Post urinary tract blockage issues!!

Hello everyone!  I have an 11 year old neutered male cat named Ryan who recently spent some time at the vet due to a urinary blockage.  This happened about two and a half weeks ago, and while at the vet they inserted a catheter, gave him a shot of antibiotics, and had him on an IV to help flush his system.  After being at the vet for a few days I brought him home and began feeding him a special diet (Urinary SO).

All seemed normal for about 10 days and then he began having problems with incontinence.  First we noticed a large urine stain o the couch, which seemed odd because Ryan NEVER leaves messes around the house.  Then i went to check on him while he was sleeping in my bed and he was laying in a puddle of urine.  I cleaned him up and i noticed that urine just keep dripping out of him.  He does still use his litter box, although more frequently than before, and he is also drinking a lot more water, but his temper and personality are just like normal.  His appetite is also normal.  He also never strains while using his litter box. 

Anyways i brought him to the vet for another check up, because with the increased urination and water consumption i thought either his kidneys were failing or he was diabetic.  After another day at the vet and numerous tests including blood work and a urine test, the vet told me he didn't know why it was happening.  The only reason they gave me was that it could be a result of unblocking him before, but that usually we should have noticed him "dripping" right when we brought him home, and they didn't know what else to do.

For now ryan is quarantined in a room to keep the little messes he makes contained.  He seems to have good days where I figure he's back to normal, then bad days where you can map out where he's been by following the drips of urine.

I suppose i am writing all of this to see if anyone else has had this kind of experience.  My vet is supposedly doing some research as well, but i have not yet heard back from him and i have decided to look for some answers myself.  Any advice or ideas of what might be going on wold be greatly appreciated.  Please don't just respond with "you better take him to the vet," since i have already and while i have no definite diagnosis from the vet, he is doing some research for me to try to get to the bottom of this.  Thanks everyone!

Although my experience is not the same, I'll share what happened to my kitty, maybe it will lead somewhere.

I just had my kitty in for a dental. They have to knock them out when they get dentals. Shortly after the dental my kitty acted like she had a stone--frequent trips to the litter box and only a few drops of urine. I found out that the combination of anesthesia and fluids given during the dental (or any surgery) can lead to what is called urine retention. During the procedure they pump plenty of fluids in. If the bladder is stretched, it can take a while for it to shrink back down. The drugs given can also cause a lack of coordination between the muscles used for a normal urine passage. My kitty's behavior lasted for only one day, though.
 

I read that sometimes the bladder doesn't return to normal, though, or needs help. There was a drug given, I forget the name, to help. From what I was reading, though, the urinary problems appeared shortly after surgery, not 10 days, that is what confuses me. Do a search on "feline urine retention after surgery," see if helps you figure anything out.

Good luck with your kitty!

Thank you for the input Raintyger.  I'll be sure to ask my vet as well about the possibility of Ryan having a stretched bladder.  I'll also be looking into the Google search you suggested and see what i can find.

Also to everyone who reads my original post, I am sorry if i sounded like a jerk when I asked not to post "take him to a vet" as a response.  I am just frustrated with this issue and i assure you I have been very involved with my vet in trying to get to the bottom of this

Thanks again!

Luckily (for me), we've never had any cats with urinary issues, so mainly I am bumping this thread to see if we can get any more responses. 

Hopefully you Vet will come up with something after doing more research on this issue.  In the meantime, I'm sure they make diapers for cats with paralysis issues, so maybe you could find some of those so at least Ryan wouldn't have to be confined to that one room.  Just google "cat diapers" and take your pick!

Thanks for the reply mrsgreenjeens.  I have actually considered diapering as a solution to this problem.  Im not sure if Ryan would take to it verr well, but i guess there is only one way to find out!  Still waiting to hear back from my vet as well.

I recommend a second opinion with a different vet. A specialist if possible. Ideally, you could take him to a Veterinary school hospital if you have one within a reasonable driving distance (reasonable, in my lexicon, is 2 hours or less)

I wonder if laser therapy would help your boy. It is used for urinary tract problems. If your vet doesn't have a lite-laser machine, ask who does.

Thank you for the reply otto.  Unfortunately I live in a small town in Northern Ontario, and the closest veterinary school is I believe about 8 hours away.  I will also look into laser therapy, which intrigues me because I have never even heard of it before lol.  There are a few other animal hospitals in a larger town about an hours drive away, so it probably would be worth looking into one of the vets there for a second opinion at least.

I was in contact with my regular vet today and they are starting to think that he may just be suffering from simple incontinence, however they would like to wait and see what else they can dig up, if anything, through the research they are doing.  I was wondering if anyone has any experience with medication that is used to assist feline suffering form incontinence (ie: type of meds and how they are administered, costs, etc) in case this becomes an option for treatment for Ryan

Thanks for the help everyone!  

Sbrugess1 said:

I was in contact with my regular vet today and they are starting to think that he may just be suffering from simple incontinence, however they would like to wait and see what else they can dig up, if anything, through the research they are doing.  I was wondering if anyone has any experience with medication that is used to assist feline suffering form incontinence (ie: type of meds and how they are administered, costs, etc) in case this becomes an option for treatment for Ryan

Thanks for the help everyone!  

Click to expand...

Call me a cynic, but I don't buy the "simple incontinence" line from your vet. Incontinence is caused by something, and it seems far too coincidental that it happened after being at the vet for urinary blockage. I think they damaged him somehow with the catheter. But then again, I tend to be suspicious.
I agree with getting a second opinion in the larger town, even though it's a long drive.

I had thought of a second opinion before, just in case the vet is avoiding saying that it's because of the blockage surgery that they performed. I wasn't sure then. But now that your vet is saying that it's something independent, I would get a second opinion. Seems too coincidental. And if they're not sure, I'd rather ask someone else who is sure. Maybe you should call some vets ahead of time, ask them if they've had experience with incontinence after surgery, what types of tests and examination they would do, then pick someone from there.
 

Thank you both for posting!  I kind of felt as though saying it was simple incontinence was a bit of the easy-way-out by my vet, but I guess I was just hoping for an easy answer.  I am definitely going to call around to see if I can get some info from other vets.  I have been doing a lot of research online as well and from what I've read many cats seem to suffer from urethral spasms as a result of unblocking, although again usually it doesn't last this long, or occur this long after the unblocking.  I'll be sure to ask my vet and any other vets i can get in contact with about that possibility.

Thanks again for all the input!  The help and ideas are greatly appreciated.

my male cat has just spent three days at the vets with a blocked bladder. i bought him home yesterday and he keeps licking his bottom. he has used his litter tray but hasnt passed a lot of urine. im worried that tbis may be a sign that he is blocked again. i am going to ring the vets in the morning x

snipersmum,

Read my first post (second post in this thread). Side effects of surgery anesthesia include inability of the cat to contract the bladder in coordination with other muscles, causing trouble with urinating. As the drugs wear off the cat usually regains control and goes back to normal. I still think you should call the vet to make sure, as I am not there to observe your kitty, but I wanted to tell you that it is possibly just a side effect. Seems unlikely that there would be problems already.