Vet suspects crystals in urine.

[Heathermbm]

My cat, 3 year old female and spayed, suddenly a couple weeks ago started to pee in random places around the house (including right in front of a room full of people). I took her the vet. She said it doesn’t sound behavioral so she treated her for a UTI and said if it isn’t that it’s probably a genetic condition that causes crystals in her urine (I didn’t have a urine sample to be tested).
So, the day of her last dose of antibiotics she peed outside the box again (a week since the last one). When I went to clean her box it seemed a little light on deposits. I order her a tincture that is supposed to help with urinary issues and switched her food (purina one urinary tract). After reading some posts here I added more wet food and ordered a fountain water bowl. Is there anything else I can do? Something I should be looking for?

 

[verna davies]

If you can, record how often she goes, does she pee big quantities, medium, small or nothing. Is she in and out of the litter tray all day long.

 

[Heathermbm]

The times outside the box seem to be good sized in quantity, not really knowing how much a cat’s bladder holds (and she’s rather small). I don’t think she’s going in and out of the box a lot, she does go in but maybe less than normal? I’ll have to try to pay closer attention. I did notice she’s been drinking less, so I’m hoping the wet food and a separate (soon to be fountain) water bowl just for her will help (she usually shares with dogs).

 

[verna davies]

The vet can extract urine from the bladder to be able to analyse it. It could be crystals or debris. Is there any blood in the urine.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Hi. I would suggest asking your vet if you can just come by and have a vet tech draw blood directly from her bladder - that is assuming your vet's office operates that way. I have taken Feeby in with no appt. but with orders in her file from the vet for a urinalysis; a vet tech takes Feeby to draw the urine, brings her back to me within a few minutes, and away we go back home.

You probably should also ask them to not only do a urinalysis, but a urine culture as well. The urine culture will tell you what kind of bacteria there is (if there in fact is any) and what would be the best antibiotics for treating it. Some antibiotics will not entirely resolve an infection if it isn't the most appropriate one for the type of bacteria that is involved. Or, a longer course of antibiotics might be needed.

The urinalysis - as V verna davies mentioned above will also look for crystal or stone sediment in her bladder, to help identify what type of stones or crystals might be involved, if there are any. You want to know this, as some stones/crystals are harder to get rid of than others.

 

[Heathermbm]

The vet can extract urine from the bladder to be able to analyse it. It could be crystals or debris. Is there any blood in the urine.

No blood.

 

[Heathermbm]

Hi. I would suggest asking your vet if you can just come by and have a vet tech draw blood directly from her bladder - that is assuming your vet's office operates that way. I have taken Feeby in with no appt. but with orders in her file from the vet for a urinalysis; a vet tech takes Feeby to draw the urine, brings her back to me within a few minutes, and away we go back home.

You probably should also ask them to not only do a urinalysis, but a urine culture as well. The urine culture will tell you what kind of bacteria there is (if there in fact is any) and what would be the best antibiotics for treating it. Some antibiotics will not entirely resolve an infection if it isn't the most appropriate one for the type of bacteria that is involved. Or, a longer course of antibiotics might be needed.

The urinalysis - as V verna davies mentioned above will also look for crystal or stone sediment in her bladder, to help identify what type of stones or crystals might be involved, if there are any. You want to know this, as some stones/crystals are harder to get rid of than others.

Ok thank you. I will call the vet on Monday and see what her next step will be.

 

[FeebysOwner]

No blood.

Btw, just so you know, there can be blood in the urine without it actually being visible. But, the urinalysis will let you know for sure!