blood in urine problem (urgent! -- updated)

DanaK · 11-15-2006, 02:10 PM

just for a quick history my cat, Buttons, has had 3 episodes of blood in his urine at about 2 year cycles. The first two were close to me moving so the vet said stress could be part of the onset of this urinary tract infection like syndrome. This third time there hasn't been something similar thats ocurred though.

Basically he acts like he has a urinary tract infection. He randomly tries to spray wherever he is at the point I assume it stings. He only manages a drop or two then moves on. The unfortunate thing is it is red as though there is blood in the urine.

This past time it started approximately 2 weeks ago. I immediately took him to the vet and they prescribed me some baytril. 3 days into taking it the blood stopped being present and he was trying to spray less. Unfortunately a few days after that he started throwing up not long after taking the pill and regressed. I immediately went back to the vet and they took a urine sample, xray and kept him for a few hours of observation. They did not see any stones and he looked normal except for the blood in the urine. at that point they moved me to clavamox.

Similar results a few days in it cleared up and he acted a lot better and the blood red was not present in the urine. Here we are about 5 days after the clavamox ran out and he is regressing to some reddish-ness in his urine and he is trying to spray again.

Has anyone else experienced this and have any advice? I'm really worried, and always wary of going to the same vet again now as this is two times in 4 yrs they have treated him for this without really any insight as to the cause, they basically got lucky and the anti biotic fixed it 2 years ago. I'm about $300 in so far without much progress that doesn't regress, so I want to see what else I can do for him because I feel horrible that he is probably discomforted to say the least

p.s. with multiple cats in the house I was feeding them purina, but the vet recommended switching to science diet low mineral. I've been trying to give them a regular diet of wet food but it was a similar brand which he said wasn't that great either. Its hard switching brands with multiple cats in my opinion.

Lisa 216 · 11-15-2006, 02:23 PM

Welcome to the forum

I haven't dealt with this, but I agree with you -- time for a second opinion. Has your vet run any other tests besides testing the urine sample and the x-ray? Any bloodwork?

I'll move your post to Health and Nutrition. Hopefully someone there can offer additional thoughts and suggestions. Please let us know what happens!

DanaK · 11-15-2006, 06:38 PM

things took a bad turn tonight.

I came home and Buttons hissed and howled at me when I pet him which is something he have NEVER done in his 6 years I've had him. He has some drops underneath his tail and they look almost syrupy - like it is more blood than urine. When he started howling he lifted his leg a little bit and winced some.

I called the vet and they can't do anything until morning. any advice? I feel horrible if he is in that much pain he starts hissing to be left alone.

BoscosMum · 11-15-2006, 08:10 PM

Isnt there an "on call" vet for after hours emergencies.

I am far from an expert, but that sounds like he is blocked.

coaster · 11-15-2006, 08:42 PM

Get your cat to an emergency vet if at all possible. It does sound like he's blocked. I know one person here in town whose cat died overnight from a blockage.

BoscosMum · 11-15-2006, 08:47 PM

Any news on Buttons....I have him in my prayers this evening.

AddFran · 11-15-2006, 09:06 PM

Very common for personality changes like the one you described when cats are experiencing this type of health problem. It's likely he's in a lot of pain and could have an obstruction. Like Tim suggested, I'd look into a emergency vet. They have them pretty much everywhere now. You can probably find one within an hour of where you live unless you are really, really out there.

DanaK · 11-15-2006, 11:24 PM

well I just got back from the emergency animal clinic. They were really friendly and helpful and the usual convenience charges apply

This type of thing is really frustrating I'm about $550 in or so and I don't mind spending the money to make him get better but noones really done that yet it feels like. I just feel bad he is in some major discomfort =\

His white blood cell count was high which they said signified a possible infection. They were able to get a urine sample and there was no blockage going on. Basically everything was status quo from the vets diagnosis a week ago but I was really nervous given his behavior and symptoms tonight. They gave him an anti-inflammatory shot and some liquid clavamox and sent me on my way.

The one concerning thing is they pointed out Buttons has a heart murmur. They said I should get a cardiologist assessment done and possibly have something prescribed to fix it. Its only concerning because my regular vet has never mentioned this as far as I remember (which I would remember something like this??). Given their lax attitude 5 minutes before closing time to my phone call and this murmur I think its time to scout for a new vet imo.

Thanks for the kind words and advice here too btw

coaster · 11-15-2006, 11:34 PM

Given the behavior you described, which I'd interpret being in pain, I think you did the right thing. I'm glad it wasn't an obstruction, and I'll bet you're pretty relieved, too.

Don't worry too much about the heart murmur right now. Minor heart murmurs aren't a serious health threat. Perhaps that's why your regular vet never mentioned it. And it might have been exacerbated by the discomfort of the bladder infection and the stress of the vet visit. If it were me, I wouldn't feel at all uncomfortable in waiting to have that murmur evaluated at a more convenient time.

DanaK · 11-16-2006, 09:29 AM

yeah I just have a bad taste in my mouth from my vet at the moment. I called about 5-10 minutes before they closed and told them what was going on and the vet was too busy to get on the phone they both had one of the intern/nurse/whatevers tell me they would call in the morning etc. I asked if there was anything I could do in the interim since he seemed to be in the most pain/discomfort I've ever seen him be in from this and he was trying to urinate but nothing was coming out. They asked if he was straining to go, I said yes. Their response was basically we close in 5 minutes theres really nothing you can do. I asked if there was anything in the interim I could do to lessen his discomfort for the night, and I received the same response. It was just very cable company business like, not a health care kind of response in my opinion. If a blockage can occur at any time, why wouldn't they seemed concerned just because they did an xray 2 weeks ago? I don't know.

Then add in they have never mentioned the heart murmur, even in his vaccination visits when there was nothing wrong with him. It makes me wonder.

11-15-2006, 02:10 PM	#1 (permalink)
DanaK Kitten Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 24	blood in urine problem (urgent! -- updated) just for a quick history my cat, Buttons, has had 3 episodes of blood in his urine at about 2 year cycles. The first two were close to me moving so the vet said stress could be part of the onset of this urinary tract infection like syndrome. This third time there hasn't been something similar thats ocurred though. Basically he acts like he has a urinary tract infection. He randomly tries to spray wherever he is at the point I assume it stings. He only manages a drop or two then moves on. The unfortunate thing is it is red as though there is blood in the urine. This past time it started approximately 2 weeks ago. I immediately took him to the vet and they prescribed me some baytril. 3 days into taking it the blood stopped being present and he was trying to spray less. Unfortunately a few days after that he started throwing up not long after taking the pill and regressed. I immediately went back to the vet and they took a urine sample, xray and kept him for a few hours of observation. They did not see any stones and he looked normal except for the blood in the urine. at that point they moved me to clavamox. Similar results a few days in it cleared up and he acted a lot better and the blood red was not present in the urine. Here we are about 5 days after the clavamox ran out and he is regressing to some reddish-ness in his urine and he is trying to spray again. Has anyone else experienced this and have any advice? I'm really worried, and always wary of going to the same vet again now as this is two times in 4 yrs they have treated him for this without really any insight as to the cause, they basically got lucky and the anti biotic fixed it 2 years ago. I'm about $300 in so far without much progress that doesn't regress, so I want to see what else I can do for him because I feel horrible that he is probably discomforted to say the least p.s. with multiple cats in the house I was feeding them purina, but the vet recommended switching to science diet low mineral. I've been trying to give them a regular diet of wet food but it was a similar brand which he said wasn't that great either. Its hard switching brands with multiple cats in my opinion.

11-15-2006, 02:23 PM	#2 (permalink)
Lisa 216 Premier Cat Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: New England Posts: 8,001	Welcome to the forum I haven't dealt with this, but I agree with you -- time for a second opinion. Has your vet run any other tests besides testing the urine sample and the x-ray? Any bloodwork? I'll move your post to Health and Nutrition. Hopefully someone there can offer additional thoughts and suggestions. Please let us know what happens! __________________ Owned by Pepper and Pumpkin RIP Snickers 8/22/00 -- 11/28/06 http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com/

11-15-2006, 06:38 PM	#3 (permalink)
DanaK Kitten Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 24	things took a bad turn tonight. I came home and Buttons hissed and howled at me when I pet him which is something he have NEVER done in his 6 years I've had him. He has some drops underneath his tail and they look almost syrupy - like it is more blood than urine. When he started howling he lifted his leg a little bit and winced some. I called the vet and they can't do anything until morning. any advice? I feel horrible if he is in that much pain he starts hissing to be left alone.

11-15-2006, 08:10 PM	#4 (permalink)
BoscosMum Premier Cat Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: New York Posts: 5,297	Isnt there an "on call" vet for after hours emergencies. I am far from an expert, but that sounds like he is blocked.

11-15-2006, 08:42 PM	#5 (permalink)
coaster Banned Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Wisconsin, USA Posts: 17,798	Get your cat to an emergency vet if at all possible. It does sound like he's blocked. I know one person here in town whose cat died overnight from a blockage.

11-15-2006, 08:47 PM	#6 (permalink)
BoscosMum Premier Cat Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: New York Posts: 5,297	Any news on Buttons....I have him in my prayers this evening.

11-15-2006, 09:06 PM	#7 (permalink)
AddFran Premier Cat Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 5,480	Very common for personality changes like the one you described when cats are experiencing this type of health problem. It's likely he's in a lot of pain and could have an obstruction. Like Tim suggested, I'd look into a emergency vet. They have them pretty much everywhere now. You can probably find one within an hour of where you live unless you are really, really out there.

11-15-2006, 11:24 PM	#8 (permalink)
DanaK Kitten Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 24	well I just got back from the emergency animal clinic. They were really friendly and helpful and the usual convenience charges apply This type of thing is really frustrating I'm about $550 in or so and I don't mind spending the money to make him get better but noones really done that yet it feels like. I just feel bad he is in some major discomfort =\ His white blood cell count was high which they said signified a possible infection. They were able to get a urine sample and there was no blockage going on. Basically everything was status quo from the vets diagnosis a week ago but I was really nervous given his behavior and symptoms tonight. They gave him an anti-inflammatory shot and some liquid clavamox and sent me on my way. The one concerning thing is they pointed out Buttons has a heart murmur. They said I should get a cardiologist assessment done and possibly have something prescribed to fix it. Its only concerning because my regular vet has never mentioned this as far as I remember (which I would remember something like this??). Given their lax attitude 5 minutes before closing time to my phone call and this murmur I think its time to scout for a new vet imo. Thanks for the kind words and advice here too btw

11-15-2006, 11:34 PM	#9 (permalink)
coaster Banned Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Wisconsin, USA Posts: 17,798	Given the behavior you described, which I'd interpret being in pain, I think you did the right thing. I'm glad it wasn't an obstruction, and I'll bet you're pretty relieved, too. Don't worry too much about the heart murmur right now. Minor heart murmurs aren't a serious health threat. Perhaps that's why your regular vet never mentioned it. And it might have been exacerbated by the discomfort of the bladder infection and the stress of the vet visit. If it were me, I wouldn't feel at all uncomfortable in waiting to have that murmur evaluated at a more convenient time.

11-16-2006, 09:29 AM	#10 (permalink)
DanaK Kitten Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 24	yeah I just have a bad taste in my mouth from my vet at the moment. I called about 5-10 minutes before they closed and told them what was going on and the vet was too busy to get on the phone they both had one of the intern/nurse/whatevers tell me they would call in the morning etc. I asked if there was anything I could do in the interim since he seemed to be in the most pain/discomfort I've ever seen him be in from this and he was trying to urinate but nothing was coming out. They asked if he was straining to go, I said yes. Their response was basically we close in 5 minutes theres really nothing you can do. I asked if there was anything in the interim I could do to lessen his discomfort for the night, and I received the same response. It was just very cable company business like, not a health care kind of response in my opinion. If a blockage can occur at any time, why wouldn't they seemed concerned just because they did an xray 2 weeks ago? I don't know. Then add in they have never mentioned the heart murmur, even in his vaccination visits when there was nothing wrong with him. It makes me wonder.

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