When To See A Vet
These at-home treatments and remedies may be effective for clearing up minor infections, but more serious infections need to be treated by a professional animal doctor.
If your cat is experiencing mild or moderate symptoms, you can try these remedies to relieve their symptoms. If their symptoms show no sign of improvement in a few days, talk to a veterinarian. If your cat seems to be in pain or is unable to pass urine, see a vet immediately. This could be a sign of urethral obstruction, which can be fatal if not treated within 24 to 48 hours.;
A vet may be able to prescribe antibiotics to target the harmful bacteria. Be sure to give your cat the full dose of prescribed antibiotics to prevent the UTI from returning or becoming resistant to treatment.
Even if youre pursuing professional treatment, these remedies can be effectively used alongside antibiotics to strengthen the bladder and balance your cats pH levels. Some can also be used as a daily supplement to prevent the UTI from coming back.;
Blood In Cat Urine: Treatment
Its normal to panic if you notice that your cat is urinating blood. The first thing you should do is remain calm, monitor your cats behavior and go to the vet as soon as possible. Establishing the cause is key in treating the bleeding correctly. A vet will likely ask you questions about your cat’s habits, as well as perform a general checkup, blood tests, urine samples and, if deemed necessary, other tests.
Once a cause has been established, a veterinarian will prescribe the appropriate treatment. It is important that you follow the veterinarians orders strictly because if not treated in time or adequately, hematuria can be fatal.
The Kidneys And Ureters
The kidneys and ureters are a rare cause of feline haematuria. Kidneys suffering from failure can bleed, especially when the cat also has high blood pressure. Cats can also suffer from kidney and ureter tumours. Compared to haematuria from the bladder or urethra, bleeding from the kidneys and ureters is rare.
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How Much Pee Is Normal
Healthy cats typically pee between 2 and 4 times each day. But this frequency is also affected by water intake, diet, heat and humidity. Keep tabs on your cats peeing habits. Did it use to pee twice a day but recently started to do so more than usual? And also, is there an increase in urine output? If theres a sudden increase in urine output, it could be a symptom for diseases such as kidney disease, diabetes and hyperthyroidism. But dont panic yet!
What you can do: Take your cat to the vet and explain your observations.
If your cat is peeing less than normal, one possible cause could be that there are crystals in his urethra blocking the flow of pee. The cause of crystals in cats is usually the result of a mainly dry cat food diet.
What you can do: Incorporate more high quality wet foods such as freeze dried cat food or canned cat food into your cats diet to reduce crystals and prevent new crystals from forming. But to be safe, it would be best to take your kitty to the vet. Its possible that the crystals need to be surgically removed.
Bladder Or Urethral Stones Causing Blood In Cat Pee
Stones can develop anywhere along a cats urinary tract but will most often form in their bladder or urethra. Stones form via the accumulation of minerals, crystals and other natural substances within an organ. Once they compact and form into a stone, these pesky little things may start rubbing against the walls of the bladder or urethra. As the stones move around in the bladder or down through the urethra, they can cause inflammation, irritation, and eventually bleeding.
Some cats who are afflicted by bladder or urethral stones may have blood continually appear and disappear in their urine. This can make it especially hard for their owners to know if something is wrong and whether or not their cat requires veterinary attention.
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Causes Of Frequent Cat Urination
Frequent cat urination can indicateseveral different conditions. Some of these conditions are medical and are closely related while others may be behavioral; differentiating between cat urinary problems will take keen observation on the part of the owner. To determine which feline urinary problem your cat could be suffering from, read on for a list of possible causes and related symptoms.
How Is Flutd Diagnosed
Because FLUTD has many causes, it can be difficult to diagnose. Based on your cat’s symptoms, your veterinarian will do a physical examination and most likely will run a urinalysis assessing urine pH and concentration and presence of crystals, bleeding, inflammation and infection. If the cause is still not identified, tests such as urine culture, x-rays, blood work and additional urine tests may be recommended.
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Does Your Cat Like The Litter You Use
Not every cat is going to like the same litter. Some cats may have an aversion to lightweight litter while others prefer it. Many cats, to their owners dismay, dont like unscented litter. If you think that your cat may not like the litter you use you can try out a few different litters in different boxes to see which one your cat uses the most.
How Is Blood In Cat Urine Diagnosed
The first step in obtaining a diagnosis for why your cat is peeing blood is a complete physical examination. During this procedure, your vet will examine your cats belly, listen to their heart and lungs, and inspect their genitals and urethra. They may also check for any physical abnormalities like bumps or tumors. The physical exam will also clue your vet into your cats body condition score and physical fitness levels.
After the physical exam concludes, your vet will ask you a series of questions aimed at better understanding of your cats complete medical history, home life, and stress levels. The reason for this is that, like all animals, cats can respond psychosomatically to external stressors. If something at home is causing them to feel anxious, their stress can physically manifest itself in the form of urinary troubles.
Next, your vet may order a series of labs or tests to gain deeper insight into what could be causing blood to appear in your cats urine. These might include a urinalysis, urine culture, complete blood count , and imaging.
Imaging tests like x-rays or abdominal ultrasounds can also reveal whether bladder or urethral stones or neoplasms are to blame. Even if growths or tumors arent the cause, these imaging tests can still be useful in detecting the presence and severity of inflammation in organs involved in urination.
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Does Your Cat Have Blood In Its Urine 5 Reasons Why And When It Is An Emergency
- 31 Aug, 2016
Blood in your cats urine is never normal and always needs to be assessed as soon as possible. If your cat is urinating normally, you do not need to rush into an emergency clinic. However, cats that are not passing urine, straining to pee, peeing only small amounts of urine or yeowling in the litterbox need to be seen by a veterinarian immediately. Here are the top five reasons for a cat to be urinating blood:
Feline Lower Urinary Tract Syndrome
Feline Lower Urinary Tract Syndrome is a disease that many cats suffer from. There are many different factors that can cause a cat to develop this disease and we do not yet know 100% why some cats get it and others dont. What we do know is that oftentimes it is set off by stress. It is worse in cats who, for some reason, do not have enough healthy, protective cells in their bladder wall.
Cats with Lower Urinary Tract Syndrome will have bouts of straining to urinate, frequently urinating small amounts, and peeing blood. It will come and go. They may have a week where they have these symptoms, then get better on their own. Weeks or months later, they may have a flare up again and show symptoms for 3 days or longer.
When diagnostics are done, usually nothing abnormal is found other than the blood in the urine. Your vet may prescribe certain medications to treat pain and inflammation. They may also recommend ways to enrich your cats environment and decrease stressful factors that may be playing a role.
Many cats that suffer from this will also benefit from starting on prescription foods that help with the health of the bladder. If prescription food is too expensive, feeding your cat canned, moist, or wet foods can help due to their increased moisture content, better hydrating the bladder.
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Treatment For Urinary Tract Disease
Treating blood in your cats urine should address the underlying cause of the haematuria. For cats with a urethral blockage, treatment is urgent and involves catheterization.
The exact treatment your cat undergoes will depend on their symptoms and final diagnosis. For the most common cause- cystitis- theres no specific treatment. Instead, symptoms are controlled using anti-inflammatories.
Herbal supplements are available that may help the bladder lining, but most of these have little clinical evidence to back their use. Since FIC is associated with stress, calming supplements may also be of use.
Of course, if your cat is suffering from another type of urinary tract disease, treatment might differ. Cats with infections, for instance, will need antibiotics, as well as treatment for the underlying cause. Cats with urinary stones may need a special diet to help reduce the crystals in the urine, and these stones may need to be removed surgically.
Cats with a blocked urethra will need unblocking urgently- by passing a urinary catheter under general anaesthetic. And cats with bladder tumours may have chemotherapy or surgery as an option- although whether this is appropriate for your cat is a decision for you and the veterinary surgeon to make together.
There is some new evidence that suggests that water supplements may increase hydration in cats too- so thats something to look out for in the future.
Prevention Of Fic Should Include A Weight Control Diet And Consideration Of Environmental Factors:
- There should be adequate access to litter boxes, preferably the number of cats in the house +1. These should be situated in accessible areas, if the house is very large, more litter boxes may be necessary.
- If there is a multi-cat household, any inter-cat aggression/bullying should be identified and minimized. Aggression can be subtle and consulting a behaviorist could be appropriate. Cats are often solitary creatures and prefer somewhere to sleep away from the others. Giving them a safe high perch and a quiet room can help.
- Using anti-stress pheromones such as Feliway around the house may help. If there is a strong suspicion of stressors that cant be easily resolved, tricyclic antidepressants may be prescribed. These are not usually a first-line treatment but play a part in reducing the recurrence of long-term FIC.
- Ensuring an enriched environment and making time to play with your cat can also help.
- Water Intake is very important. Cats can be encouraged to drink by flavoring the water or providing a water fountain. Adding additional water to the diet is also appropriate.
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How Can I Prevent My Dog From Having Blood In His Urine
Taking your dog for regular veterinary checkups is the best way to keep your best friend healthy and happy, and to prevent urinary problems. Your veterinarian can tell you if your dog is predisposed to urinary issues, and if so, can test your dogs urine regularly to make sure your fur-baby is in good health.;
Its also a good idea to monitor your dogs urinary habits at home, such as observing urination behaviors and habits. If you notice that your dog is urinating more frequently, having difficulty urinating, or spotting frequently, contact your veterinarian. These behaviors can be signs of one or more of the medical conditions listed above.; ;
Reduce Stress To Promote Hydration
One main causes of blood in cat urine, stress, can result in problems such as cystitis and obesity. Therefore, we recommend offering your cat a calm environment and space to facilitate its recovery. This space should steer clear of annoying noises and excessive stimuli. In addition, we suggest establishing a home routine for your cat to follow.
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Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease
In this case, crystals tend to form in the urine and cause complications. There are two forms of crystals: struvite crystals and calcium oxalate. These crystals may aggregate and turn into stones that may be painful to pass. Such stones may form in the male cat’s urethra and form a plug that may cause a urinary blockage, which may become potentially fatal within a few days or hours. When this happens, because the blockage prevents the cat from urinating, he will become poisoned from its own toxins .
The following are key symptoms of FLUTD in cats:
- Painful urination
- Urinating out of the litter box
Symptoms of the blockage progressing in male cats:
- Vomiting
- Lethargy
- Shock
- Death if left untreated once toxins overwhelm the body, poisoning the cat to death
In this case, prompt treatment is what can make the difference between life or death. Upon seeing the vet, an obstructed cat will exhibit a large, hard bladder. The vet at this point will insert a catheter to unblock the cat. At this point, the cat will urinate abundantly. He may be kept at the hospital for a few days until he’s peeing normally and given intravenous fluids in the meantime.
Treating Your Cats Condition
So, how are some of these problems treated? FLUTD is treated on an outpatient basis, with fluids under the skin to help hydrate and flush out the bladder, pain medication, and canned food. An FUO is treated with sedation, unblocking , aggressive IV fluids, pain control, and appropriate monitoring and supportive care . A UTI is often treated with a short course of antibiotics and pain medication.;
As an emergency critical care veterinary specialist, Im often asked to triage cats to see if they have a urinary blockage . Often, Ill palpate their bladder in the waiting room and if I dont feel a blockage, I recommend that they be seen for supportive care . However, Ive had cat owners who are experienced with FLUTD and opt to be triaged away and leave the emergency room immediately after determining that they arent blocked, and elect to be seen at their family veterinarian the next day.
When in doubt, if you notice your cat peeing blood or blood from the rear, get to a vet right away to keep your cat safe and pain-free.
Cover photo by Cong H;on;Unsplash
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Putting Your Cat To Sleep
If all treatment fails cat euthanasia at home may be a consideration as your final option. Youll get all the help and advice you need from trained and fully qualified home visit vets. Your cat wont suffer any pain as a gently administered sedative followed by an anaesthetic agent will help the passing. And youll get all the care and support you need following the procedure.
Physical Obstructions In The Urinary System Causing Blood In Cat Pee
Mostly seen in male cats , urinary obstructions are a self-explanatory condition: its when something is literally preventing your cat from being able to effectively empty their bladder. Like with many diseases related to the urinary system, urinary obstructions can come from a variety of underlying issues including swelling caused by inflammation in the urinary tract, urethral plugs, urethral or bladder stones, urinary strictures, or even tumors.
However, make no mistake: a urinary obstruction is a life-threatening emergency that must be taken care of immediately. A cat with an untreated urinary obstruction is at significant risk of mortality as being unable to pee causes a buildup of urine within the kidneys. This buildup of waste products in the kidneys leads to kidney failure which can kill you cat. If you notice your cat is really straining to pee and only produces a little blood instead ofwell, pee, take them to a vet immediately.
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What Is Vomiting Of Blood
Hematemesis is often a sign of;gastrointestinal disorders;or;bleeding. Contact your veterinarian immediately during the first instance if possible, as this can be a sign of a problem.;;
While vomiting in cats can be quite common, vomiting of blood, known as hematemesis, may be an indication of a serious condition in cats that warrants immediate veterinary attention. The blood in a cats vomit may be bright red or dark-colored with an appearance often likened to coffee grounds, which can be differentiated from spots of blood present in the vomit. Spots of blood in the vomit may result from irritation caused by vomiting. However, it is a good idea to seek veterinary attention despite what the blood looks like or what you think the cause may be.
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What Do I Do If My Dog Is Urinating Blood
If your dog is urinating blood, the first thing to do is to contact your veterinarian immediately and make an appointment, or go to an emergency vet if your general veterinarian is closed.
During the appointment, your veterinarian will attempt to diagnose your dogs condition and may conduct a urinalysis, a urine culture, take an X-ray, or ultrasound your dogs bladder and kidneys. It is important to make an appointment or take your pet to an emergency animal hospital within 24 hours after noticing signs so that your dogs condition can be diagnosed and treated appropriately.;
While at the veterinarian, its important to give a thorough history of your dogs health, including a history of signs and symptoms.; This information can give your veterinarian clues as to the cause of blood in your dogs urine, and help with a diagnosis and treatment as well.
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