Urolithiasis in cats: symptoms and treatment. Signs of urolithiasis in cats
- Treatment of urticaria
- Symptoms urolithiasis in cats
- Reasons
- Diagnostics of microbial disease
- Maintenance treatment
- Prevention
1. Causes of the disease
2. Main signs and symptoms
3. Diagnostics
4. How to treat urolithiasis in cats
4.1. Diet therapy
4.2. Drug treatment
4.3. Catheterization
4.4. Surgical intervention
5. Disease prevention
6. Video: how urolithiasis manifests itself in cats
Urolithiasis in cats - general description
ICD Urolithiasis in cats (urolithiasis, lat. urolithiasis) is a chronic metabolic pathology that leads to damage to the urinary tract, in which the cat develops salt deposits in the form of stones or sand in the urinary system. Bladder inflammation and blockage most often develop urethra, also sand and stones can form in one or both kidneys, urinary ducts or bladder.
The specific cause of the development of urolithiasis has not been determined, but there are many factors that may be involved in the disease process.
At the initial stage, the disease can occur secretly. As the disease progresses, owners most often notice changes in urination, frequent urge and the appearance of blood in the urine.
Sand and stones are applied mechanical damage, cause pain and inflammatory reactions.
The most serious condition there is a situation in which sand or stone blocks the flow of urine in some part, this condition causes urinary retention, sharp pains, renal failure, intoxication, to save the animal’s life, urgent surgical care. Most often, catheterization of the bladder under anesthesia is necessary.
In case of complete blockage, the lack of emergency assistance always leads to fatal outcome. On days 2-4, the bladder ruptures, urinary peritonitis and severe, painful death occur.
Due to anatomical features, males are more susceptible to this disease than females.
The peak incidence occurs between 2 and 6 years of age, but can occur from 6 months to old age.
Urolithiasis in cats is also called urolithiasis. ICD is often combined with feline urological syndrome.
Treatment
Urolithiasis is a very serious, severe polyetiological disease, therefore the treatment of urolithiasis in cats includes a complex complex of therapeutic and preventive procedures. To eliminate symptoms, conservative and surgical treatment methods are used, which eliminate blockage of the urinary tract, but do not lead to complete cure diseases.
Conservative treatment, depending on the stage and symptoms of the disease, takes long time, it is carried out before surgery and in postoperative period.
Conservative treatment of urolithiasis begins when small stones and a small amount of sand are diagnosed, which can pass away spontaneously, and also if the urolith does not interfere with the outflow of urine. Conservative techniques are also continued after surgical removal urolith and to prevent relapses.
Treatment of urolithiasis in cats and kittens comes down to the following steps:
1. Restoration of urine outflow.
To do this, it is necessary to remove the blockage of the urethra with a catheter and rinse the lumen of the urethra with an antiseptic solution. This is usually done under general anesthesia. In advanced cases, urethrostomy surgery (creation of a female-type urethral opening) or cystotomy is performed - abdominal surgery for removing large stones from the bladder.
2. Stabilization of the general condition. General therapy. Elimination of acute symptoms of inflammation.
Removal of general intoxication - subcutaneous, intravenous droppers.
Suppression bacterial infection primary inflammation or secondary - antibiotic therapy.
Normalization of urination - antispasmodic therapy, anti-inflammatory hormonal drugs, neurological drugs.
During the treatment of urolithiasis, it is also necessary to correct and maintain the normal functioning of all body systems, namely: intensively combat intoxication and replenish the loss of blood and fluid, monitor the function of the kidneys and heart.
3. Long-term therapy and preventive measures.
Regular examinations.
Maintenance drug therapy.
Therapy is carried out over a period of 1-6 months, with good analyzes Therapy can be stopped, but regular examinations can be repeated, first after a month, and then at gradually increasing intervals.
Important points:
- You cannot give a diuretic if there is no urination, this will worsen the cat’s condition.
- Animals with urolithiasis require both conservative and surgical treatment methods.
- The primary treatment measure for urolithiasis is to ensure adequate urine outflow and restore patency of the urethra.
- Failure to urinate for more than 3 days often results in death.
- However, surgical intervention relieves the animal only of the stone, but not of urolithiasis as a whole.
- Conservative treatment of urolithiasis requires a long time and must be carried out before surgery, during the postoperative period and for a long time after surgery.
- With urolithiasis, the kidneys can be severely damaged; it is necessary to monitor kidney function, use drugs without harmful influence on the kidneys.
Drugs used in the treatment of ICD in cats
Dietary feed:
We assign the animal special medicinal feed Canin c/d, Feline c/d, Hill's, Whiskas pH Control Diet, Pedigree Petfoods. Hills Prescription Diet Feline S/D and Eukanuba Struvite Urinary Formula will help with struvite uroliths. These foods help dissolve stones and remove them from the body. For oxalates, Hills Prescription Diet Feline X/D, Eukanuba Oxalate Urinary Formula is prescribed. If the disease mixed type, recommended by Royal Canin Urinary S/O Feline.
decoctions of woolly erva, corn silk, bearberry leaves, biseptol, urosulfan, furadonin.
Urodane and cystone should be used to dissolve and remove uroliths and sand.
"Lincomycin" or antimicrobials from the cephalosporin group ("Kefzol", "Tseparin", etc.). Continue for 5-7 days, 0.2 g twice a day. Uroseptics are antibacterial drugs that act on the genitourinary system. Cats are prescribed “5-NOK”, “Palin”, “Furagin”
cantaren
Stop cystitis
Bio-suspension reduces crystallization due to its composition: lingonberry leaves, nettles, barberry, licorice root. By the way, this drug can also serve as a pain reliever.
Uro-ursi
A medicine that is often prescribed concomitantly with antibiotic therapy, because it contains benzoic acid, which enhances the effect of antibiotics.
Urotropin
The diuretic effect of "Urotropin" and its ability to increase the permeability of cell membranes accelerates the process of eliminating toxins.
Cystokur forte
The food additive reduces the acidity of the body and helps the cat recover faster after treatment.
Furinaid
Gel-like drops form a protective film on the bladder mucosa.
Ipakitina
The components of this drug bind phosphates that the cat receives from food and reduces their availability.
Kantaren
The homeopathic remedy works as an anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, and diuretic.
Kotervin
Aqueous extract medicinal plants has salt-removing and stone-dissolving effects.
Nephrocat
Contains natural bee jelly and biologically active substances.
Renal Advance
The drug performs well on late stages development of urolithiasis in cats, while it improves the functioning of the digestive system.
HIMALAYA Cyston
The Indian remedy copes well with cystitis and has proven to work well in combination with antibiotics.
Dexamethasone
This drug is often prescribed when there is persistent dysuria.
Nitroxoline
This synthetic agent has an antimicrobial effect.
Actovegin
Injections of this powerful drug activate cellular metabolism, which means metabolic processes are enhanced.
The main symptoms of urolithiasis in cats
- Violation of the act of urination. The pet, sitting on the tray, constantly meows or gets up several times without doing its “business”. There is a frequent urge to urinate.
- Blood in urine. Trauma develops urinary tract and inflammation, drops or blood clots appear in the urine, this is called hematuria.
- Deterioration of general condition. As pain intensifies and intoxication increases, cats become lethargic, appetite worsens, and vomiting may occur.
- If you notice the first signs of urolithiasis cat diseases, you need to immediately show the animal to a veterinarian.
Signs of urolithiasis in cats in the first few days are mild, so owners may not immediately notice the malaise. In the early stages, urolithiasis can be diagnosed only by urine analysis. As the disease progresses, animals become lethargic, their activity decreases, their appetite worsens, and discomfort appears when urinating.
Every day the animal’s condition is rapidly deteriorating: the number of stones and sand in the kidneys and bladder increases, they move along the urinary ducts, which leads to partial or complete closure of their lumen. At this stage, the symptoms of urolithiasis in cats appear more clearly. Stagnation of urine leads to an increase in its concentration, promotes crystallization and increased formation of uroliths.
Animals become restless, constantly meow, trying to attract the owner’s attention, the abdomen greatly increases in volume, becomes elastic, and sharp, sharp pain sensations appear when urinating. The pet, sitting on the tray, constantly meows or gets up several times without doing its “business”. There is a frequent urge to urinate. Drops or blood clots appear in the urine, which indicates the development of hematuria. As a result of stagnation of urine, intoxication of the body occurs, which is accompanied by an increase or decrease in temperature, vomiting, and refusal to eat.
If you notice the first signs of urolithiasis in cats, you need to immediately show the animal to a veterinarian, since with timely diagnosis and treatment, you can prevent the disease from becoming chronic, which requires longer treatment.
There are several degrees of urolithiasis:
1. Subclinical urolithiasis. There may be no symptoms associated with the presence of uroliths in the urinary tract. Struvite, calcium oxalate and other calcium-containing uroliths are radioopaque and are visible on x-rays. A urine test may show elevated crystals and an abnormal urine pH. These uroliths are usually struvite and sometimes calcium oxalate. Calcium oxalate stones often have a very rough surface and can cause mild to severe symptoms of urinary tract inflammation, while smooth struvite or cystine stones often cause no clinical symptoms at all. Nephroliths are rarely accompanied clinical symptoms, with the exception of hematuria, until they move into the ureter, causing its obstruction (blockage) and hydronephrosis.
2. Mild symptoms of urolithiasis:
Slight increase in urinary frequency
Mild hematuria - blood staining
Slight increase in urination time
Slight discomfort during urination
Increased licking of the genitals
3. Severe symptoms:
Pollakiuria - cats almost never leave their toilet, dogs constantly leak drops of urine
Urinary tenesmus (to be distinguished from constipation)
Severe hematuria - obvious blood in the urine
Severe discomfort when urinating - vocalization and obvious pain
On palpation, the bladder is greatly distended
Polydipsia/polyuria in case of secondary renal failure
General depression and anorexia
4. Symptoms that threaten the life of the animal:
Anuria (lack of urination)
Weakness/collapse
Dehydration
On palpation, the bladder may not be found if it has burst or is anuric (otherwise it feels like a dense mass)
Uremic halitosis may be detected
Vomit
Convulsions
Coma
Causes of ICD in cats.
What is the specific cause of ICD in cats? at the moment has not been identified, but a number of factors have been identified that may be involved in the occurrence and development of urolithiasis.
External and internal factors can contribute to the development of ICD. Due to their physiological characteristics, cats are more susceptible to urolithiasis than females, since in males the urethral lumen is three times narrower.
The presence of oxalates (oxalic acid salts) and phosphates (struvite) is most often diagnosed in the bladder.
For a long time it was believed that unsterilized animals are more likely to suffer from this disease, but recent studies refute this opinion.
The causes of urolithiasis in cats can be due to genetic predisposition, stress, a sedentary lifestyle that contributes to obesity, anatomical features (including the presence of congenital anomalies in the development of the genitourinary system), viral and infectious diseases. The urine of cats is quite concentrated, and under unfavorable factors this aspect also contributes to the development of urolithiasis.
The development of urolithiasis is promoted by an unbalanced diet, especially when feeding pet low-quality dry food, which contains a high percentage of salts, flavors, preservatives, and artificial colors.
Factors for the development of urolithiasis in cats may be the following:
1. Climatic factors and geochemical conditions. composition of drinking water and individual characteristics of the animal. At elevated temperatures, urine becomes more concentrated. If drinking water is oversaturated with lime salts, this leads to a decrease in its acidity.
2. violation salt metabolism because of improper feeding. Eating disorders, unbalanced diet. For example, feeding an animal fish products. Violation of the ratio between acidic and basic feed equivalents. cat diet (milk and plant food causes alkalinization of urine, and meat, on the contrary, increases its acidity). Features of the diet - the concentration of carbamide depends on how much protein your cat consumes. Excessive protein content in the diet with impaired purine metabolism leads to the occurrence of urolithiasis.
3. Low fluid intake. By nature, cats drink little, plus the lack sufficient quantity high-quality drinking water, especially with constant feeding of dry food
4. Vitamin A hypovitaminosis. With insufficient vitamin intake, epithelial cells are more susceptible to negative effects.
5. Inflammatory processes of the genitourinary system caused by colds. The colonization of microorganisms such as staphylococci, streptococci, proteus in the bladder or kidneys of cats and dogs. injuries pelvic bones, inflammatory processes and neoplasms in the genitourinary organs.
6. Hormonal disorders. hyperparathyroidism. Excess parathyroid hormone can lead to increased calcium levels - not only in the blood, but also in the urine. And crystals of salts released from bone tissue organism - building material for stones.
7. Digestive pathologies. Slowing metabolism. obesity, inactivity. dysfunction digestive tract(causes a change in the acid-base balance, and also provokes the removal of calcium from the body). Pathologies of the digestive system - gastritis, colitis and other gastrointestinal diseases, lead to a violation of the ratio of acid and alkali in the animal's body.
8. Stress factors. Idiopathic cystitis, urological syndrome. Changes in behavior Urolithiasis can occur with prolonged stagnation of urine, urinary retention, alkalization, precipitation of salts and the formation of stones. urinary retention due to dirty toilet tray.
9. Small diameter of the urethra in cats, especially castrated ones. Anatomical features of the structure. If the cat's urethral canal is S-shaped, salts settle in the bends of the excretory tract, and stones form. castration in early age(up to 6 months) can lead to underdevelopment of the urethra. In cats, symptoms of urolithiasis appear 5 times more often than in cats. This is due to the fact that physiologically the diameter of the urethral lumen is three times smaller in cats than in cats. In addition, it is in cats that the urethra has a specific S-shaped bend (in cats it is straight). Because of this anatomical feature, cats are more likely to experience urinary obstruction syndrome than cats.
10. genetic predisposition, hereditary diseases(for example, enzymopathy, which is caused by the lack of enzymes responsible for metabolism in the cat’s body).
11. The likelihood of stones occurring is greatly influenced by magnesium metabolism.
Types of stones in urolithiasis
The chemical composition of stones that are present in the urinary tract of cats with urolithiasis is very diverse.
They contain urates, uric acid, carbonates and oxolates, xanthine and cystine, and phosphates.
The number of stones in the urinary organs can vary from one to one hundred pieces, from a millet grain to a large nut.
Tripelphosphates (struvites) are often found - these are loose, sometimes solid formations that have the shape of an elongated prism with diamond-shaped edges; they form and grow in an alkaline environment. Typically, struvite accounts for up to 80% of all stones found in cats between one and six years of age. The cause of struvite formation may be unbalanced diet, and an excess of phosphorus and magnesium.
Salts of oxalic acid, or oxalates, are much less common. This is education round shape, in the shape of an open rose. Oxalates are predominantly found in cats older than seven years of age, long-haired breeds, Persians and Himalayans. The reason for the formation of oxalates is the increased content of calcium in the urine, which causes acidification due to improper feeding of the animal.
How stones form
Urine contains chemical components from which urolith (urinary stone) is formed. At the same time, the increased concentration of these components makes it impossible to dissolve them, which contributes to the loss of crystals that collect in microstones.
- Abnormal pH (acidity) of urine, often alkaline.
- Rapid formation of crystals, which does not allow them to be washed out of the urinary tract with separated urine.
- Presence of a matrix or nucleus (cell remains, bacteria, foreign bodies) around which crystals form
- Pathogenic microflora predisposes to urolithiasis (insoluble mineral compounds are synthesized during the life of microorganisms)
Diagnostics
- Bright clinical signs. The cat cannot pee normally or does not pee at all.
- Palpation of the bladder. Overcrowded, with a thickened wall, sometimes it is possible to feel one or more stones.
- Urine tests. Sand in the urine, signs of inflammation - blood and leukocytes.
- X-ray, ultrasound. Detection of large stones in the kidneys and bladder.
When making a diagnosis, the anamnestic data of the cat’s behavior, palpation of the bladder, clinical signs of hematuria, pain and laboratory tests urine, urine sediment, and the presence of microflora.
Diagnosis of urolithiasis in cats is carried out based on pronounced clinical signs. In cats, when a stone forms in the kidney or bladder, the diagnosis is confirmed by ultrasound and x-ray. During the examination, it is necessary to conduct laboratory tests of urine and ultrasound, since in some cases other diseases (tumors, inflammatory edema, cystitis) may manifest themselves in a similar way.
Therapeutic nutrition for urolithiasis
Veterinarians prescribe different diets when detecting oxalate stones and phosphate stones.
What to feed a cat with oxalates
In case of oxalate stones, you need to monitor the intake of oxalic acid into the cat’s body. This means that you need to give your pet less offal (liver, kidneys), and offer less calcium-containing food (cheese, cottage cheese, milk).
But beets, cauliflower, rice are useful products in this case.
Ready-made food for cats with urolithiasis caused by oxalates:
Hill's Prescription Diet Feline X/D
Eukanuba Oxalate Urinary Formula
Royal Canin URINARY S/O LP34
Diet for struvite
With phosphate stones, it is important to convert the alkaline reaction of urine into acidic. Therefore, egg yolk, cheese, cottage cheese, and milk are prohibited. Recommended: egg white, oatmeal, rice, liver, beef, boiled veal.
Ready-made feed:
Hill's Prescription Diet Feline S/D
Hill's Prescription Diet C/D
Eukanuba Struvite Urinary Formula
IMPORTANT! All ready-made food is not equally suitable for everyone, so even ready-made food is prescribed by a veterinarian.
And one more thing. Don’t be under any illusions – your cat is sick. Even if doctors pulled him out of the acute phase, urolithiasis never goes away. But it may not manifest itself for a very long time (or even never again) if you understand that the diet is now a way of life for your animal and you also do not forget about regular medical examinations.
Preventative nutrition
What to do to never encounter such a problem as urolithiasis in a cat?
No one can guarantee that your animal will avoid urolithiasis (see the chapter above “Causes of urolithiasis in cats”). But you can do everything in your power to block this disease’s access to your pet. So, regarding nutrition:
Watch the amount you drink - there should be a lot of it
Monitor the quality of drinking - the water should be purified and soft
Reduce calorie intake
Vitamins must be on the menu
If you practice feeding prepared foods, then choose diets specialized for castrated cats, sterilized cats, and diets designed for the prevention of urolithiasis.
Prevention of the development of urolithiasis
- After eliminating the signs of urolithiasis and stabilizing the condition, lifelong prevention is mandatory, which includes:
- Diet therapy (the doctor prescribes medicinal and therapeutic-and-prophylactic foods);
- Herbal medicine;
- Regular medical examination of animals (every 4-5 months you need to take urine and blood tests, and undergo an ultrasound of the genitourinary system every six months).
Nutrition of animals with urolithiasis
When preparing a diet for sick animals, the nature of the stones formed is taken into account. The diet for urolithiasis in cats is prepared for each animal separately, taking into account individual needs and physical characteristics.
Nutrition for cats with urolithiasis comes down to limiting the amount of food with high content calcium and calcium compounds. Eggs, cottage cheese, yogurt and other dairy products are excluded from the diet.
The basis of the diet should be meat food. In limited quantities, you can give fresh or boiled vegetables that are poor in calcium and alkalis: pumpkin, Brussels sprouts. Also, do not combine dry and wet food with homemade food.
The diet of cats with urolithiasis must be balanced, so it is best to give your pet specially designed medicinal comas for a month. Everyone should try to improve the quality of diet and watering of their pets, avoid long-term use monotonous products when feeding natural food.
The diet for urolithiasis in cats with oxalate stones should be designed in such a way as to limit the intake of oxalic acid, which is found in large quantities in the liver, kidneys and other by-products.
In addition, it is necessary to stimulate the pet’s thirst in every possible way, both in order to prevent the development of urolithiasis and during the treatment process. Owners should change the water in the bowl more often, place the bowl away from the food, use several bowls of different diameters, or one large one, place fountains at home, and so on.
The animal's diet may consist of the following products:
Boiled veal, beef.
Rice, oatmeal.
Beets, carrots, cauliflower, legumes.
Therapeutic and prophylactic food
During the formation of urates, salts uric acid, first of all, it is necessary to exclude from the diet foods high in salts and rich in purines - meat broths and broths, since during the cooking process purines pass into the broth, offal, sausages, liver sausage, low-quality dry food that contains a large amount of salts. From meat products Boiled lamb, chicken or veal is preferable.
Pets delight us with their presence and bring a piece of comfort into our lives. Unfortunately, they sometimes get sick. In such cases, you can hear how their owners are surprised at how similar the disease is to some “human” diseases.
Let's look at one of the similar problems in more detail, learning more about what symptoms of urolithiasis appear in people and what the treatment boils down to.
Description of the disease
Urolithiasis (as this disease is scientifically called) affects the lower urinary tract. The mechanism of its appearance is simple: sand or urinary stones. They “clog” the renal canals and pelvis and are deposited in the urethra. This process is always accompanied by painful urination (dysuria) and obvious disturbances in the excretion of fluid from the body. Another feature is increased frequency of urges; their appearance should alert you.
The circulation of deposits in the form of salt or stones can occur with complications. This applies to abundant blood “inserts” in the urine (hematuria). They are visible if the crystals scratch the excretory path as they pass.
Important! The interaction of blood and urine causes severe intoxication. If you do not go to the clinic, the animal may die 3-4 days after it starts.
In the most severe cases, the urethra is simply blocked, which can even lead to death. 
Veterinarians know that cats, due to their physiology, are more susceptible to the disease - they have a rather narrow urethral lumen (in cats it is three times wider). Also included in the “risk group” are:
- Individuals aged 2–6 years.
- Unsterilized cats are twice as likely to get the disease as males.
- Representatives of longhairs. These are “Siberians”, white and cream “Persians”, as well as various kinds of “exotics”.
- Pets with overweight. Their metabolism is simply impaired.
- There is an opinion about almost universal manifestations of urolithiasis in timely neutered cats. This is not entirely true - the problem arises “like everyone else.” True, the risk increases if castration was carried out with violations.
Reasons
The occurrence of the disease is associated with many factors. They can be divided into two groups. 
The first includes external reasons, they relate to the conditions of detention:
- Unbalanced diet. Vitamin deficiency (especially A) inhibits the epithelium of the genitourinary system. Proteins also influence fluid production. Both their shortage and excess are harmful here.
- Climate. In hot weather or in an overheated home, urine begins to accumulate more actively - the primary liquid is not able to “filter out” normally.
Did you know? American Jack Hetherington brought to life the phrase “cat scientist” in 1975. Having written a voluminous article on cryogenics, the scientist was faced with the problem of publication, and solved it by indicating his cat Chester as a co-author, giving him a “human” pseudonym. The deception was revealed only three years later.
- Environment. Yes, and it has weight. A simple chain: water saturated with salts and other compounds can enter the taps, which reduces its acidity. Boiling is of little use, and the cat drinks water that is harmful to its body.
Group internal factors are more extensive:
- Anatomical features. Suffered injuries and the presence of pathologies immediately affect the genitourinary system.
- Problems with the gastrointestinal tract. Malfunctions of the stomach and intestinal tracts affect acid balance body. The calcium that does not come out from there becomes “cement” for stones and sand.
- Hormonal imbalances due to unstable blood composition. There may be much more calcium there than normal.
- Action of viruses and microbes. This is true for active animals that spend a lot of time outside.
- Let's not forget about genetic predisposition. Its degree depends not only on the health of previous generations, but also on the health itself.
Important! Food with a large number additives and dyes provoke the appearance of stones. In addition, animals are very sensitive to its quality.
The listed problems can “accumulate” over months and years, sometimes unnoticed by the owner. Therefore, it is so important to recognize the very first manifestations of urolithiasis.
First signs and symptoms
Identify signs of dangerous urolithiasis on different stages With a cat it’s quite simple - just take a closer look at his behavior.
The main signal is a change in posture when urinating. The animal becomes tense, bends its back and tilts its head, the front legs stand strictly vertical, while the rear kneecaps protrude forward. If all this is accompanied by screams and plaintive meows, there is a reason to visit the veterinarian.
Symptoms also indicate the extent of the disease. Yes, for primary period are characterized by:- Frequent and longer urination.
- Liquid comes out in a thin stream.
- Licking under the tail, it turns into a regular activity.
- Minor blood fragments in the urine.
- The cat's behavior itself changes. He becomes irritable and abrupt, while not particularly choosing a place for “need”.
To go to severe stages indicate:
- Stable incontinence of urine passing with blood.
- Too frequent urges.
- Sudden weight loss against the background of complete depression of the pet.
Did you know? The purring of cats is not always quiet. In 2015, a cat named Merlin made a sound of 70 dB (which was immediately recorded in the book of records). This is comparable to speaking in a raised voice.
If latent period the illness has been too long, it turns into critical form, which can be determined by:
- Cramps.
- Vomiting.
- Loss of consciousness.
- Complete renunciation of “small needs”.
Diagnostics
Let us note right away that this is the lot of veterinarians. 
Some people collect urine in jars, which they then expose to light in the hope of seeing obvious traces of sand or pieces of stones. This will only take away precious time.
Important! The accumulated urine begins to “disperse” waste to the entire body. If it is noticeable that the cat begins to breathe heavily and the body temperature has dropped, then intoxication has already begun.
ICD is diagnosed comprehensively, using special equipment. It all starts with a simple thing:
- Urine analysis for the presence of stones. It is done quickly, the conclusion can be issued within a couple of hours (the examination is done on a “watch” liquid).
- Then an ultrasound of the bladder and excretory tract is performed.
- Conventional plain x-ray.
- Brings complete clarity contrast x-ray(aka urography). A special substance is injected into the animal’s vein, which helps to obtain a clearer picture.
All these procedures will not take much time. Upon completion, the veterinarian determines the nature of the disease. It can boil down to the appearance of soft mucoid plugs or the formation of large, full-fledged stones. Depending on this, treatment is prescribed. Treatment of urolithiasis
Having full clinical picture, the doctor selects the appropriate treatment method. It traditionally comes down to two methods, which are worth talking about in more detail.
Conservative
Prescribed when small stones and minor deposits are detected. In the presence of chronic infectious diseases, only this method is used.
The entire course represents a whole range of therapeutic activities. 
The following types of therapy are used:
- Anti-inflammatory.
- General strengthening.
- Analgesic and antispasmodic.
- Infusion
After examination, history and primary care, the veterinarian prescribes medications, indicating the dose. A special diet is also prescribed, without which final recovery is impossible.
Did you know? Fans of English FC Sunderland believe that a black cat brings good luck. Back in 1937, one of the little spectators carried a kitten in his pocket to the final cup match. The team won, and since then the “blackie” has become almost a sacred animal for the club and its fans.
Urolithiasis in cats with this approach involves treatment with large quantity drugs. The main emphasis is on antispasmodics (No-spa, dretarin compounds) and painkillers. 
Most often, prescriptions include medications such as:
- Actovegin;
- Nitroxoline;
- Renal;
- Furinaid;
- Cantaren;
- Cystokur.
Surgical
They resort to it if the stones cannot come out on their own. True, the surgeon may refuse to perform the operation if there are contraindications in the form of liver, respiratory and cardiovascular systems in any form.
The nature of the stones also plays a role. While urate and phosphate crystals can still be “drained” into the catheter, calcium-saturated oxalates will have to be literally cut out.
This intervention is performed using anesthesia. Most easy way comes down to inserting a catheter through the genital organ. This step improves urine circulation.
In case of relapse, they act more radically - a new opening is made above the S-shaped bend of the urethra. This is done (if the cat has not been neutered). 
A full-fledged operation is more complicated. The finally blocked urethra is brought out onto the scrotum, which is also trimmed for better urination. The cat is having his “dignity” amputated.
Important! A bubble stretched under the weight of deposits may burst over time. Destruction of blood vessels only speeds up this process, so entrust the treatment to professionals.
During the manipulations, the doctor evaluates the deposits, and Kotevin is used to wash them.
Of course, such actions greatly weaken the pet. Mildronate or Carboxylase are suitable to support heart function.
During the first week after surgery, the animal should be regularly shown to a specialist, who can adjust the rehabilitation as it recovers. 
Features of cat care
After visiting the clinic, home treatment begins. Everything is simple here - timely taking prescribed medications and following a “therapeutic” diet.
The main thing in restoring the body is proper nutrition. In the case of ICD, its main rule will be to avoid calcium-rich foods. Milk, cottage cheese and homemade eggs are excluded from the “menu”.
When selecting products, it is worth taking into account the character of the “pebble” and its nature. For example, after removing phosphate crystals (struvite) in the diet include beef, liver, boiled veal, rice and oatmeal. Ready-made food brands Eukanuba and are also produced.
For a striped one that has undergone removal oxalates, the diet will be stricter - meat consumption is reduced to a minimum (and in some cases completely prohibited). It is replaced by rice, beets and cauliflower. Fish is given no more than once a week. It is clear that not everyone will willingly accept such unusual food. Then the same food helps out.
Did you know? Lazy-looking cats have repeatedly saved their owners. One such case occurred in 2012, when a pet named Pudding saved his owner from a diabetic crisis.-Noticing something was wrong, he began to bite her and hit her vigorously with his paw. Moreover, he was not too lazy to run into the next room and wake up his sleeping son.
There's another one important point. Recovery takes a very long time, and nutrition changes completely for life. Therefore, avoid sudden transitions and overfeeding. Don’t forget about special preventative ones, which are used every 3-4 months. 
Preventive measures
In order not to condemn the “fluffy” to such discomfort and restrictions, pay attention to preventive measures. Prevention of urolithiasis in different cats starts from an early age.
It includes the following factors:- Balanced diet. This means changing your diet, giving up monotonous and salt-rich food (especially imported seafood).
Important! When choosing food, pay attention to the labeling-it indicates the use of such “feeding”. Without knowing such nuances, ask the seller about all the indices and letters indicated after the name.
- Mandatory use of vitamins.
- Using purified water.
- Purchasing “fresh” and suitable food for your cat.
- Periodic examinations and urine testing every 2-3 months.
- Timely vaccinations.
Worried about the four-legged one, some do an ultrasound of the urinary tract once a quarter. It is useful because it allows you to see the “earliest” sand. We learned why urolithiasis occurs in cats, what its symptoms are and how treatment is carried out with further care at home. We hope you find this information useful. Health to you and your “mustachioed and striped” friends!
Urolithiasis (UCD) – terrible diagnosis, frightening owners to the core. Three ominous letters from the veterinarian’s mouth sound like a sentence. And indeed, the ICD is not a gift at all. This is a formidable enemy, deadly for a pet. However, when the right approach he can be defeated.
Urolithiasis or urolithiasis is a chronic condition characterized by the formation of salt deposits in the kidneys, bladder and urinary ducts. The movement of stones with urine flow leads to obstruction - blockage of the urinary ducts. The accumulation of fluid in the bladder leads to general intoxication. If you don't give the animal emergency assistance, death is almost inevitable.
Uroliths (“stones” and “sand”) differ in chemical composition. In cats, in 80% of cases, phosphate/ammonium/magnesium is formed. Other uroliths: ammonium urate, calcium oxalate, cystines. For treatment to be effective, the doctor must determine the type of deposits.
Reasons for the appearance of ICD
It is believed that cats are less susceptible to ICD than cats. Unsterilized cats develop urolithiasis at the same rate as sterilized animals. Urolithiasis is no more common in neutered cats than in non-sterile animals. However, castration at an early age (before 6 months) can lead to underdevelopment of the urethra. If such a cat gets urolithiasis, the disease will be more severe, since the narrow lumen of the urethra becomes clogged with deposits more quickly.
There are a number of factors that serve as a catalyst for the onset of the disease:
- poor nutrition, in particular an excess of minerals in the diet. Frequent feeding of fish fatty foods, cheap food (no matter dry or canned) is a direct path to ICD. Dry food, balanced in composition, is absolutely safe;
- mixed food (“natural” plus industrial food). Alternating morning-evening or day-day, mixing natural products and industrial feed in one feeding leads to metabolic disorders. And urolithiasis occurs precisely “thanks to” metabolic disturbances;
- insufficient fluid intake or drinking poor-quality water (from the tap);
- hereditary predisposition;
- inactivity, obesity;
- congenital pathologies of the genitourinary system;
- infectious diseases, staphylococci;
- digestive tract dysfunction.
Read also: Vasculitis in cats: causes, types and methods of treatment
Symptoms
The first signs of the disease are subtle to the owner: the pet becomes less active, discomfort appears during urination, and appetite worsens. At this stage, KSD can only be detected by examining urine.
As the disease progresses, the pet’s condition worsens, there are more and more stones, they move along the urinary ducts, eventually closing the lumen completely or partially. During this period, symptoms become obvious:
- tight, painful stomach;
- obsession (the cat persistently fawns over the owner, constantly meows, trying to attract attention);
- sharp pain when urinating (the pet meows while sitting on the tray);
- frequent urges (the cat runs to the toilet ten times a day, but keeps asking and asking, scratches the door, protests when the owner closes the door to the toilet);
- urination in in the wrong place, sometimes demonstrative (ideally well-mannered pet can climb onto the table and write right in front of the stunned owner’s face - another way to attract attention);
- blood in the urine (the urine becomes pinkish rather than yellowish as usual).
Many animals develop health problems not due to improper care, but due to genetic predisposition. One of the most common ailments in cats is urolithiasis, which occurs due to many reasons. According to statistics, every 10 cats are prone to urinary tract diseases.
Urolithiasis - what is it?
According to research, almost 15% of domestic cats are predisposed to developing urolithiasis. Many people confuse urolithiasis with nephrolithiasis. In both cases, stones are formed in the internal organs, which are divided into several types depending on the composition:
- uralates are the most common;
- struvite (phosphates);
- oxalates - have an irregular shape, often forming in cats over 10 years old.
With urolithiasis they appear in the lower urinary tract. With nephrolithiasis - in the kidneys. Urolithiasis is accompanied by:
- painful urination (almost always with blood);
- urinary disturbance;
- regular but ineffective urge to urinate.
In the most severe cases, urethral obstruction (blockage of the urethra) occurs, which can lead to the death of the animal.
The disease has been studied for more than 40 years. During this time, various hypotheses for the occurrence of the disease were put forward. At first it was thought that viruses contributed to its development. This version was later refuted. Now the most probable cause an incorrectly composed diet is considered.
Who can get sick
In order to understand whether a pet is at risk, you need to know who has a predisposition to urolithiasis. Most often they suffer from:
- long-haired breeds (Persians, Siberians);
- castrated animals;
- obese pets;
- cats aged 2 to 6 years;
- cats (due to physiological characteristics);
- animals eating dry food.
Experts have noticed that exacerbation, especially in cats, occurs in the autumn-spring period. At this time, the immune system is weakened to a greater extent. This means that the risk of developing various diseases increases several times.
Reasons
The main cause of urolithiasis is genetic predisposition. It so happens that domestic cats have a dulled sense of thirst. After all, their distant ancestors lived in a dry and rather hot climate, they for a long time had to do without water.
Modern pets are not familiar with problems associated with a lack of fluid, but genetic memory makes itself felt. Insufficient water consumption leads to an increase in the concentration of urine in the body.. And this, in turn, entails the development of the disease.
The causes of the disease are also considered:
- unbalanced diet and poor quality water;
- kidney stones;
- pathology of the digestive system;
- castration, especially at an early age;
- low level of animal activity;
- obesity;
- infections;
- poor hygiene (for example, irregular cleaning of the tray).
A combination of other factors can also trigger the disease. For example, the microclimate in the room where the cat lives is too hot. As well as a lack (excess) of vitamins and minerals, hormonal imbalances, anatomical features, hereditary predisposition.
Cat diet and urolithiasis
For a long time it was believed that the main cause of urolithiasis was feeding only dry food. Latest Research proved that this is not entirely true. It is not the type of food that matters, but its vitamin and mineral composition. Food should be balanced. The risk of developing the disease increases significantly if the food is oversaturated:
- proteins;
- phosphorus;
- calcium salts;
- magnesium
Pets that are also prone to the disease are don't get enough iodine. A low content of this substance in food leads to decreased function thyroid gland and hypovitaminosis. Vitamin A deficiency negatively affects internal cells tissues of the genitourinary system.
Clinical manifestations or symptoms
Urolithiasis, even early stage, gives the cat a lot of inconvenience and a strong feeling of discomfort. It is not difficult to understand that something is wrong with your pet. Just pay attention to his behavior:
- the animal diligently licks under the tail;
- makes a plaintive meow when urinating;
- often goes to the toilet or tries to do his “business” wherever he has to;
- sand or blood appear in the urine.
Another sign is the position in which the cat goes to the toilet.. The animal assumes a very tense position. His head is pointing down. The back is arched, the muscles are tense. The front and hind legs are almost vertical.
Symptoms indicating a severe form of the disease:
- frequent painful urge to urinate;
- incontinence;
- vomit;
- pain in the lower back;
- loss of consciousness;
- the last stage is the inability to go to the toilet.
If you ignore these clinical manifestations, the death of the cat is inevitable. The difficulty in diagnosing urolithiasis lies in the fact that at the initial stage the development of the disease can occur without obvious symptoms. This period sometimes lasts for months and even years. Owners simply do not notice how the pet’s behavior and well-being changes.
Course of the disease
Whenever favorable conditions for the development of an illness or hereditary tendency, sand begins to appear in the urinary tract. When urinating, the cat experiences pain. The inflammatory process provokes frequent urge to use the toilet. Blood or sediment appears in the urine. At this stage, the animal constantly licks itself intensively. Body temperature rises by 1-2 degrees.
When the disease progresses to the following form, sand particles become larger and form stones. This causes deterioration in well-being. The cat becomes lethargic and loses its appetite. In severe cases, blockage of the urinary tract occurs. Pet:
- cannot go to the toilet;
- meows loudly;
- behaves restlessly;
- tries to take a position to urinate anywhere.
With this behavior, the owner should have no doubt that the pet is sick. The cat's belly becomes dense and noticeably increases in size. On palpation, the bladder is clearly palpable. There is no need to hesitate. After all, blockage of the urinary tract leads to stagnation of urine and subsequent intoxication of the body.
At this stage, the clock is ticking. If you ignore a visit to the veterinarian, in a few days the animal will simply die from internal poisoning, rupture of the bladder or peritonitis (inflammation of the abdominal cavity).
Diagnostics
Changed behavior may indicate not only urolithiasis, but also other health problems. Only a doctor can make an accurate diagnosis. As soon as deviations in the cat’s behavior are noticed (for example, refusal to eat, apathy, weakness), you should immediately contact the clinic. The veterinarian will examine you and prescribe a comprehensive examination.
Urolithiasis is detected using:
- ultrasound;
- x-ray;
- laboratory research.
The test results help to exclude the presence of internal tumors, infections and inflammatory processes, identify the nature of the stones, and determine the stage of development of the disease. Comprehensive examination allows you to assign correct treatment and prescribe medications that will not cause complications.
Treatment
Treatment of urolithiasis almost always requires surgical intervention. This measure allows you to restore the patency of the urinary tract. After the operation, the recovery process begins with the help of medications and a special diet. Drugs are often prescribed that dissolve stones and stimulate the excretion of calcium salts in the urine. These can be not only medications, but also herbal infusions.
The correct treatment regimen, taking into account all individual characteristics cats, only a doctor can choose. At the first stage, a catheter is inserted into the bladder. The course lasts about 70 days. If infection is present, antibiotics are prescribed.
If the introduction of a catheter does not alleviate the animal's condition, surgery is performed. The surgeon opens the bladder, cleans it, and places a temporary catheter. Further treatment carried out as in the previous case, but lasts longer.
The catheter is removed after a few weeks. For recovery period Concomitant supporting procedures must be prescribed. For example, blood purification and close monitoring of the condition internal organs(kidneys, hearts).
Prevention
Prevention of urolithiasis is, first of all, drawing up the correct and balanced diet. Food must be saturated with minerals and vitamins in the quantities required for a particular age, gender and health status. Regardless of the type of feeding, cats should have unlimited access to fresh food. drinking water. This is especially true for animals that eat only dry food.
An excess of minerals often provokes the development of urolithiasis. Therefore, it is not recommended to give cats both ready-made mixtures and natural food. When feeding granulated feed You should adhere to the dosage indicated on the package.
Urolithiasis is often a consequence of infections and inflammations. Therefore, you should not ignore any deviation for the worse in the pet’s health. A timely visit to the veterinarian will prevent the development of inflammatory processes and avoid serious complications. According to statistics, every 3 animals recover. Provided that the disease has not progressed to severe forms.
A pet is not only a good and fun time spent, comfort in the house and true friend. Cats become the very object of care and guardianship, because they themselves are not always able to take care of themselves, especially when it comes to health conditions. Therefore, urolithiasis in cats is a rather dangerous moment in the life of some of the animals, which you need to know about, as well as understand what treatment and prevention options exist for the disease.
Urolithiasis, also called urolithiasis, can be interpreted as the formation and accumulation of sand or stones (large sediment) in the kidneys or in the bladder. Such accumulations are concentrated in the urethra or ureters, resulting in urolithiasis. Due to the movement of sand in the body, blood is released into the urine. This disease affects almost 25 percent of cats.
Probability of the disease and its causes
Before determining what methods of treatment and prevention of urolithiasis exist, it is worth talking about which animals are more susceptible to such a risk and what are the reasons for its occurrence.
Which animals are more vulnerable?
First of all, symptoms of urolithiasis appear as a result of metabolic disorders in the cat’s body, which mainly causes the formation and accumulation of sand. However, analyzing the articles of scientists who studied these processes, one can notice that some groups of cats become victims inflammatory process more often. These include:
- cats, because the diameter of their urethra is smaller;
- not spayed or neutered cats;
- animals aged two to six years
- cats belonging to the long-haired breed;
- overweight felines.
Causes of disease in cats
All reasons that serve as a trigger for the onset of such an inflammatory process are usually divided into internal and external. If the second group includes factors such as nutrition, climate and biochemistry, then the first group can include a much larger list of undesirable factors. All of them depend individually on the physiology of the cat, its genetics and developmental characteristics, and one or another cause of urolithiasis in cats cannot be determined as common to all representatives. These usually include such circumstances of the disease:
- hormonal imbalance when the functioning of the cat’s parathyroid glands is disrupted
- special anatomy of a cat when there is a certain deviation in the structure of the urethra
- pathological diseases of the gastrointestinal tract
- tendency to urolithiasis, as a feature, is inherited;
- microorganisms that act as pathogens.
Signs of urolithiasis in a cat
In order to notice disturbances in the functioning of the cat’s body in time and not be late with treatment, you need to know well and be able to identify the symptoms of urolithiasis in cats. At the same time, it is important to understand that at each stage of the disease they are different and in the initial stages they are more difficult to notice.
The first symptoms of urolithiasis
These signs of urolithiasis in a cat are those that appear in the first stage. They are generally quite difficult to identify and may be associated with another disease. However, it is important to remember that the sooner we see them, the more likely that it will be easier for the cat to alleviate the suffering.
The first symptom can be considered frequent, long and painful urination of the animal, and as a result, its constant licking under the tail. No less important is the fact that the cat goes to the toilet in the wrong place.
Mostly we perceive such cases as an animal’s misconduct. When the disease manifests itself, general behavior the cat will be somewhat different - the pet will become sickly, sad and drooping.
More severe symptoms
If the cat owner did not notice early stages the mentioned symptoms and treatment of urolithiasis in cats did not begin on time, more serious and severe signs begin to appear. To them veterinarians refer to such as:
- the cat begins to go to the toilet even more often;
- the animal practically ceases to be able to restrain its urges;
- more and more blood begins to pour into the urine;
- The cat is losing significant weight.
Manifestations of critical condition
If treatment for urolithiasis in cats has not yet begun, then the animal begins to experience the most difficult stage of urolithiasis. It is highly not recommended to start the process until such a difficult stage, because this not only harms the health, but also the life of the animal as a whole. In such a situation, the cat stops going to the toilet altogether, she begins to have bouts of vomiting and loss of consciousness. Convulsions may occur periodically, which as a result, in the absence of decisive and immediate actions taken, can lead to a fatal end.
Diagnosis of a disease in a cat
Quite often supporters home treatment and opponents of special institutions for the treatment and diagnosis of the health status of their pets choose a false and useless method of diagnosing urolithiasis. It is worth remembering that simply placing a jar of urine on the windowsill and waiting for several days is an unsuccessful and deceptive method. In order to detect a disease in a cat in time and make a correct diagnosis of the disease, you need to contact a professional.
To accurately examine an animal for the presence of urolithiasis, a specialist uses a number of tools and procedures. These include palpation, animal urine test and ultrasound, regular or contrast x-ray of the body. IN extreme cases applies surgery, which can be used for diagnosis or treatment.
Treatment of urolithiasis in cats
Basic rules of treatment
After symptoms of urolithiasis were discovered in a cat, on our own at home, you need to provide the animal with first aid and relieve an acute inflammatory attack of the disease. For this, a regular heating pad is suitable, which should be applied to the pet’s stomach and perineum. It is strictly forbidden to massage the stomach, as this may worsen general situation. All further actions cannot be carried out independently, since only an experienced specialist knows all the nuances of the course of urolithiasis.
Further treatment is carried out according to the following scheme, following certain standard steps:
- stopping the severe stage;
- restoration of impaired urine flow (a catheter is installed in a cat for urolithiasis if the flow has been stopped);
- an infusion form of therapy using droppers to combat dehydration;
- therapy for the anti-inflammatory process of urolithiasis;
- choice of treatment method (conservative or surgical).
Conservative treatment method
It is strictly forbidden to decide how to treat a cat with urolithiasis at home, since choosing correct method Only a veterinarian can treat and use appropriate medications. With this method, attention is paid to relieving symptoms with special drugs and antispasmodics., and they try to dissolve the stones with the help of an appropriate diet. The advantage of this method is that it is more mild consequences and less burden for the animal, however, it does not fully guarantee the dissolution of stones.
Surgical method for treating urolithiasis
This method of combating urolithiasis is that specialists inject the cat under general anesthesia and try to remove all stones from the animal’s body as carefully as possible. In addition, they must take this coarse sand for analysis in order to accurately determine the cause of the disease and fight it. If there is fine sand, the organs are washed through a catheter designed for this purpose. This method, although it is more difficult for animals to tolerate, however, it is more accurate.
Drugs used for urolithiasis
All veterinarians use a common prescribed principle for the treatment of urolithiasis, so the drugs they use are mostly identical. It should be noted that the most popular include:
- Stop cystitis - relieves crystallization and pain;
- Furinide - forms a film on the mucous membrane of the bladder;
- Hexamine - increases membrane permeability;
- Kotervin - removes salts and dissolves stones;
- Actovegin - accelerates metabolism;
- Nitroxoline - destroys germs and viruses.
However, the specialist himself decides whether to use each of them or not, since the animal may have allergic reaction. In addition, not every drug is suitable for use at one or another stage of urolithiasis.
Prevention of urolithiasis
The main goal preventive measures is to prevent the formation and development of the disease, and in our case, urolithiasis. That is why it is worth knowing about a number of ways to prevent your pet from illness and extend the life of a cat’s happy and carefree existence. Prevention of urolithiasis in cats consists of the following rules::
- you need to give your pet more liquid to drink;
- the animal’s weight should be maintained and not given the opportunity to lose weight;
- for consulting a doctor, it is worth choosing proper diet for an animal;
- take appropriate measures to improve the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract;
- It is necessary to maintain a constant and optimal temperature where the animal lives.
It is worth remembering that not everyone can take care of themselves. If we can visit a doctor ourselves, then our pets need our support. Therefore, it depends on one animal owner how the fight against urolithiasis will occur.
