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#1
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help please - perineal urethrostomy questions - LONG
My male cat Ashley (will be 5 yrs old in May) got blocked a little over
2 weeks ago. Took him to the vet, he was cathetherized (sp?) and unblocked, but the vet said they couldn't get whatever was blocking him to come out - they just flushed it back into the bladder. The vet said they couldn't find any crystals in his urine. She suspected calcuim oxalate stones, but couldn't be sure because she couldn't get a sample. She said that it's very unlikely for it to be struvite (sp?) crystals, because he eats only wet food (Medi-cal Hypoallergenic - he's got a sensitive stomach). Well, now 2 weeks later he's blocked again. I came home from work and there were drops of blood everywhere, and he was straining in the litterbox and leaving only some blood. He's back at the vet's again. The first time he blocked, the vet mentioned a perineal urethrostomy. I didn't want to do that at the time, but since he's blocked twice in 2-3 weeks, I'm beginning to change my mind. So I want to know more about this procedure, and about what to expect afterwards. Could some of you guys who have had this done to your cats please answer my questions? 1. Is this a complicated surgery? Should I trust my vet to do it (I don't know if she's ever done it before). Or should I ask for a recommendation to someone who specializes in this kind of procedure? I want the best possible person to do it. 2. What are the chances that something could go wrong with the surgery? And if it happens, would they be able to correct it? 3. After the surgery, how long will they keep him at the vet's? 4. How long does the recovery process take? What should I expect his behaviour to be during that time? What should I watch out for? Should I do anything special to keep him as healthy and as happy as possible while he's recovering? 5. After your cat(s) had this done, did it really prevent future blocking? I don't want to put my baby through this for nothing... thanks, Nadia (and Ashley) |
#2
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help please - perineal urethrostomy questions - LONG
What are you feeding him? The food could be causing it and a change in diet
could remedy the situation without having to resort to such drastic surgery. I'd also get a second opinion. Stacey, who also had a cat who blocked pretty badly "Nadia" wrote in message oups.com... My male cat Ashley (will be 5 yrs old in May) got blocked a little over 2 weeks ago. Took him to the vet, he was cathetherized (sp?) and unblocked, but the vet said they couldn't get whatever was blocking him to come out - they just flushed it back into the bladder. The vet said they couldn't find any crystals in his urine. She suspected calcuim oxalate stones, but couldn't be sure because she couldn't get a sample. She said that it's very unlikely for it to be struvite (sp?) crystals, because he eats only wet food (Medi-cal Hypoallergenic - he's got a sensitive stomach). Well, now 2 weeks later he's blocked again. I came home from work and there were drops of blood everywhere, and he was straining in the litterbox and leaving only some blood. He's back at the vet's again. The first time he blocked, the vet mentioned a perineal urethrostomy. I didn't want to do that at the time, but since he's blocked twice in 2-3 weeks, I'm beginning to change my mind. So I want to know more about this procedure, and about what to expect afterwards. Could some of you guys who have had this done to your cats please answer my questions? 1. Is this a complicated surgery? Should I trust my vet to do it (I don't know if she's ever done it before). Or should I ask for a recommendation to someone who specializes in this kind of procedure? I want the best possible person to do it. 2. What are the chances that something could go wrong with the surgery? And if it happens, would they be able to correct it? 3. After the surgery, how long will they keep him at the vet's? 4. How long does the recovery process take? What should I expect his behaviour to be during that time? What should I watch out for? Should I do anything special to keep him as healthy and as happy as possible while he's recovering? 5. After your cat(s) had this done, did it really prevent future blocking? I don't want to put my baby through this for nothing... thanks, Nadia (and Ashley) |
#3
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help please - perineal urethrostomy questions - LONG
My male cat (now 3 yrs) was getting recurrent urinary tract infections that
the vet thought were crystals. He is now taking one Albeta pill daily (to keep the urine acidic) and prescription CD food (canned). He has done well for awhile now. I don't have personal experience with this procedure. I would get a second opinion before proceeding with the surgery. Why not try posting on alt.med.veterinary? Gail "Nadia" wrote in message oups.com... My male cat Ashley (will be 5 yrs old in May) got blocked a little over 2 weeks ago. Took him to the vet, he was cathetherized (sp?) and unblocked, but the vet said they couldn't get whatever was blocking him to come out - they just flushed it back into the bladder. The vet said they couldn't find any crystals in his urine. She suspected calcuim oxalate stones, but couldn't be sure because she couldn't get a sample. She said that it's very unlikely for it to be struvite (sp?) crystals, because he eats only wet food (Medi-cal Hypoallergenic - he's got a sensitive stomach). Well, now 2 weeks later he's blocked again. I came home from work and there were drops of blood everywhere, and he was straining in the litterbox and leaving only some blood. He's back at the vet's again. The first time he blocked, the vet mentioned a perineal urethrostomy. I didn't want to do that at the time, but since he's blocked twice in 2-3 weeks, I'm beginning to change my mind. So I want to know more about this procedure, and about what to expect afterwards. Could some of you guys who have had this done to your cats please answer my questions? 1. Is this a complicated surgery? Should I trust my vet to do it (I don't know if she's ever done it before). Or should I ask for a recommendation to someone who specializes in this kind of procedure? I want the best possible person to do it. 2. What are the chances that something could go wrong with the surgery? And if it happens, would they be able to correct it? 3. After the surgery, how long will they keep him at the vet's? 4. How long does the recovery process take? What should I expect his behaviour to be during that time? What should I watch out for? Should I do anything special to keep him as healthy and as happy as possible while he's recovering? 5. After your cat(s) had this done, did it really prevent future blocking? I don't want to put my baby through this for nothing... thanks, Nadia (and Ashley) |
#4
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help please - perineal urethrostomy questions - LONG
Nadia wrote: My male cat Ashley (will be 5 yrs old in May) got blocked a little over 2 weeks ago. Took him to the vet, he was cathetherized (sp?) and unblocked, but the vet said they couldn't get whatever was blocking him to come out - they just flushed it back into the bladder. The vet said they couldn't find any crystals in his urine. She suspected calcuim oxalate stones, but couldn't be sure because she couldn't get a sample. She said that it's very unlikely for it to be struvite (sp?) crystals, because he eats only wet food (Medi-cal Hypoallergenic - he's got a sensitive stomach). Well, now 2 weeks later he's blocked again. I came home from work and there were drops of blood everywhere, and he was straining in the litterbox and leaving only some blood. He's back at the vet's again. The first time he blocked, the vet mentioned a perineal urethrostomy. I didn't want to do that at the time, but since he's blocked twice in 2-3 weeks, I'm beginning to change my mind. So I want to know more about this procedure, and about what to expect afterwards. Could some of you guys who have had this done to your cats please answer my questions? 1. Is this a complicated surgery? Should I trust my vet to do it (I don't know if she's ever done it before). Or should I ask for a recommendation to someone who specializes in this kind of procedure? I want the best possible person to do it. 2. What are the chances that something could go wrong with the surgery? And if it happens, would they be able to correct it? 3. After the surgery, how long will they keep him at the vet's? 4. How long does the recovery process take? What should I expect his behaviour to be during that time? What should I watch out for? Should I do anything special to keep him as healthy and as happy as possible while he's recovering? 5. After your cat(s) had this done, did it really prevent future blocking? I don't want to put my baby through this for nothing... thanks, Nadia (and Ashley) I would take your cat to a feline specialist, if your vet is not one. It's unusual for a vet to recommend PU at first blocking. He may have a very large crystal in the bladder that needs to be removed - did they ultrasound his bladder? Did they test his urine for pH? PU is usually a last resort for male cats that have repeated (3 or more) blockages. I'd definitely get a second opinion. If you search for feline specialty veterinarians, you should be able to find one near you. Good luck, -L. |
#5
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help please - perineal urethrostomy questions - LONG
In article t63Zf.5250$4S.2398@edtnps82, Nadia says...
Stacey Weinberger wrote: What are you feeding him? The food could be causing it and a change in diet could remedy the situation without having to resort to such drastic surgery. I'd also get a second opinion. Stacey, who also had a cat who blocked pretty badly He's been eating wet food only since he was about 1.5 years old. It's a vet-prescribed food called Medi-Cal Hypoallergenic. Its main ingredients are duck and rice. He has a sensitive stomach and throws up dry food, and most other wet food as well. The Medi-Cal brand is a Canadian brand, I think (I am posting from Canada). It seems to be the brand most vet clinics prescribe here - there's all kinds of different ones, for kittens/senior cats/obese cats/etc. Is there anything specific I should look for in the list of ingredients? I did get a couple of cans of Royal Canin Urinary SO, which is supposed to help prevent the formation of struvite crystals, as well as "minimize the risk of formation of calcium oxalate uroliths". At least that's what it said in the little pamphlet I got with the food. I'll be mixing it with his regular food and hopefully he'll be able to keep it down... I don't want him to have the surgery unless it's absolutely necessary. It's just that when I got home and saw drops of blood all over my bedroom, I got pretty scared :-( I've never had a male cat before Ashley, so I have no experience with blocking - I don't know what to expect... I thought once he was unblocked he would be fine - stupid me :-( Nadia (and Ashley) Phil on this list would be the best one to answer that with ingredients and percentages. I do know the ash and magnesium % need to be low. There should be as much meat (should be the first ingredient) as possible. If your cat has struvite crystals grain causes a cat's system to go alkaline and you want it to be on the acidic side. Sebastian's surgeon told me to add water to his food to keep him "fluid" so the crystals and the goo that forms the block won't form. I add enough to make it the consistency of thick oatmeal. He likes it because he thinks he's getting more to eat! Stacey -- NewsGuy.Com 30Gb $9.95 Carry Forward and On Demand Bandwidth |
#6
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help please - perineal urethrostomy questions - LONG
Stacey wrote:
Phil on this list would be the best one to answer that with ingredients and percentages. I do know the ash and magnesium % need to be low. There should be as much meat (should be the first ingredient) as possible. If your cat has struvite crystals grain causes a cat's system to go alkaline and you want it to be on the acidic side. Sebastian's surgeon told me to add water to his food to keep him "fluid" so the crystals and the goo that forms the block won't form. I add enough to make it the consistency of thick oatmeal. He likes it because he thinks he's getting more to eat! Stacey I talked to the vet this morning, and the news is really good. It turns out he wasn't blocked at all - in fact, he seems to have passed whatever had blocked him before. That's where all the blood came from. I got him back from the vet late morning and since then he's used the litterbox twice!!! And there's no straining, and no visible blood. I am so relieved... Of course, now his appetite is a little bit off, but he makes an exception for home-made turkey soup, so I'm getting liquids into him anyway. I think the vet suggested the urethrostomy before because she couldn't get the blockage out. She basically told me then that he could get blocked again at any time, since the obstruction (possibly a calcium oxalate stone) was still in his bladder, and that there was no way to dissolve oxalate stones and the only sure way to get it out was the surgery. Of course, now that he's passed it, I'm not going to even think of doing the surgery!!! I really never expected him to get crystals. He's on an all wet food diet, with water added to his evening meal. The food is a quality vet-prescribed food, the first few ingredients in it are duck, duck liver, brewers rice and duck meal (and water, of course). It says on the can that ash is max 3%, magnesium is max 0.03%. I thought there was no way he could get crystals, and according to the vet, with this diet it is impossible for him to have struvite crystals. Now I have another question, though. When I got him back, the vet just gave me some pain medication and something for bladder spasms, in case he started straining. But no antibiotics. Is that normal? I would think that, judging from the blood, he must be pretty scratched up inside. Shouldn't he have gotten antibiotics to prevent inflamation or infection? He did just stop taking Clavamox a week ago (after the cathetherization), maybe the vet didn't want him to take more antibiotics again so soon? Anyway, I am just very, very happy that he's ok and that there's no need for this surgery. Thank you to everyone who responded (both on the newsgroup and in email). Nadia (and Ashley) |
#7
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help please - perineal urethrostomy questions - LONG
-L. wrote:
I would take your cat to a feline specialist, if your vet is not one. It's unusual for a vet to recommend PU at first blocking. He may have a very large crystal in the bladder that needs to be removed - did they ultrasound his bladder? Did they test his urine for pH? PU is usually a last resort for male cats that have repeated (3 or more) blockages. I'd definitely get a second opinion. If you search for feline specialty veterinarians, you should be able to find one near you. Good luck, -L. First, as I mentioned in another post, I found out this morning that he wasn't actually blocked, but had passed the crystal or whatever it was, which is why there was blood all over everything. My vet has a cats-only clinic - I assume that makes her a feline specialist... She didn't do an ultrasound when he got blocked, but she did an x-ray and said that she could see the blockage on the x-ray. She didn't say that it was larger than normal, though. I asked about surgery to remove the blockage from the bladder, but she said that it (the blockage) wouldn't stay in the bladder, but will move back into his penis, so the only surgery that could remove the blockage would be the urethrostomy. I guess she didn't think he would be able to pass it on his own - but he did, thankfully. I don't know if they tested his urine for PH while he had the cathether in. I didn't know to ask :-( And once the cathether is out, it's impossible to get a sample from him while he's at the vet's - he holds it in as long as he can, and only goes late at night, so by the time they come in the morning, I guess the sample is no longer fresh enough to test... I have been trying to get a urine sample from him at home, and I'll keep trying until I get it - hopefully tomorrow morning... Thank you for the recommendations and the questions - now I'll know what to ask the vet when I get that urine sample to her. And since Ashley managed to pass whatever was blocking him, there's no way we're doing the surgery. I'll just have to find him food which will prevent any more crystals from forming, and at the same time doesn't make him throw up... Nadia (and Ashley) |
#8
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help please - perineal urethrostomy questions - LONG
I don't know if they tested his urine for PH while he had the cathether
in. I didn't know to ask :-( And once the cathether is out, it's impossible to get a sample from him while he's at the vet's - he holds it in as long as he can, and only goes late at night, so by the time they come in the morning, I guess the sample is no longer fresh enough to test... I have been trying to get a urine sample from him at home, and I'll keep trying until I get it - hopefully tomorrow morning... A urine sample should be obtained at the vet's by cystocentesis; I'm surprised your vet didn't mention this. http://www.peteducation.com/article....&articleid=995 You take the litter box away at night and take him to vet in am (as early as possible) and they do this procedure. This way the sample is sterile. If you take it at home there's a possibility it could become contaminated with bacteria simply by touching the top of the container to something accidently such as his fur, etc. If you were just testing him to see what his urine specific gravity was (important to know for cats who have kidney disease), then a urine sample at home is fine but if you're checking for a urinary tract infection, cystocentesis is recommended. the surgery. I'll just have to find him food which will prevent any more crystals from forming, and at the same time doesn't make him throw up... You need to find out exactly what type of crystals you're dealing with. If it's struvite, Medi-cal Dissolution disolves them and Medi-cal Preventative would be the diet he would eat after that or if using Hill's, you would use s/d to dissolve, then c/d to maintain. If it's calcium oxalate, then Hill's x/d is made for that. Struvite crystals can be destroyed via diet while calcium oxalate require surgery to remove. I'm very surprised your vet mentioned the perineal operation on a first blockage, very unusal. Perhaps you should look into getting a second opinion from another vet. -- Message posted via CatKB.com http://www.catkb.com/Uwe/Forums.aspx...ealth/200604/1 |
#9
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help please - perineal urethrostomy questions - LONG
Here's a couple links, the first explains FLUTD and struvite crystals, the
second explains calcium oxalate stones: http://www.marvistavet.com/html/feli...tract_dis.html http://www.peteducation.com/article....&articleid=995 -- Message posted via http://www.catkb.com |
#10
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help please - perineal urethrostomy questions - LONG
Corrected link for calcium oxalate stones info:
http://www.marvistavet.com/html/body...er_stones.html -- Message posted via http://www.catkb.com |
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