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how long does it take to cure bladder crystals?

post #1 of 9
2/3/10 at 7:59am
Thread Starter 
a friend recently adopted a cat who started urinating inappropriately. the vet said he had crystals and recommended an all-canned diet (Royal Canin i think). Since the food switch (12 days ago), he has urinated in the wrong places a couple of times. how long does it take for the new food to take effect and clear up the crystals?

i know it can take a while for systemic issues like this to resolve. but is there anything else that can be done to speed up the process? my friend is frsutrated and i'm sure the cat is none too pleased about this too!
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post #2 of 9
2/3/10 at 8:09am
We all wish it was an easy fast process unfortunately its not... can be as easy as a diet change....all the way to surgery...I hope your friends cat gets well soon
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post #3 of 9
2/3/10 at 9:07am
The crystals are usually only the cause of other issues that lead to inappropriate urinating. The pain from nflamation and or infection of the lower urinary tract due to these crystals is the more direct cause.

I have been told by several vets that it takes four to six weeks for a diet to kick in. No cheating on the diet. In the interim, the more direct causes should be treated or eliminated as causes.

Royal Canin SO is an all purpose crystal remediation diet.
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post #4 of 9
2/3/10 at 12:06pm
Thread Starter 
thanks, is there anything available to treat the crystals he may still have in his system now? i understand the diet change may take some time, but is there medicine to treat his symptoms? i guess the vet would have mentioned that, but who knows.
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post #5 of 9
2/3/10 at 2:08pm
One problem may be that he associates the current boxes and their location with painful urination from when the crystals were really bothering him. It might be worth trying the following:
  • Brand spanking new boxes - maybe even a slightly different shape
    possibly add a box in a different location from the originals
    and, my favorite, try Cat Attract litter - it was designed for kitties with littler box 'problems' - and I swear by it; it helped my house immensely

I'm thinking the vet may have administered a pain shot, as well as a round of antibiotics, during the initial treatment. But, if this continues, my advice is certainly to call the vet again with a list of what's happening (including where, when, and how often) and get their take on the situation.

Good luck and best wishes to your friend - I went through this during the fall and I know it's no fun for either kitty or human.
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post #6 of 9
2/4/10 at 4:20am
Sorry about the crystals. I have been through it.

I would ask the vet about urinary acidifiers. My cat took two daily until the food kicked in. He is still on s/d food until the end of the month. Then c/d. My vet did not just rely on diet alone at the start. It can take months to get over this thing.

What treatment did the vet give the cat? My cat was at the vet 2 days on a cath, and had his bladdar flushed a couple of times. He did not come home until he peed on his own.

If the cat is still peeing in inappropriate areas, IMO, there is still a problem. Crystals in a male cat can be fatal in about 2 days not treated. Please tell your friend to readdress this with his vet.
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post #7 of 9
2/4/10 at 11:50am
Unfortunately, there is no clear-cut time frame on when crystals will be gone, as every cat is different. In many cases, putting the cat on a presciption diet specifically formulated to disolve crystals will "cure" the problem, but it may take a month or more, depending on how severe the crystals are.

Did the vet test a urine sample to also rule out an infection & determine the type of crystals?

As suggested above, Cat Attract litter additive & new litterboxes might help.
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post #8 of 9
2/4/10 at 6:20pm
Thread Starter 
thanks folks! i will suggest Cat Attract, definitely.

from what she told me, the vet took urine and said the cat did not have a UTI but did have crystals.

this brings up another issue: the reason the cat was taken in was because he urinated in places he shouldn't, a few times. but it sounds to me like the vet gave her the impression that the crystals were no big deal, and possibly not the reason he was urinating inappropriately.

i'm no vet but if a cat has crystals in his urine and is urinating in the wrong places, doesn't it stand to reason that one is causing the other?
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post #9 of 9
2/4/10 at 7:50pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by jimmylegs View Post
thanks folks! i will suggest Cat Attract, definitely.

from what she told me, the vet took urine and said the cat did not have a UTI but did have crystals.

this brings up another issue: the reason the cat was taken in was because he urinated in places he shouldn't, a few times. but it sounds to me like the vet gave her the impression that the crystals were no big deal, and possibly not the reason he was urinating inappropriately.

i'm no vet but if a cat has crystals in his urine and is urinating in the wrong places, doesn't it stand to reason that one is causing the other?
I would have another chat with the vet... Ask what type of crystals

There are crystals that are " no big deal" but this sounds like an issue...

crystals can cause pain
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