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#1
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Behavior Help! Cat with FLUTD
(I have also posted this to alt.med.veterinary as I need as much help
as I can get!) Hello all, My 2 1/2 year old neutered cat suddenly came down with FLUTD (Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease) and spent the past day and a half in the hospital. I brought him home late yesterday afternoon because he would NOT eat the SD food for the vet in hopes that he would eat once home. He had a great night, ate a little (1 tsp or so) of SD and about a tablespoon of SO kibble. Drank lots of water. Played, purred, had a decent little pee, (about the size of a large egg yolk last night, about half that size sometime in the middle of the night) slept, woke up happy and sweet and now he's doing the mad litter box prowl that ended him up in the hospital the other day. We set up litter boxes throughout the apartment to help him out and he has been going between all of them. Right now there are only small dribbles coming out at any time, but he does seem to be passing at least some urine. Here are the vet's findings: No blockage No bacteria BUN & Creatnine okay (bloodwork) Struvite crystals in urine (urinalysis) "sludge" in bladder X-ray done, no obvious stones; ultrasound done, sludge seen Treatment: Sub-q fluids once a day, 100 cc; Clavamox 2x a day; Metacam once a day; Dasuquin feline (which I didn't give last night because I really wanted him to eat, and didn't think he would if I sprinkled it on his food) Here's where I need help. He has not eaten this morning. This pacing zombie like is driving me crazy... how long might it last? What if he WON'T eat? The vet has told me that there is no medication that will dissolve the crystals, only the food will make his urine (acidic?) so that it's able to break them down. I gave him the Clavamox this morning, but I'm concerned about his eating, or lack of. He is a healthy, hefty kitty, 11.8 lbs, not fat. But overall, I would just like to hear from anyone else who has gone through this and how long the behavior will last until he is relieved enough to pass the urine. Any personal experiences with this would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance... Jen |
#2
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Behavior Help! Cat with FLUTD
Treatment: Sub-q fluids once a day, 100 cc; Clavamox 2x a day; Metacam once a day; Dasuquin feline (which I didn't give last night because I really wanted him to eat, and didn't think he would if I sprinkled it on his food) Jen, I've heard that Clavamox can make a cat go off its food, so that's likely what's happening. Call your vet and see if you can get a different antibiotic. In the meantime, give him anything that will tempt him to eat (short term, of course): ham or turkey baby food without onions, ham lunch meat, etc. Warm it slightly so it's more appealing. Rene |
#3
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Behavior Help! Cat with FLUTD
"MDJ" wrote in message ... (I have also posted this to alt.med.veterinary as I need as much help as I can get!) Hello all, My 2 1/2 year old neutered cat suddenly came down with FLUTD (Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease) and spent the past day and a half in the hospital. I brought him home late yesterday afternoon because he would NOT eat the SD food for the vet in hopes that he would eat once home. He had a great night, ate a little (1 tsp or so) of SD and about a tablespoon of SO kibble. Drank lots of water. Played, purred, had a decent little pee, (about the size of a large egg yolk last night, about half that size sometime in the middle of the night) slept, woke up happy and sweet and now he's doing the mad litter box prowl that ended him up in the hospital the other day. We set up litter boxes throughout the apartment to help him out and he has been going between all of them. Right now there are only small dribbles coming out at any time, but he does seem to be passing at least some urine. Here are the vet's findings: No blockage No bacteria BUN & Creatnine okay (bloodwork) Struvite crystals in urine (urinalysis) "sludge" in bladder X-ray done, no obvious stones; ultrasound done, sludge seen Treatment: Sub-q fluids once a day, 100 cc; Clavamox 2x a day; Metacam once a day; Dasuquin feline (which I didn't give last night because I really wanted him to eat, and didn't think he would if I sprinkled it on his food) Here's where I need help. He has not eaten this morning. This pacing zombie like is driving me crazy... how long might it last? What if he WON'T eat? The vet has told me that there is no medication that will dissolve the crystals, only the food will make his urine (acidic?) If the crystals are struvite (magnesium ammonium phosphate) That's incorrect. DL-methionine- an amino acid supplement- can be used to acidify the urine and dissolve struvite. However, you should not feed your cat a highly acidified diet while giving him a DL-methionine supplement because the added acidification can lead to metabolic acidosis and hemolytic anemia. DL-methionine should only be used under the *strict supervision* of a vet and as a last resort. Its sold under the brand name Methio-Form, Methio-Tabs ((Vet-A-Mix). You might also want to get a second opinion on giving him Metacam daily PO. Oral dosing of Metacam is infamous for causing acute renal failure in cats. Metacam is only licensed for cats as a *one time*, IM dose after surgery for this very reason. You can also help increase urine acidity by feeding him a low-carbohydrate, meat or fish-based food. Sulfur-containing amino acids, phospholipids, and phosphoproteins found in higher quantities in meat acidify the urine, whereas organic acids, which come primarily from plant material, have an alkalinizing effect on urine. Fancy Feast makes some of the lowest carbohydrate diets on the market: some contain less than 1%. Not many cats can resist Fancy Feast. But my best advice is find another vet ASAP- one who is better educated in feline physiology before your present vet kills your cat. Best of luck, Phil |
#4
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Behavior Help! Cat with FLUTD
On Jun 18, 10:14 am, "Phil P." wrote:
"MDJ" wrote in message snipped If the crystals are struvite (magnesium ammonium phosphate) That's incorrect. DL-methionine- an amino acid supplement- can be used to acidify the urine and dissolve struvite. However, you should not feed your cat a highly acidified diet while giving him a DL-methionine supplement because the added acidification can lead to metabolic acidosis and hemolytic anemia. DL-methionine should only be used under the *strict supervision* of a vet and as a last resort. Its sold under the brand name Methio-Form, Methio-Tabs ((Vet-A-Mix). I've had this kitty to three vets over the course of 4 days; one on Sunday (b/c he was open and kitty was acting strange) where they did the urinalysis, my regular vet on Monday, where she was concerned about him potentially getting blocked and they do not have 24 hour supervision, and then to a 24-hour care vet so he could be monitored at all times. I am pretty sure they said struvite crystals as the SD food is supposed to help dissolve those, but it's difficult to get him to eat it. I might try to mix it with something else. You might also want to get a second opinion on giving him Metacam daily PO. Oral dosing of Metacam is infamous for causing acute renal failure in cats. Metacam is only licensed for cats as a *one time*, IM dose after surgery for this very reason. The Metacam was given to him I believe four times at the vet, and they gave me two doses for the next two days and that's all. I hope that isn't excessive! They did test his kidney values before administering anything, and since he's quite young I'm guessing they thought it was okay. I will call my regular vet, who has not seen him since all this treatment, and get her opinion on the regemine. He is also on sub-q fluids so hopefully this will help his kidneys handle these medications. You can also help increase urine acidity by feeding him a low-carbohydrate, meat or fish-based food. Sulfur-containing amino acids, phospholipids, and phosphoproteins found in higher quantities in meat acidify the urine, whereas organic acids, which come primarily from plant material, have an alkalinizing effect on urine. Fancy Feast makes some of the lowest carbohydrate diets on the market: some contain less than 1%. Not many cats can resist Fancy Feast. But my best advice is find another vet ASAP- one who is better educated in feline physiology before your present vet kills your cat. Best of luck, Phil The vet at the 24-hour facility said that they do deal with this quite frequently and that this is their protocol. Incidentally, he is being overseen by two vets at this particular facility and they all said very similar things. They did say that they could give him a medication that would increase his appetite and since he's only eaten a small amount of this so-important food, I am going to inquire about this today. Incidentally, what is your experience with this condition? |
#5
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Behavior Help! Cat with FLUTD
"Phil P." wrote in message news:Fnb6k.7731$LN.1216@trndny03... "MDJ" wrote in message ... (I have also posted this to alt.med.veterinary as I need as much help as I can get!) Hello all, My 2 1/2 year old neutered cat suddenly came down with FLUTD (Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease) and spent the past day and a half in the hospital. I brought him home late yesterday afternoon because he would NOT eat the SD food for the vet in hopes that he would eat once home. He had a great night, ate a little (1 tsp or so) of SD and about a tablespoon of SO kibble. Drank lots of water. Played, purred, had a decent little pee, (about the size of a large egg yolk last night, about half that size sometime in the middle of the night) slept, woke up happy and sweet and now he's doing the mad litter box prowl that ended him up in the hospital the other day. We set up litter boxes throughout the apartment to help him out and he has been going between all of them. Right now there are only small dribbles coming out at any time, but he does seem to be passing at least some urine. Here are the vet's findings: No blockage No bacteria BUN & Creatnine okay (bloodwork) Struvite crystals in urine (urinalysis) "sludge" in bladder X-ray done, no obvious stones; ultrasound done, sludge seen Treatment: Sub-q fluids once a day, 100 cc; Clavamox 2x a day; Metacam once a day; Dasuquin feline (which I didn't give last night because I really wanted him to eat, and didn't think he would if I sprinkled it on his food) Here's where I need help. He has not eaten this morning. This pacing zombie like is driving me crazy... how long might it last? What if he WON'T eat? The vet has told me that there is no medication that will dissolve the crystals, only the food will make his urine (acidic?) If the crystals are struvite (magnesium ammonium phosphate) That's incorrect. DL-methionine- an amino acid supplement- can be used to acidify the urine and dissolve struvite. However, you should not feed your cat a highly acidified diet while giving him a DL-methionine supplement because the added acidification can lead to metabolic acidosis and hemolytic anemia. DL-methionine should only be used under the *strict supervision* of a vet and as a last resort. Its sold under the brand name Methio-Form, Methio-Tabs ((Vet-A-Mix). You might also want to get a second opinion on giving him Metacam daily PO. Oral dosing of Metacam is infamous for causing acute renal failure in cats. Metacam is only licensed for cats as a *one time*, IM dose after surgery for this very reason. You can also help increase urine acidity by feeding him a low-carbohydrate, meat or fish-based food. Sulfur-containing amino acids, phospholipids, and phosphoproteins found in higher quantities in meat acidify the urine, whereas organic acids, which come primarily from plant material, have an alkalinizing effect on urine. Fancy Feast makes some of the lowest carbohydrate diets on the market: some contain less than 1%. Not many cats can resist Fancy Feast. But my best advice is find another vet ASAP- one who is better educated in feline physiology before your present vet kills your cat. Best of luck, Phil At the beginning of (and after his surgery) our cats problems with urinary blockage, he got diazepam, which relaxes smooth muscle tissue and stimulates appetite. |
#6
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Behavior Help! Cat with FLUTD
"MDJ" wrote in message ... On Jun 18, 10:14 am, "Phil P." wrote: "MDJ" wrote in message snipped If the crystals are struvite (magnesium ammonium phosphate) That's incorrect. DL-methionine- an amino acid supplement- can be used to acidify the urine and dissolve struvite. However, you should not feed your cat a highly acidified diet while giving him a DL-methionine supplement because the added acidification can lead to metabolic acidosis and hemolytic anemia. DL-methionine should only be used under the *strict supervision* of a vet and as a last resort. Its sold under the brand name Methio-Form, Methio-Tabs ((Vet-A-Mix). I've had this kitty to three vets over the course of 4 days; one on Sunday (b/c he was open and kitty was acting strange) where they did the urinalysis, my regular vet on Monday, where she was concerned about him potentially getting blocked and they do not have 24 hour supervision, and then to a 24-hour care vet so he could be monitored at all times. I am pretty sure they said struvite crystals as the SD food is supposed to help dissolve those, but it's difficult to get him to eat it. I might try to mix it with something else. One of the most common side effects of meloxicam in cats is loss of appetite. Try mixing the SD into a slurry with warm water- it will make the food more tasty and more aromatic and will also increase his water consumption and urine volume- which is the single most important thing you can do. Higher urine volume will reduce the concentration of crystalline particles in the urine and make them easier to eliminate. It will also make him urine more frequently which will eliminate tiny crystalline particles before they accrete or aggregate into crystals or uroliths. You might also want to get a second opinion on giving him Metacam daily PO. Oral dosing of Metacam is infamous for causing acute renal failure in cats. Metacam is only licensed for cats as a *one time*, IM dose after surgery for this very reason. The Metacam was given to him I believe four times at the vet, and they gave me two doses for the next two days and that's all. I hope that isn't excessive! They did test his kidney values before administering anything, and since he's quite young I'm guessing they thought it was okay. I will call my regular vet, who has not seen him since all this treatment, and get her opinion on the regemine. He is also on sub-q fluids so hopefully this will help his kidneys handle these medications. If you can't get your hands on Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook or Blackwell's 5-minute Veterinary Consult, Google "meloxicam and cats". You'll find pages and pages of horror stories as well as serious warnings on vet sites. Other common side effects of meloxicam are vomiting or diarrhea, stomach ulceration, loss of kidney function, and inappropriate bleeding. You can also help increase urine acidity by feeding him a low-carbohydrate, meat or fish-based food. Sulfur-containing amino acids, phospholipids, and phosphoproteins found in higher quantities in meat acidify the urine, whereas organic acids, which come primarily from plant material, have an alkalinizing effect on urine. Fancy Feast makes some of the lowest carbohydrate diets on the market: some contain less than 1%. Not many cats can resist Fancy Feast. But my best advice is find another vet ASAP- one who is better educated in feline physiology before your present vet kills your cat. Best of luck, Phil The vet at the 24-hour facility said that they do deal with this quite frequently and that this is their protocol. I wonder how many of their patients went into renal failure from meloxocam that they blamed on urinary tract obstructions- which also produces a pathophysiologic state equivalent to oliguric acute renal failure. Incidentally, he is being overseen by two vets at this particular facility and they all said very similar things. Vets in the same practice usually don't contradict each other even if one is inept. They did say that they could give him a medication that would increase his appetite and since he's only eaten a small amount of this so-important food, I am going to inquire about this today. Cyprohepadine (a/k/a Periactin) and Mirtazapine have an appetite-stimulating effect in cats- I think Mirtazapine works better and is more consistant. Cypro doesn't work in all cats. Incidentally, what is your experience with this condition? Been through it a few times. Best of luck, Phil |
#7
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Behavior Help! Cat with FLUTD
"MDJ" wrote in message ... I am pretty sure they said struvite crystals as the SD food is supposed to help dissolve those, If I were you, I'd make *absolutely* sure the crystals are composed of struvite before continuing to feed him s/d because if they're calcium oxalate--- the s/d will promote growth and calcium oxalate formation. Calcium oxalate can't be dissolved medically or by diet. So, if I were you, I'd make sure the vet gets the crystals analyzed. Microscopic examination isn't good enough. Phil |
#8
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Behavior Help! Cat with FLUTD
You should find this article helpful: http://community.webtv.net/getcathelp/urinarytract
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