FLUTD
FLUTD : Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease : Cats with bladder gravel
Complaints concerning the lower urinary passages with cats (FLUTD)
Complaints concerning the lower urinary passages with cats (FLUTD)
What is FLUTD? FLUTD isn’t just a single complaint but a term which is used to describe the complaints which affect the lower urinary passages of cats. There are various possible causes for FLUTD but most causes show the same characteristic symptoms:
• Frequently trying to urinate (without success)
• Urinating on undesired spots
• Urinating is painful, pain in the abdomen
• Blood in the urine
• Excessive licking of the genital area
• Frequently trying to urinate (without success)
• Urinating on undesired spots
• Urinating is painful, pain in the abdomen
• Blood in the urine
• Excessive licking of the genital area
What are the causes of FLUTD? If your cat shows one of above mentioned symptoms, you must immediately consult your veterinarian.
Diagnosis and treatment of FLUTD can however be frustrating. It is estimated that about 10% of the cats examined by veterinarians have complaints which are connected to FLUTD.
Vesical calculus, blockage of the urethra, cancer, neurogenetic disturbances, viral and bacterial infections, anatomic defects and injuries might be causes. It is rarely observed that bacteriums and viruses are the irritation source and in almost half of the cases no specific cause for the complaint can be diagnosed.
Cats which start searching for their food themselves are less bothered by FLUTD
Cats which start searching for their food themselves are less bothered by FLUTD
The most diagnosed cause of FLUTD is formation of gravel, little stones or crystals, which are called vesical calculus. These stones irritate the lower urinary passages and can partially or fully blockade the passage of the urethra. This might become life-threatening.
Tomcats are more susceptible to FLUTD than female cats, which might be linked to their physiology. A tomcat has a narrower urethra, so that it gets blocked easier. The tomcat’s penis has a conical shape towards the top due to which a tomcat has more chance to have an urethra blockage.
Tomcats are more susceptible to FLUTD than female cats, which might be linked to their physiology. A tomcat has a narrower urethra, so that it gets blocked easier. The tomcat’s penis has a conical shape towards the top due to which a tomcat has more chance to have an urethra blockage.
FLUTD has an extremely huge negative influence on the quality of a cat’s life and it might be difficult for an owner to deal with this. It is not unusual that, depending on the cause and the effectiveness of the treatment, the symptoms might arise again.
Analysis
If your veterinarian has diagnosed urine stones, it must have been determined by means of an analysis which type of stones it concerns.
If your veterinarian has diagnosed urine stones, it must have been determined by means of an analysis which type of stones it concerns.
There are different kinds of stones and each stone has its own chemical composition.
There are stones which are initially formed in the kidneys. The most occurring (with cats) diagnosed urine stones are struvite- or calcium oxalate stones. 10-15 years ago more than 80% of the urine stones with cats were struvite stones and only in 2% of the cases it concerned calcium oxalate stones.
This has changed. Laboratory data show that the frequency of struvite stones has decreased, while the frequency of calcium oxalate stones has increased with 2-17,5% (Europe) or even 53% (USA).
Treatment through nutrition of FLUTD related struvite or oxalate
Treatment through nutrition of FLUTD related struvite or oxalate
Struvite and calcium oxalate are the urine stones which are most sensitive to influence by nutrition. It has been proved that nutrition ingredients are very important for the development and treatment of struvite and calcium oxalate stones with cats. The urine composition is strongly influenced by taking nutrition and fluid. Each kind of crystal develops itself under different or even opposed conditions. That is why the treatment through nutrition must be dealt with in two different ways. The nutrition therapy which must be applied always depends on the analysis of the crystals and/or urine stones. The objective is to stop further development of the stones by removing or controlling the causes.
Struvite Urinary Formula is a diet for the treatment through nutrition of a FLUTD related struvite. Struvite Urinary Formula increases the acidity of the urine and reduces the concentration of minerals in the urine. An urine which contains a lot of acid (pH-value between 5,9 and 6,3) causes less formation of struvite crystals. .
Oxalate Urinary Formula is a diet for the treatment, through nutrition, of a FLUTD related calcium oxalate. Oxalate Urinary Formula leads to a higher pH-value of the urine and reduces the quantity of free calcium in the urine. In more alkaline urine (pH- value between 6,4 and 6,8) less calcium oxalate will be crystallized.
Cats are creatures of habit. A disturbance of their normal habits might lead to FLUTD. The cat owner can contribute heavily to reducing his cat’s stress by:
• Not giving the cat rests of his own meal and not giving him too many treats.
• Making sure that there is always fresh, clean water for the cat
• Feeding the cat on regular times and on the same quiet spot.
• Cleaning the cat box more often: cats tend to hold their water if the cat box isn’t clean
• Trying to cause as less stress as possible: stress might influence the fluid- and mineral balance of a cat
• Having checked the cat regularly by the veterinarian
Struvite Urinary Formula is a diet for the treatment through nutrition of a FLUTD related struvite. Struvite Urinary Formula increases the acidity of the urine and reduces the concentration of minerals in the urine. An urine which contains a lot of acid (pH-value between 5,9 and 6,3) causes less formation of struvite crystals. .
Oxalate Urinary Formula is a diet for the treatment, through nutrition, of a FLUTD related calcium oxalate. Oxalate Urinary Formula leads to a higher pH-value of the urine and reduces the quantity of free calcium in the urine. In more alkaline urine (pH- value between 6,4 and 6,8) less calcium oxalate will be crystallized.
Cats are creatures of habit. A disturbance of their normal habits might lead to FLUTD. The cat owner can contribute heavily to reducing his cat’s stress by:
• Not giving the cat rests of his own meal and not giving him too many treats.
• Making sure that there is always fresh, clean water for the cat
• Feeding the cat on regular times and on the same quiet spot.
• Cleaning the cat box more often: cats tend to hold their water if the cat box isn’t clean
• Trying to cause as less stress as possible: stress might influence the fluid- and mineral balance of a cat
• Having checked the cat regularly by the veterinarian
What if the urinary passages have been blocked?
A life-threatening situation arises if so many crystals are formed in the urethra that the cat cannot pee anymore. The urine production continues but cannot come out. Due to the pressure in the kidneys a kidney insufficiency arises which might lead to death.
A life-saving surgery must be executed: an urethrotomy. We make a female cat out of a tomcat. The urethra will become wider thanks to which the urine (with the crystals) can be transported better.
A life-threatening situation arises if so many crystals are formed in the urethra that the cat cannot pee anymore. The urine production continues but cannot come out. Due to the pressure in the kidneys a kidney insufficiency arises which might lead to death.
A life-saving surgery must be executed: an urethrotomy. We make a female cat out of a tomcat. The urethra will become wider thanks to which the urine (with the crystals) can be transported better.
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