Most cats with lower urinary tract signs are between 2 and 6 years of age. Feline urethral obstruction is associated with 9095% survival, with reported recurrence rates of 1540%. Potential factors affecting recurrence include size or duration of indwelling urinary catheter, use of antispasmodic agents, patient age, and indoor. Obstructions are often the result of plugs of inflammatory material or small calculi or stones that have formed in the kidneys and have passed down into the bladder and become lodged in the urethra the tube by which urine is drained from the bladder out of the penis or. Feline urinary obstruction pennsylvania veterinary medical. Male cats can easily develop obstruction of the urethra, which is the tube draining urine from the bladder out of the penis. Patient care report for feline patient with urethral. Urethral obstruction in male cats todays veterinary nurse. Outcome of male cats managed for urethral obstruction with. Clinical signs include haematuria, pollakiuria, and dysuria in the non.
Neutered male cats are especially prone to urinary blockage because they have may narrow urethras so narrow that involuntary urethral muscle spasms can block the flow of urine. On intake, place iv catheter and collect full blood work. Recovery of urinary tract obstruction in cats your cat will likely be kept in the veterinary hospital for a few days so that your vet or surgeon can ensure that the condition is improving. Journal of the american veterinary medical association 254. Male cats are more likely to develop a urinary obstruction because their.
Examination revealed 7% dehydration, tachycardia, and a firm, distended bladder. While both male and female cats may develop clinical signs consistent with lower urinary tract disease eg, stranguria, hematuria, pollakiuria, the male urethra is narrower, longer, and predisposed to obstruction. Magnesium ammonium phosphate struvite and calcium oxalate crystals are the more common types seen. Obstructions are often the result of plugs of inflammatory material, mucus, crystals, small stones called calculi that have formed in the kidneys and have passed down into the bladder. Once the acute obstruction has been relieved, the focus is often shifted to pain management to help reduce urethral spasm. Total urinary tract obstruction can lead to kidney failure and death in as few as 36 days. Characterization of the clinical characteristics, electrolytes, acid base, and renal parameters in male cats with urethral obstruction. A pu creates a new urinary opening that decreases the length of the urethra and allows urine to bypass this narrowed region. Urinary obstruction in the cat is a very common presentation for male cats with urinary signs straining, vomiting, licking, vocalizing.
Feline urethral obstructions are lifethreatening, so a prompt diagnosis is necessary to start providing lifesaving treatment. Feb 15, 2021 feline urethral obstructions are lifethreatening, so a prompt diagnosis is necessary to start providing lifesaving treatment. Open access case report perineal urethrostomy technique used. Objectiveto determine efficacy of a protocol for managing urethral obstruction uo in male cats without urethral catheterization. Feline urethral obstruction fuo is a common but treatable medical emergency hetrick and davidow, 20. Perineal urethrostomy surgery in cats vca animal hospital. Illustration of a series of calculi or plugs that have lodged in the urethra, creating complete urinary obstruction. This disease is not only lifethreatening, but can be painful as well. Conclusions decompressive cystocentesis, in cats with urethral obstruction, followed by placement. Illustration of the canine urinary tract with calculi in the bladder cystic calculi. Symptoms of a fuo can appear very similar to a urinary tract.
A perineal urethrostomy pu is a surgical procedure that is most commonly performed on male cats with a urinary obstruction. Feline urethral obstruction uo is a common presenting emergency in veterinary medicine. Nursing a patient with feline urethral obstruction a patient. The cause of urinary obstruction in cats is an increased amount of mucous and crystals in the urine and a narrow urethra. Obstructions are often the result of plugs of inflammatory material or small calculi or stones that have formed in the kidneys and have passed down into the bladder and become lodged in the urethra the tube by which urine is drained from the. Prognosis feline urethral obstruction is associated with 9095% survival, with reported. Feline idiopathic cystitis fic accounts for 53% of flutd cases, followed by.
Feline urethral obstruction uo is a common disorder encountered in small animal emergency practice, with incidence estimates ranging from 1. Pathophysiology of urethral obstruction veterinary clinics of north. Urinary tract obstruction in cats symptoms, causes. The most common cause of urethral obstruction in cats is an underlying. Pdf a protocol for managing urethral obstruction in male cats. Delaying diagnosis and treatment for urethral obstruction can be fatal. A protocol for managing urethral obstruction in male cats without. Pathophysiology the most common cause of urethral obstruction in cats is an underlying idiopathic sterile cystitis. Feline interstitial cystitis fic and feline lower urinary tract disease flutd are probably some of our most frustrating and heartwrenching cases, however based on a recent study. The blocked cat garret pachtinger, vmd, dacvecc megan l. Feline urethral obstruction is common in veterinary medicine, and recurrence rates of 14% to 57% have been reported. Surgical treatment and complications of a urethral.
Feline interstitial cystitis fic and feline lower urinary tract disease flutd are probably some of our most frustrating and. Diagnosing feline ureteral obstruction veterinary practice. Brashear, cvt, vts ecc urethral obstruction is a common, yet challenging case for veterinarians and a potentially lifethreatening manifestation of feline lower urinary tract disease. Feline urethral obstruction amy butler, dvm, ms, dacvecc president critical consults, llc pathogenesis of obstruction urethral obstruction uo has been reported to occur in 22% of cats with feline idiopathic cystitis fic, and is a potentially lifethreatening disease. Animals15 male cats with uo in which conventional treatment had been declined. Other causes include a mechanical obstruction secondary to. Cats that undergo surgery will be sutured and have to wear a pet cone, or ecollar, for about two weeks to prevent them from biting at the surgery site. Male cats develop urinary obstructions much more readily than female cats, due to differences in urinary tract anatomy between the two sexes. Feline urethral obstruction blockage, or obstruction, of the urethra is a significant problem in young to middleaged male cats. Retrospective study to characterize postobstructive diuresis in cats with urethral obstruction. In most cases, the urethral obstructions dont present a specific cause and are idiopathic, they may be induced by matrixcrystalline.
Diagnosis of feline urethral obstruction is straightforward, but the difficulty lies in. Male cats can easily develop obstruction of the urethra which is the tube draining urine from the bladder out of the penis. With obstruction of the urethra, severe prerenal azotemia, dehydration, metabolic acidosis and hyperkalemia occur. The above models indicate that improvement in renal function is possible even after chronic partial obstructions are identified, hence treatment should be pursued in these. A protocol for managing urethral obstruction in male cats. Urethral obstruction may occur as a result from a functional obstruction idiopathic obstruction or a physical obstruction, such as mucous plugs or calculi within the urethra. Verify and localize whether urethral obstruction is due to uroliths or a urethral plug by taking a survey abdominal radiograph. The most common predisposing cause of fuo is idiopathic cystitis ic balakrishnan and drobatz, 20. Aug 15, 20 2019 effect of urinary bladder lavage on inhospital recurrence of urethral obstruction and durations of urinary catheter retention and hospitalization for male cats.
Feline urethral obstruction fuo is a disease process that has few clinical symptoms, up until patients have a complete inability to pass urine. If your cat is exhibiting any of the following symptoms, it is imperative to consult your vet right away, particularly if your cat is attempting to urinate but passes little or no urine. Medical director, veterinary specialty and emergency centerbluepearl. Feline ureteral obstructions are an increasingly recognised and challenging diagnostic and management problem. Typically, plugs contain mineral and organic matrix e. Many cats with ureteral obstructions are critically ill at the time of diagnosis, especially if there is dysfunction of the contralateral kidney. Initial treatment factors associated with feline urethral. Most of the time, treatment is straight forward and cats do well. Feline urinary obstruction urinary obstruction is a blockage of the flow of urine out of the body.
Feline lower urinary tract disease urethral obstruction in male cats is often caused by mucoproteinaceous plugs and uroliths. The chronic prognosis for recurrence of lower urinary tract signs following relief of uo is guarded. Medical management of feline urethral obstruction sciencedirect. Clinically, urethral obstructions typically occur because of a mucus plug, calculus, or. Urinary tract blockage in cats is a common and challenging problem for veterinarians, not to mention a painful and potentially life threatening condition for the affected feline. Urinary output must be monitored following the removal of the urethral obstruction and this re. How to diagnose ureteral obstruction is covered in the first of a twopart series on the underrecognised condition. Feline urethral plugs, minnesota urolith center image of the month, dec 2019 feline urethral plugs feline urethral plugs are a common cause for urethral obstruction in the male cat. Male neutered cats tend to make up the majority of the cases, due to their long and narrow urethras brace et al, 2014. Potential risk factors for obstruction in cats include predominantly indoor status, decreased water intake, and increased body weight. The inability to void urine usually results from an obstruction of the urethra, the.
A 3yearold neutered male domestic shorthair cat was presented after 2 days of pollakiuria and hematuria. The cause of the inflammatory materials and stone formation it not well understood, though viral infections and diet may play a role. In this case, the patient had a low pain score at discharge and the patient s obstruction had been relieved, so no home opioid analgesics were dispensed. However, as time passes, an obstructed cat typically becomes much more distressed, often crying out in pain. Feline lower urinary tract disease flutd is a term used to describe a variety of disorders characterised by clinical signs such as periuria, hematuria, pollakiuria, stranguria andor urinary obstruction 1. Nursing a patient with feline urethral obstruction a.
Managing feline urethral obstruction todays veterinary. Urogenital emergencies urethral obstruction in male cats. Obstructions are often the result of plugs of inflammatory material, mucus, crystals, small stones called calculi that have formed in the kidneys and have passed down into the bladder see urinary stones. Outcome of male cats managed for urethral obstruction with decompressive cystocentesis and urinary catheterization. Managing feline urethral obstruction todays veterinary practice. Guarded longterm prognosis in male cats with urethral obstruction. Feline lower urinary tract disease cornell university. The veterinarian will feel the bladder, which will feel large and firm. A cat experiencing a urethral obstruction usually behaves similarly to cats with luts of other causes, and may strain to urinate, make frequent attempts to urinate, and produce little, if any, urine. Urethral plugs consisting of matrix and crystal material most frequently obstruct the penile part of the male urethra 5, 10. Potential factors affecting recurrence include size or. Indwelling urinary catheters or manual bladder expression may suffice. Patient care report for feline patient with urethral obstruction. The most serious cases of urinary tract obstruction are often seen in young male cats with a history of feline lower urinary tract di sease flutd.
An xray of a dog with multiple, irregularlyshaped calculi in the bladder. Urinary obstruction in the feline ethos veterinary health. Clinically, urethral obstructions typically occur because of a mucus plug, calculus, or stricture. Pdf to determine efficacy of a protocol for managing urethral obstruction uo in male cats without urethral catheterization. In 1971, an observational study discussed an escalating approach to. Evaluation for association between indwelling urethral catheter placement and risk of recurrent urethral obstruction in cats.
Potential factors affecting recurrence include size or duration of indwelling urinary catheter, use of antispasmodic agents, patient age, and indooroutdoor lifestyle. Symptoms of a fuo can appear very similar to a urinary tract infection, but are often much more dramatic. Feline urethral obstruction uo is a relatively common and frequent emergency that all. Coccygeal epidurals for feline urethral obstruction fuo feline urethral obstruction fuo is a common emergency condition seen in feline medicine. Objectiveto determine efficacy of a protocol for managing urethral obstruction uo in male cats without urethral catheterization designclinical trial animals15 male cats with uo in which conventional treatment had been declined procedureslaboratory testing and abdominal radiography were performed, and cats with severe metabolic derangements or urinary calculi were excluded. Other causes include a mechanical obstruction secondary to urethral spasm or a neoplastic. Cats more frequently present with mucous plug obstructions related to feline lower urinary tract disease flutd, a combination of lower urinary tract problems in cats. Patients generally present with a history of urinary obstruction andor signs of urinary tract infection.
Urinary catheter placement for feline urethral obstruction. Coccygeal epidurals in blocked cats vetgirl veterinary ce blog. Over the past decade, a body of clinically relevant scientific literature related to the inhospital management of feline uo has been published. Feline urinary obstruction scottsdale veterinary clinic. Coccygeal epidural with local anesthetic for catheterization and pain management in the treatment of feline urethral obstruction. Urethral obstruction is a relatively common condition in domestic male cats that. Vetgirl feline urethral obstruction homepage vetgirl. Obstructive uropathy in small animals urinary system. Medical management of feline urethral obstruction carl a. Feline urethral obstruction virginia veterinary medical association. Feline urethral obstruction paw health network, inc.
Mucus, crystals, and sometimes tiny calculi millimeters in size can collect at the narrowest part of the urethra in the penis and form a plug. Urinary output must be monitored following the removal of the urethral obstruction. Feline urethral obstruction amy butler, dvm, ms, dacvecc. Urethral obstruction in cats is a potentially lifethreatening condition. Summary of major steps for management of feline urethral obstruction. Urogenital emergencies urethral obstruction in male cats is. Managing urethral obstruction in male cats proceedings. In regards to urinary obstructions, most of us learned. Listed is a general protocol for managing these cases. True feline urethral obstruction occurs primarily in male cats, commonly young to middle. Urethral obstruction uo has been reported to occur in 22% of cats with feline idiopathic cystitis fic, and is a potentially lifethreatening disease.
Open access case report perineal urethrostomy technique. Coccygeal epidurals in blocked cats vetgirl veterinary. Feline urethral obstruction uo is a relatively common and frequent emergency that all general practitioners and emergency veterinarians see on a daily basis. Clinical signs include haematuria, pollakiuria, and dysuria in the nonobstructive form of fus and strangury if urethral obstruction complicates the situation. Cats that are completely flat out are in the later stages and are critical emergencies. Urinary obstruction in male cats american college of. Feline lower urinary tract diseases in general, and urethral obstruction uo in particular, are common clinical conditions in cats. Many feline patients present with suspected chronic partial uo and it may be questioned if intervention is required if the cat is coping with the partial obstruction. The administration of sufficient pain relief and appropriate fluid therapy as part of a well balanced nursing care plan is vital for the care of these patients. Unfortunately, clinical research on the treatment of feline urethral obstruction uo is limited. Prognosis for survival with proper, timely treatment is 90% to 95%, and recurrence rates are estimated to be 15% to 40%. Feline urethral obstruction uo is one of the most common emergency conditions seen by veterinarians in practice. A male cats urethra can also become blocked by small urinary stones or by urethral plugs.
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