[Elessar]

Hi everyone, this is my first post here. My 12 year old himalayan, Alex, for the past 6 months or so, has had some major urinary problems. He always feels that he needs to use the litter box, but when he goes in, only a few drops come out, but he remains in the box for no less than ten minutes. We have taken him to 5 different vets, and we found out that he does not have a tract infection (which he has been prone to over his life, but has always gotten over it). He cries 24/7, and constantly is looking for a new place to use the bathroom, as if he thinks it would help him.

Any advice or help would really be very appreciated!

 

[drjean]

urinary problem

Has Alex had a double contrast cystogram (requires anesthesia) or abdominal ultrasound? Those are the best two methods for assessing the bladder. X-rays and urinalysis may not be accurate or sensitive enough to diagnose the problem (I could tell you stories about wrong diagnoses with both of these! ). Urinary tract "infections" (they aren't really infections in cats) don't always show up on urinalysis. There could be stones, which are not necessarily visible on x-rays, or a bladder tumor.

I love ultrasound for these guys; they don't have to be anesthetized, and it's non-invasive. It can be a bit expensive (around here it's about twice the cost of x-rays) but it's an extraordinary tool for diagnosing soft tissue problems like bladder, kidneys, etc.

Alex's behavior is extremely abnormal and indicates pain or irritation at the least. It sounds like he is in serious distress. If you have an internal medicine specialist, ultrasonographer, or vet school in your area, it's time for a more in-depth assessment.

Cheers,
Dr. Jean

 

[Jeanie]

Elessar, Please let us know the results of the tests. It's wonderful that Dr. Jean saw your post. She might have saved your cat's life. Good luck and God bless.

 

[Ioana]

I hope you will find a remedy for Alex soon, Ellesar! He will be in my thoughts.

 

[Elessar]

Thank you so much, Dr. Jean! I will certainly follow your advice, and will post the results that come up. I can't tell you how much I appreciate it.

And thanks for the encouragement Jeanie and ioana.