unusual urinary issue

iseeulookin · Nov 12, 2013

Hi there, first let me start by saying I worked as a vet tech for 15 years. I have a 12 year old manx named Smooch (cause he'll kiss to death if you let him, lol). Have many friends that are veterinarians plus my own personal vet. My problem with Smooch has been going on for several months but only came to my attention a little over a month ago as I have a multi cat household. At first I thought it was a behavioral problem and I was pretty sure it was Smooch urinating in peculiar areas, as he was always the only one present with me when I'd see the puddle. Then one evening a little over a month ago it was confirmed, he was licking his belly on the carpet in front of me when all of a sudden a stream of urine began to flow out of him. Of course I called a few of my friends who thought it might be a cystitis. I also took him in to see my local vet. They thought poss he was getting blocked. Ultra sound done, some crystals seen but nothing that would cause blockage. They kept him for a few days with a catheter and gave him fluids, blood work and UA done all with normal results. They sent him home on pred, zeniquin (antibiotic) and phenoxybenzamine (for spastic uretherea), changed his diet to C/D. I've been keeping him separated so I can monitor if he's using liter box. Which he is but still nickel to quarter size amounts, occ normal size but not consistant and the rest is on tarps/wee pads. I brought him back in a week ago they did contrast and radiographs all of which came out normal. They then added bethanechol to the mix which helps with spastic bladder. He's been on that now for 4 days, and no change. Still urinating quarter size amounts with and occ normal amount but for the most part still licking his belly to get urine flowing. Needless to say my vet is stumped as well as my vet friends I've been consulting with. None of them has ever seen this. I'm hoping maybe someone here has seen or heard of something similar.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions and of course for reading my novel

Nina

mrsgreenjeens · Nov 12, 2013

I've not seen, nor heard of anything like this before. Hoping my bumping this up will bring it back to the top of the page so others will readily see it.

denice · Nov 12, 2013

There is something called manx syndrome that can cause urinary problems. I don't know much about it so I don't know if it's something that can show up after this many years. You could try googling it and read up on it. If it fits you could ask your vet about it.

stephanietx · Nov 12, 2013

Is it something like incontinence? Maybe he needs kitty diapers.

iseeulookin · Nov 14, 2013

thank you

iseeulookin · Nov 14, 2013

Thanks Denise, I will look into it. I definitely know they have issues with bowel movements, I have to be very careful with his diet. Not sure about urinary issues. This is the most bizarre thing. It reminds me of how mommy kitties get their babies to urinate, he licks his lower belly area and it just flow's. I will keep you posted.

Again thank you, Nina and Smooch

kslevy · May 6, 2014

Hello, my Manx cat has almost the exact same situation as your cat. She is 11 years old, and had recently started leaving urine puddles around the house within the past week. I took her into the vet, and they did blood and urine lab work and x-rays and an ultrasound. They found some very small crystals, but nothing that would cause blockage and in fact they found no blockage at all, but the said when I took her in her bladder was completely full. She does not even try using the litter box to urinate. They gave her prescribed her bethanechol, prazocin and zeniquin. After about 2 days on the medicine, she did use the litter box once to urinate, but hasn't used it again. They finally concluded, in part because she is a Manx and because they found no blockage, that she has likely developed nerve dysfunction due to spinal malformation. They said we could do an MRI and see a neurologist, but since she is active and moving around it is not likely that surgery would solve the problem. So, we are left with giving her bethanechol indefinitely and expressing her whenever her bladder gets full (although I haven't quite mastered the proper technique for expressing her bladder which is very frustrating).

stephenq · May 7, 2014

@iseeulookin

Do you have any updates by chance?

iseeulookin · May 7, 2014

Unfortunately I don't. Nothing has improved. I had him on bethanechol for months and I didn't notice any improvement. Plus feeding him can food. He does urinate in liter box but it's the size of a quarter, unable to completely empty his bladder. He's happy, loving and content, doesn't seem like he's in any pain

iseeulookin · May 7, 2014

kslevy said:
Hello, my Manx cat has almost the exact same situation as your cat. She is 11 years old, and had recently started leaving urine puddles around the house within the past week. I took her into the vet, and they did blood and urine lab work and x-rays and an ultrasound. They found some very small crystals, but nothing that would cause blockage and in fact they found no blockage at all, but the said when I took her in her bladder was completely full. She does not even try using the litter box to urinate. They gave her prescribed her bethanechol, prazocin and zeniquin. After about 2 days on the medicine, she did use the litter box once to urinate, but hasn't used it again. They finally concluded, in part because she is a Manx and because they found no blockage, that she has likely developed nerve dysfunction due to spinal malformation. They said we could do an MRI and see a neurologist, but since she is active and moving around it is not likely that surgery would solve the problem. So, we are left with giving her bethanechol indefinitely and expressing her whenever her bladder gets full (although I haven't quite mastered the proper technique for expressing her bladder which is very frustrating).

iseeulookin · May 7, 2014

@kslevy I can't believe how similar our stories are. My little guy is 12. I've had no luck with the bethanechol tho. All the vets (incl one that only sees cats) I've spoken to are completely stumped although they are in agreement it has to do with him being a Manx. If u have any improvement please keep me posted.

quiet · May 7, 2014

Have you asked your vet to write into VIN and get some advice from some specialty veterinarians? It is worth a try.

iseeulookin · May 8, 2014

@quiet what is VIN?

stephenq · May 8, 2014

iseeulookin said:
@quiet what is VIN?

I think she is referring to http://www.vin.com/

quiet · May 9, 2014

Yes, Stephen Q is right. I was just lazy.

stephenq · May 9, 2014

Quiet said:
Yes, Stephen Q is right. I was just lazy.

kslevy · Jan 21, 2015

@iseeulookin, I just saw you your post. No further improvement. We have continued to give her bethanechol twice a day and manually squeeze her bladder at once a day. Sometimes, she will go on her own in the litter box, but usually not a lot. Other times, her bladder seems to be full and she seems completely unaware that it is full---she does not seem to be in any pain or discomfort which is consistent with some sort of nerve issue. She does continue to leave little puddles often when she sits down. We have finally decided to put her in her own room during the day when we are gone so that she does not sit on the furniture in the rest of the house when we are gone. When we are home, we put towels on some of the furniture and her cat beds and we let her roam the house (although she is almost always within 10 feet of us) and she seems to understand that she should only go on those surfaces with towels (at least when we are at home---if we left her alone, she ignores the towels and goes where she wants to go). Her own room has corner windows and she can look outside so I think she is okay when we are gone. She still likes to lie on top of us so I place a towel between her and me when she does that. My partner is frustrated that much of our furniture still has a faint urine smell and refuses to sit on any of our furniture now. It is difficult and frustrating, but she is such a nice cat with a sweet demeanor that it is difficult to get upset at her.

kslevy · Jan 21, 2015

@iseeulookin, the other difficulty is vacations. Since she needs to be expressed on a daily basis, we can no longer use a cat sitter for her because none of our friends no how to express a cat. It took my partner about 1 week to figure out how to do it (after numerous repeat trips to the vet for assistance). We took her on a 4 day vacation last summer (it was her first plane ride) and that did not end up being any trouble as she is very easy to travel with. But, it is difficult to find hotels that accept cats. We will be going on vacation later this year and we won't be able to take her with us on this vacation so I have talked to a vet tech at my vet's office and they said that they will agree to come by twice a day for $30 each day to feed her and express her.

iseeulookin · Jan 23, 2015

kslevy said:
@iseeulookin, I just saw you your post. No further improvement. We have continued to give her bethanechol twice a day and manually squeeze her bladder at once a day. Sometimes, she will go on her own in the litter box, but usually not a lot. Other times, her bladder seems to be full and she seems completely unaware that it is full---she does not seem to be in any pain or discomfort which is consistent with some sort of nerve issue. She does continue to leave little puddles often when she sits down. We have finally decided to put her in her own room during the day when we are gone so that she does not sit on the furniture in the rest of the house when we are gone. When we are home, we put towels on some of the furniture and her cat beds and we let her roam the house (although she is almost always within 10 feet of us) and she seems to understand that she should only go on those surfaces with towels (at least when we are at home---if we left her alone, she ignores the towels and goes where she wants to go). Her own room has corner windows and she can look outside so I think she is okay when we are gone. She still likes to lie on top of us so I place a towel between her and me when she does that. My partner is frustrated that much of our furniture still has a faint urine smell and refuses to sit on any of our furniture now. It is difficult and frustrating, but she is such a nice cat with a sweet demeanor that it is difficult to get upset at her.

iseeulookin · Jan 23, 2015

Hi klevy,
Looks like we are living parallel lives. I've found that natures miracle works really well for urine stains and smell. My ex had a nose like a blood hound and even he thinks it's great. Hope this helps

unusual urinary issue

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