posted!

Some feline behaviorists, like your vet, also do not recommend visiting daily unless the kitty is coming home. They recommend leaving something personal that's nice and smelly to put in the cage, and maybe a favorite toy...but apparently for some cats seeing their humans come and go actually stresses them out more - they don't really understand why they're being left behind.

So, I've definitely read in cat books that your vet's POV is not unheard of...and it's probably a case of how individual pets react. Of course, it's also tough on the human.

for a safe andreturn home soon

Actually, we've found that our visiting our cats when they're in the hospital that it does stress them when they can't come home with us. I think it really depends upon the cat for whether visiting or not is helpful.

We would leave a smelly t-shirt with them. We also would always give them one of their beds, spray their cage with Feliway, and give them a box to put the bed in (if whatever the health problem was allowed it) so they had a hidey place.

Hmm my vet would always want me to come to visit...It was funny my cat wouldn't eat anything but as soon as he saw me....he would eat all this food...So I was going twice a day....My male cat was in and out for many months with crystals til finally the surgery...I happen to think it did my cat and myself alot of good...but I suppose each cat is different..I sure hope Sasha comes home soon.

The vet called me this morning. He told me he felt that Sasha was doing very well with the medication. He said he was going to go ahead and administer the second dose this evening and if Sasha is doing as well tomorrow as he was today he will release him and skip the third dose which was planned. Knock on wood, fingers crossed.