First post here, hoping to find some insight!
My 7 year old boy recently started licking the hair off the base of his tail and licking genital area. After a few days I took him to my vet-who said it looked like a fungal thing and injected him with a steroid shot to stop the licking. A week later I took him back to the vet as the hair loss got worse and he was also licking his lower back (kidney/bladder area! He wanted to inject him with another steroid which I declined. (Not a big fan of the corticosteroids unless it’s absolutely necessary). One week later, not resolved so I tested the cat’s urine at home with a strip and it showed white blood cells+ diluted urine. I brought a sample in (strip test results confirmed) and we got him started on veraflox thinking it’s a UTI. One week of antibiotics and he’s still licking both areas, tail appears worse. I tested the urine at home tonight and it’s still showing WBC’s and dilute urine. Vet is concerned about kidneys. FWIW here is my boys intake:
2-3 tablespoons of water with his wet food 3 X per day…so I am under the impression that he is not over hydrated. He pees twice a day at the most(large clumps). We started adding water to wet food because his brother had a UTI+crystals a few years back and it became the best way to get water intake. He is an EXTREMELY rambunctious playful boy that requires his “exercise regime” nightly..seemingly very healthy and not overweight. No excessive drinking or urination or poisoning in 7 years that I am aware of. Huge appetite, no massive stressors, no lethargy, no dental problems…..
how worried should I be about the white blood cells/uti..vs kidney problems? The dilute urine thing is really throwing me for a loop and the vet is concerned about kidney issues (while he exhibits no symptoms of kidney issues). As he is, hair loss on tail is getting worse, he still licks and bites at kidney/bladder area, he still wants to eat a ton and play all evening, is still urinating 2x day, and seemingly 100 percent himself. I am at a loss about my boy. Vet wants to test bloodwhich will be stressful for him but it’s necessary. Anyone have any advice on water intake/kidney/stones/uti/ or any other suggestions of what this could be? For what water I am giving him it doesn’t seem like his urine should be dilute, and on the other hand if he has kidney problems he should be exhibiting Other symptoms I think. Could this be stones/crystals? Could he simply be “stressed” from the brutal winter we’ve had, causing the WBC’s and licking?
Other intake: 2 tablespoons dry food, frozen raw snack, a few dental dry food treats, salmon oil supplement 1X day with wet food.
My 7 year old boy recently started licking the hair off the base of his tail and licking genital area. After a few days I took him to my vet-who said it looked like a fungal thing and injected him with a steroid shot to stop the licking. A week later I took him back to the vet as the hair loss got worse and he was also licking his lower back (kidney/bladder area! He wanted to inject him with another steroid which I declined. (Not a big fan of the corticosteroids unless it’s absolutely necessary). One week later, not resolved so I tested the cat’s urine at home with a strip and it showed white blood cells+ diluted urine. I brought a sample in (strip test results confirmed) and we got him started on veraflox thinking it’s a UTI. One week of antibiotics and he’s still licking both areas, tail appears worse. I tested the urine at home tonight and it’s still showing WBC’s and dilute urine. Vet is concerned about kidneys. FWIW here is my boys intake:
2-3 tablespoons of water with his wet food 3 X per day…so I am under the impression that he is not over hydrated. He pees twice a day at the most(large clumps). We started adding water to wet food because his brother had a UTI+crystals a few years back and it became the best way to get water intake. He is an EXTREMELY rambunctious playful boy that requires his “exercise regime” nightly..seemingly very healthy and not overweight. No excessive drinking or urination or poisoning in 7 years that I am aware of. Huge appetite, no massive stressors, no lethargy, no dental problems…..
how worried should I be about the white blood cells/uti..vs kidney problems? The dilute urine thing is really throwing me for a loop and the vet is concerned about kidney issues (while he exhibits no symptoms of kidney issues). As he is, hair loss on tail is getting worse, he still licks and bites at kidney/bladder area, he still wants to eat a ton and play all evening, is still urinating 2x day, and seemingly 100 percent himself. I am at a loss about my boy. Vet wants to test bloodwhich will be stressful for him but it’s necessary. Anyone have any advice on water intake/kidney/stones/uti/ or any other suggestions of what this could be? For what water I am giving him it doesn’t seem like his urine should be dilute, and on the other hand if he has kidney problems he should be exhibiting Other symptoms I think. Could this be stones/crystals? Could he simply be “stressed” from the brutal winter we’ve had, causing the WBC’s and licking?
Other intake: 2 tablespoons dry food, frozen raw snack, a few dental dry food treats, salmon oil supplement 1X day with wet food.
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