Risk Of Getting A Uti
No matter how many precautions are taken, an individual has a chance to get a urinary tract infection. This condition is far more common in women than men. Fifty percent of women have had a UTI, while only three percent of men worldwide have had one. There are risk factors that make an infection more likely.
- Genetics a family history that includes malformed urinary tracts or kidney deficiencies
- History having had a UTI previously
- Female anatomy the urethra is shorter than in a male giving bacterium a shorter distance to travel and the urethra is in close proximity to a females anus
- Intercourse transference of bacteria from the anus to the urethra or from one partner to another
- Menopause less estrogen to provide protection
- Obesity more folds in the labia allowing it to trap bacteria
- Uncontrolled diabetes excess sugar in the urine helps proliferate bacteria
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Urinary Tract Infection Treatment
If you are a healthy adult man or a woman who is not pregnant, a few days of antibiotic pills will usually cure your urinary tract infection. If you are pregnant, your doctor will prescribe a medicine that is safe for you and the baby. Usually, symptoms of the infection go away 1 to 2 days after you start taking the medicine. Its important that you follow your doctors instructions for taking the medicine, even if you start to feel better. Skipping pills could make the treatment less effective.
Your doctor may also suggest a medicine to numb your urinary tract and make you feel better while the antibiotic starts to work. The medicine makes your urine turn bright orange, so dont be alarmed by the color when you urinate.
What Causes Utis In Cats
In general, urinary tract infections develop when the urethra becomes contaminated with bacteria that normally colonize the rectum and surrounding area. Once in the urethra, the bacteria migrate upstream and take up residence in the bladder.
The presence of mineralized bladder stones or crystals in the urine may also be a cause of UTIs. Because the crystals are hard and irritating to the bladder, theres a greater risk for infection.
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Can Apple Cider Vinegar Cure Uti In Cats
Apple cider vinegar is an excellent treatment option for cat urinary tract infections . It can be used to create and maintain the proper pH balance for cat urine. This works to get rid of bacteria. When the bacteria are reduced, the cats urinary tract can heal spontaneously and then stay healthy.
Important Information On Flutd & Urinary Tract Infections In Cats
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Feelings of fear and anxiety can affect our cats much like they affect us. Stress can occur in your cat for multiple reasons. Perhaps youve recently moved or brought a new pet or family member home. Whatever the case may be, if you have a stressed cat, there could be an underlying problem. One of the first ways to detect this problem is when your cat stops using her litter box. She may be peeing in a new spot, spraying on a wall, or having trouble urinating.
Unfortunately, inappropriate urination is one of the most common reasons why cats are left at shelters or put outdoors. If your cat starts marking her territory away from her litter box, its not out of revenge or spite its probably because something is wrong. While it could be a behavioral problem, or she doesnt like her litter box for some reason, a medical condition should first be ruled out. One of the most frequent medical causes of a urination problem is feline lower urinary tract disease.
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How To Recognize And Treat A Cat Urinary Tract Infection
Cats rule the world, or maybe it just feels that way to their owners. Our feline companions can be the light of our lives. Pets can turn any bad day into paw-somely purr-fect one. However, when your furry friend isnt feeling their best, it can cause stress both for the cat and you as a pet parent.
Because February is National Cat Health Month, we would like to highlight a common feline issue: urinary tract infection . This time of year, we see more cases of UTIs, especially in males.
What Is A Cat Uti
Feline lower urinary tract disease is the formal medical term for a cat UTI. It describes any condition or bacterial infection that affects the bladder or the urethra of cats.
UTIs occur when bacteria gets into the bladder via the urethra. This build-up and growth of bacteria causes an infection. If you leave UTIs to their own devices, they can be extremely harmful for cats and potentially cause other problems such as bladder or kidney stones.
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Urinary Tract Infection In Cats
Written bySmall Door’s medical experts
Bacterial urinary tract infections are a fairly common condition among cats. While UTIs are usually relatively easy to diagnose and cure, they can develop into a more serious condition if left untreated. Urinary tract infections can occur in both young and old cats.
In This Article
How To Prevent Your Cat From Getting Utis
If your cat has had more than one urinary tract infection, you may want to talk to your veterinarian about prevention strategies. In general, these involve changing your cats diet and certain supplements that may help strengthen the bladder wall. Of course, its also important to ensure that your cat always has access to fresh, clean water, and a clean litter box.
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Treating Urinary Tract Infection
Causes Of Feline Urinary Tract Disease
Since there are multiple causes and contributing factors associated with FLUTD it can be a tricky condition to diagnose and treat. Crystals, stones or debris can gradually build up in your cat’s urethra – the tube connecting the bladder to the outside of your cats body – or bladder.
Other causes of lower urinary tract issues in cats include:
- Incontinence due to excessive water consumption or weak bladder
- Spinal cord issues
- Urethral plug caused by the accumulation of debris from urine
- Bladder infection, inflammation, urinary tract infection
- Injury or tumor in the urinary tract
- Congenital abnormalities
- Emotional or environmental stressors
Overweight, middle-aged cats who have little to no access to outdoors, eat a dry food diet or do not get enough physical activity are more susceptible to urinary tract issues, although cats of any age can get the condition. Male cats are also more prone to urinary diseases since their narrower urethras are more likely to become blocked.
Using an indoor litter box, emotional or environmental stress, multi-cat households or sudden changes to their everyday routine can also leave cats more vulnerable to urinary tract disease.
If your kitty is diagnosed with FLUTD it is essential to determine the underlying cause. FLUTD symptoms can be caused by serious underlying health issues such as bladder stones, infections, cancer or a blockage.
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Urinary Tract Infections In Cats
While cats often have urinary tract issues, our kitty companions are more prone to urinary tract disease than infections. Cats that do develop urinary tract infections are typically 10 years of age or older and often suffer from endocrine diseases, including hyperthyroidism and diabetes mellitus.
If your feline companion is displaying symptoms of a urinary tract infection and is diagnosed with cystitis, your veterinarian will prescribe and antibacterial to help battle your cats UTI.
The most common symptoms of urinary tract infection in cats include reduced amounts of urine, straining to urinate, pain or discomfort when urinating, not urinating at all, urinating around the house , and passing urine tinged with blood .
These symptoms may be caused by a urinary tract infection, but there are also numerous feline lower urinary tract diseases that may cause your cat to display the symptoms of UTI listed above.
Cystitis And Lower Urinary Tract Disease In Cats
Cystitis is a general term referring to inflammation in the urinary bladder. The term cystitis does not imply a specific underlying cause. In cats, diseases of the lower urinary tract are often grouped under the term feline lower urinary tract disease . The initial diagnosis of FLUTD is based on the identification of signs of lower urinary tract inflammation.
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How Will The Vet Diagnose My Cat With A Uti
Veterinarians will conduct a series of tests to determine whether or not your kitty has a UTI. The testing process will go something like this:
A Physical Examination
First, your vet will conduct a physical examination to see if the signs of a UTI are present, such as a small and painful bladder.
A Urine Sample
Next, he/she will collect a urine sample and test its concentration. By examining it through a microscope, your vet will be able to determine if harmful bacteria are present. Your vet may also ask you to collect a urine sample from your cat at home, using non-absorbent litter.
A Urine Culture
Your vet may also seek to identify a UTI using a urine culture. To do this, they place your cats urine in a microbiology plate, where they can then grow the urine. Should the offending bacteria be present, they will also grow alongside the urine.
Diagnosing Urinary Tract Infection In Cats
When diagnosing a UTI, your veterinarian will begin by taking a complete medical history. The vet may ask about changes in your cats water consumption, frequency of urination, amount of urination, how the urine looks, and any behavioral changes. Your vet will also perform a physical examination to assess the bladder and kidneys, as well as the genitalia and sometimes the rectum. If there is trouble with urination, a neurological exam may be conducted.
Your cats urine and blood will also be tested. Urinalysis is one of the most important and useful tests for diagnosing a UTI. It will look for the presence of certain chemicals or substances in the urine, like sugar, ketones, bilirubin, blood, and protein. A urinalysis is best conducted on a fresh urine sample to prevent inaccurate results.
Based on the findings, additional testing may need to be conducted. In particular, a urine culture may be performed to confirm the presence of an infection and to determine what type of bacteria are involved. Since it often takes 3 to 5 days to obtain final culture results, your veterinarian will likely start your cat on broad-spectrum antibiotics in the interim. The typical duration of antibiotic therapy is 7 to 14 days.
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How Will The Vet Treat My Cat For A Uti
The most common way to treat a feline UTI is with oral antibiotics. Should your kitty test positive for a urinary tract infection, your vet will prescribe them antibiotics which they will be required to take for up to 7 days. However, depending on your cats medical chart, your vet may choose to inject them with a dose of antibiotics instead. There are some other methods that are less commonly used:
- Change your cats diet
- Increase their water intake
- Surgery, if necessary
- Urinary catheter or surgery to remove urethral blockage in male cats
Antibiotics is the main solution, and the solutions above would only be used in very mild or very extreme cases where there are additional issues.
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How To Treat A Cat Uti At Home
A cat UTI is more common in female cats than male cats.
However, male cats can have serious complications from UTIs as well.
Cats diagnosed with idiopathic cystitis can also have crystal formation. Male cats may experience blockage in their narrow urethras, which can become deadly.
Urinary tract infections occur when bacteria grows in the bladder.
UTIs and bladder infections usually cause physical discomfort, although some show no signs at all.
Cats with UTIs typically exhibit:
- Blood in urine
If your cat exhibits any of these symptoms, please contact your veterinarian immediately.
Recovery Of Urinary Tract Infections In Cats
Your cats recovery will depend on the underlying cause of the infection. Generally, cats will start to show improvement within 2-3 days of treatment, if the case is not serious.
Always follow your vets treatment instructions. Be sure to provide clean water at all times. Encourage drinking where you can and ensure that litter boxes are clean. This can help reduce your cats stress and may speed up recovery.
Urinary tract infections can be expensive to treat. If you suspect your cat has a urinary tract infection or is at risk, start searching for pet insurance today. Brought to you by Pet Insurer, Wag! Wellness lets pet parents compare insurance plans from leading companies like PetPlan and Trupanion. Find the pawfect plan for your pet in just a few clicks!
*Wag! may collect a share of sales or other compensation from the links on this page. Items are sold by the retailer, not Wag!.
Urinary Tract Infections Average Cost
From 344 quotes ranging from $200 – $1,000
Average Cost
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Other Types Of Urinary Tract Problems In Cats
If your cat is straining, crying when urinating, urinating outside of the box, or having blood in its urine, it may very well have a condition that is not a UTI. Some of the more common causes include:
Feline Urological Syndrome – Also referred to as sterile cystitis, this is a sterile inflammation of the bladder that is incredibly common in cats. The exact cause for this inflammation is unknown but is likely multi-factorial including stress, genetics, diet, anatomy, and lifestyle. This is a disorder that cannot be cured but requires management in the form of stress reduction, special diets, medications, and sometimes surgery.
Urinary Tract Blockage– More often a problem in male cats, the urethra may become blocked with grit and other debris and the cat will be unable to urinate. This is an emergency! Steps must immediately be taken to unblock the cat to avoid kidney failure and death. Any cat with urinary tract symptoms that is not urinating for more than eight hours or only producing small drops of urine should be seen by a vet right away.
Bladder Stones – Bladder stones may also cause signs that look like a UTI. The cat may strain, urinate frequently, have pain when urinating, and have blood in its urine. Testing with your veterinarian, including a urinalysis and x-rays, is necessary for diagnosis.
Prescriptions From The Vet
The vet is your first line of contact when you need to treat your cats UTI. If your vet sees it as necessary, they may prescribe antibiotics for the infection. They will likely prescribe an oral medication or an injectable medication. These antibiotics get rid of the infection or reduce inflammation.
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How To Tell You Have A Uti
A UTI is caused by bacteria, most often E. coli, in your urinary tract. Women are more likely to get a UTI because of the way their bodies are built. At least 50% of women get at least one UTI in their lifetime.
The first symptom is pain while urinating. Other symptoms include:
- Lower abdominal pain
- Blood in the urine
- Always feeling like you need to urinate
If you have at least 3 of these symptoms, you may have a UTI. The only way to know for sure is for a doctor to test your urine.