Given their relatively long and narrow urethra, male cats are much more likely than female cats to develop obstruction. Segev and colleagues determined that the mean age of cats with UO (51.7 37.7 months) was significantly lower than gender-matched and time-matched (sequential hospital admissions) controls without UO (75.5 61.3 months).4 In add... See full list on todaysveterinarypractice.com Clinical Signs The most common early clinical signs of UO are similar to those of idiopathic cystitis, including stranguria, dysuria, and hematuria. Delayed systemic signsassociated with the onset of uremiainclude anorexia, vomiting, and lethargy/collapse. Clinical signs depend on the completeness and duration of the obstruction. The median duration of signs before veterinary presentation was 3 days in one study of 223 cats.1 Physical Examination The classic physical examination finding in cats with UO is an overdistended, turgid urinary bladder that cannot be expressed. It is important to note, however, that the inability to express urine can be a normal finding in male cats and notdiagnostic for UO. The penis may be reddened from self-trauma, and a urethral plug may be observed protruding from the tip of the penis. Dehydration may be present as indicated by prolonged skin turgor and tacky mucous membranes. Moderate bradycardia (100... See full list on todaysveterinarypractice.com Diagnosis and management of UO are performed simultaneously. Diagnostics should ideally include: 1. Minimum database, including packed cell volume/total solids, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine, blood glucose, pH, sodium, potassium, chloride, phosphorus, and ionized calcium 2. Electrocardiogram 3. Urinalysis with sediment examination 4. Abdomi... See full list on todaysveterinarypractice.com The magnitude of azotemia, electrocardiographic stability, and degree of bladder distension helps dictate the order of treatment and how quickly it must be performed. Cats in uremic crisis with very large, turgid bladders require prompt intervention. Stabilization of the patient and treatment of adverse effects of UO are essential before anesthesia... See full list on todaysveterinarypractice.com Anesthesia After the cat has been stabilized, sufficient anesthesia is administered to provide immobilization and urethral relaxation. Many effective anesthesia protocols are available and can be chosen based on clinician comfort and drug availability. 1. Ketamine (25 mg/kg IV), with either diazepam (0.20.5 mg/kg IV) or acepromazine (0.0050.05 mg/kg IV), is generally a safe and effective protocol; a second dose of ketamine and diazepam can be administered if additional time is needed to complete the... Urethral Catheter Placement Aseptic technique and a gentle hand are fundamental to urethral catheter placement. 1. Clip the hair in the perineal region carefully and prepare the skin aseptically. 2. Extrude the penis and retract it caudally to straighten the urethra. Failure to fully retract the penis caudally impedes the catheter from navigating the sigmoid flexure of the urethra. 3. Advance a urinary catheter (see What Types of Catheters?) into the urethra to the site of obstruction. Advance the catheter slowly to avo... Role of Atracurium Besylate One study evaluated the effect of intraurethral atracurium besylatea neuromuscular blocking agent that causes paralysis of striated musclein male cats with urethral plugs in aiding the resolution of UO.13 1. A solution of 0.5 mg/mL atracurium besylate was infused into the urethral lumen of treated cats for 5 minutes prior to retrograde flushing; the control group was infused with saline. 2. The percentage of cats with urethral plug removal at the first attempt was significantly higher in th... See full list on todaysveterinarypractice.com After obtaining urethral patency, intensive supportive care is indicated until resolution of metabolic derangements. This care includes: 1. Maintenance of urethral catheter 2. Monitoring for postobstructive diuresis and secondary UTI 3. Administration of IV fluid therapy, analgesia, and urethral relaxants/antispasmodics 4. Potential supplementation... See full list on todaysveterinarypractice.com Home Environment The home environment of cats with UO should be changed as needed to help decrease stress and increase water consumption. Alterations may include: 1. Increasing contact time between the cat and owner 2. Improving litter box hygiene and increasing number of litter boxes 3. Switching to a canned food diet and increasing water availability 4. Environmental enrichment, such as vertical perches and hiding places 5. Increasing hunter behavior and use of pheromones (Feliway spray, feliway.com) to hel... Follow-Up Re-evaluation 7 to 10 days after discharge is recommended. Factors to evaluate include: 1. Urinalysis to monitor USG (goal of < 1.030), urine pH, and crystalluria 2. Quantitative bacterial culture (obtained by cystocentesis) to rule out UTI that may have occurred during indwelling urethral catheterization. See full list on todaysveterinarypractice.com UO is a common but complex disorder encountered in cats. A great deal remains to be learned about the treatment of UO and the risk factors for recurrent UO to help standardize care. Despite the severe metabolic consequences associated with UO, aggressive treatment results in high success rates. When aggressive conventional treatment is not an optio... See full list on todaysveterinarypractice.com Mechanical obstruction of the urethra can occur as a result of urethroliths, urinary tract neoplasia, stricture, prostatic disease, or extraluminal compression from adjacent organs. Functional obstruction of the urethra can also occur. Male cats are uniquely predisposed to UO as a complication of lower urinary tract disease, and urethral plugs are responsible for UO in most cases. Obstruction ... This is because the female urethra is shorter and broader and thus far more difficult to obstruct. When urinary blockage becomes recurrent in a male cat, it becomes time to consider surgical reconstruction of the genitalia to create a more female-like opening. Urethral obstruction in cats is a life-threatening emergency. Dr. JoAnna Pendergrass, DVM explains its causes, symptoms, and treatment. What is feline urethral obstruction? Feline urethral obstruction (UO) is a common disorder encountered in small animal emergency practice, with incidence estimates ranging from 1.5% to 9%. 1,2 The etiology of UO was long thought to be a physical obstruction, such as a urethral plug, calculi, stricture, or neoplasia. How do I know if my cat has a urethral obstruction? Clinical signs of a urethral obstruction are not as evident as you might think. The initial clinical signs, listed below, primarily involve difficulty urinating. Cats can have trouble urinating for many reasons other than urethral obstruction, such as a urinary tract infection. Initial clinical signs: How is urethral stricture treated in a cat? Owing to worsened clinical signs and progression of urinary tract obstruction on ultrasonography, the cat was admitted for fluoroscopy-guided balloon dilation of the urethral stricture. The cat was anaesthetised. While in dorsal recumbency, a 9.5 Fr cystoscope (67030 BA; Karl Storz-Endoskope) was introduced into the distal urethra. What is a cat urinary blockage? A cat urinary blockage, also called a feline urethral obstruction, happens when something physically blocks urine from leaving the bladder through the urethra. These terms are often used interchangeably, though urethral obstruction specifically refers to a blockage in the urethra, the narrow tube that carries urine from the bladder out of the body. A proximal urethral stricture was diagnosed by retrograde urethrogram in a 2-year-old female neutered cat, which was referred following a 2-month history of stranguria, pollakiuria and urinary incontinence. Cystoscopic examination confirmed the ...
As we can see from the illustration, Feline Urethral Stricture Symptoms Female Cat has many fascinating aspects to explore.
