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Overview:
Cystitis is defined as
inflammation of the bladder. It may precede or be secondary to urolithiasis
(stones in the urinary tract). [1]
There are several possible
causes including;
What are the
symptoms of cystitis?
-
Straining to urinate, only letting out a few
drops (if any) at a time. This can sometimes lead the owner to believe that
the cat is constipated.
-
Hematuria (blood in
urine).
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Increased
thirst.
-
Increased frequency of urination.
-
Excessive genital licking, way beyond normal
self cleaning.
-
Sudden halt in litter box usage.
-
Crying in the litter box. You may hear your cat
crying near, around or in the litter box. This also involves the cat
attempting to urinate & little or no urine is passed.
-
Urinating in places other than the litter box,
such as the bath or floor.
It is extremely important to note that difficulty
urinating is a medical emergency & you should take your cat to the veterinarian
immediately. Failure to act quickly can result in death.
How is
cystitis diagnosed?
Your veterinarian will be able to give a tentative
diagnosis based on physical examination & signs, such as straining to go to the
toilet, licking genitals. He will feel the bladder through the abdomen, the
bladder may feel large, full & distended or it may feel small & thickened.
He may also investigate further by performing an
urinalysis, bloodwork, ultrasound or x-ray.
How is
cystitis treated?
Treatment depends on the cause & severity of the
condition. Finding & treating the underlying cause.
As stone build up is caused by urine which is too
concentrated (and alkaline) it is important to try & get more fluids into your
cat, to reduce the concentration of the urine. It is also beneficial to aim for
a pH below 6.5. pH in a cat's urine usually ranges from 5.5 to 8.0, but diets
which result in < 6.5 decrease the chances of struvite crystals forming.
-
Diet: Moisten dry food or change to
canned/raw food. Dry food contains approximately 10% water, whereas canned or
raw food contains approximately 70% water. Avoid fish flavoured food. Feed a
diet which increases the acidity of urine. There are special diets which are
created to increase thirst. When I was dealing with a cat with FLUTD several
years ago it was fairly widespread that magnesium was quite possibly a
contributing factor to the formation of struvite crystals, and therefore a low
magnesium diet could help. However, it appears that this is believed to not be
the case.*1
-
Increase water consumption: Encourage
drinking by other means, such as providing a drinking fountain for your cat.
-
Urine pH: Try to feed a diet which keeps
the urine pH below 6.5. Unfortunately long term use of an acidifying does
carry some risks, one of which is the increased chances of developing calcium
oxalate urolithiasis.*2
-
Antibiotics: This form of treatment is
used for mild cases of cystitis. The decision to prescribe antibiotics to a
cat who is affected by cystitis depends upon the severity of the case. Most
cases of cystitis resolve themselves within 5 days. However, since cystitis
has been known to cause severe pain & damage in many cats, it is better to be
safe than sorry. Antibiotics can help in some cases.
-
Medications: Amitriptyline, which is an
antidepressant and Analgesia (pain killers) are two examples of medications
which may help a cat with cystitis.
How is Cystitis treated a the vet?
-
Urine: If your cat is completely blocked
then your veterinarian may extract urine by placing a syringe through the
abdomen & directly into the bladder & draw our the urine. This is a fast &
effective way of emptying out the bladder in an emergency situation.
Alternatively he may choose to catheterise the cat immediately. See below for
info on catheterisation.
-
Fluid Therapy: This form of therapy is
often used before catheterisation is attempted. It involves the feeding of
fluids to the cat in order to continue to flush out the cat's urinary system
(particularly the bladder).
-
Catheterisation:
This is the
system by which a catheterisation needle is inserted into what is called the
Cephalic vein. This vein is located in one of the front legs of the cat. After
the intravenous needle is placed in the front leg of the cat it is wrapped. A
urinary catheter is also placed in the cat’s urethra. This helps re-hydrate
the affected cat and also helps flush out the crystals that have formed,
as well as the excess potassium. Catheterisation on a cat takes place while
the cat is under anaesthesia.
-
Surgery: A procedure is performed on male
cats who experience repeated bouts of cystitis. It is also performed on cats
who's systems were not fully flushed during the catheterisation process. This
surgery is known as a perineal urethrostomy, and involves partial amputation
of the penis to the point where the urethral opening is larger. This will help
reduce the risks of blocking, although it is still possible a small number of
cats will become blocked even after the perineal urethrostomy.
References:
[1] The Cornell Book of Cats (p
227) - Edited by Mordecai Siegal.
Please note:
The medical
articles on this site have not been written by a veterinarian &
should not be considered a replacement for a veterinarian visit.
The articles are provided for informative purposes only & should
not be used for
the diagnosis or treatment of any
medical condition.
Always seek
immediate veterinary advice for any problems (health or
behavioral) in your pets.
While great care
has been made in the creation of these articles, we cannot
guarantee the accuracy or omissions on these pages. If in any
doubt whatsoever, seek professional medical advice.
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