Ashley Scheduled for a X-ray, Should I get a Second Vet to Look at Her???

[Anikaca77]

Hello-

Here is a link to my other thread about Ashley. I thought Ashley was getting better before being on this C/D food and the last time they tested her urine, her pH was getting better but she is still peeing inside the tub and outside the tub. I read online that if a cat has an infection they tend to pee on tile because it's colder and that would make sense as to why she is doing it in the bathroom.

Ashley still uses the litter box so I really think she is trying to tell us something but her bloodwork earlier this year was fine. She peed a lot this weekend, on Saturday I found some in the tub, yesterday I found some beside the tub, and so did my husband, and today I found some beside the tub and my husband told me he cleaned up some earlier today as well.

The vet said she wanted to do an x-ray but they can't do it till next week and the only other thing that I've noticed with Ashley is that when she is jumping it doesn't seem like she is hitting the spot all the time, I'm really getting worried about her. I'm hoping the vet will call me later tonight but they told me that they will talk with the vet but they said the next course of action according to Ashley's chart is an x-ray. The vet told me the last time that she didn't feel Ashley had an infection because there were no white blood cells in her urine.

http://www.petoftheday.com/talk/showthread.php?t=155326&page=2

The more I've been thinking, I wonder if I should take Ashley to a different vet to get someone else to look at her? The vet never called me back last night and I might call today to get a different vet tech and have the vet call me back. I'm just worried about her with this peeing outside the box and stuff.

Prays and advice,
Melissa

[lvpets2002]

:( Awee poor wittle Ashley.. Hope you gets better real soon.. Sending Lots of Prayers & Huggss..

[momcat]

Lots of prayers are being prayed for sweet Ashley :love:

[Queen of Poop]

Please give Ashley hugs and kisses from me. I pray that they can fix the problem. Hugs for you too mom!

[Anikaca77]

Thanks for the prays and hugs.

Melissa

[catmandu]

More Found Cat , Porch and Saved Cats and All Of Our Awesome Angel Army Prayers for Little Ashley are coming!:love::love::love:
And of course from the Poor Old Found Cat Feeder as well.
Its so sad when Our Fur Pals are under the weather!!:(

[krazyaboutkatz]

I'm sorry to hear this.:( Yes, maybe you should take her to a different vet for a second opinion. I would also think that having an ultrasound done would be a better way to see what's going on inside of her instead of just an x-ray. I know that it's more expensive though. Are there any vets in your area that specialize in cats only? Lots of prayers and positive thoughts are being sent her way.

[Anikaca77]

I'm sorry to hear this.:( Yes, maybe you should take her to a different vet for a second opinion. I would also think that having an ultrasound done would be a better way to see what's going on inside of her instead of just an x-ray. I know that it's more expensive though. Are there any vets in your area that specialize in cats only? Lots of prayers and positive thoughts are being sent her way.'

I don't think so I think they all treat dogs and cats and other animals. I've actually never heard of just a vet that treats cats only.

[moosmom]

I agree that an ultrasound is in order. It shows ALOT more than an x-ray and it doesn't expose Ashley to any unnecessary toxic rays.

I'd also get a second opinion. Good luck! You'll be in my prayers.

[Lizzie]

Sorry to hear you are having more trials and tribulations and it must be very hard on you watching Ashley and wondering just what is the real problem.

My Taranis pees in the tub and outside the box when she is getting stones in her bladder. There is no infection and the stones are tiny, like gravel, but extremely irritating. The only sign is pee'ing in other places, her appetite and activity remain normal. She'd had a few UTI's when she was 2 and 3 years old, then developed stones when she was about 4. She did have surgery a few years ago to clean out all the gravel. She's on SO as needed. As for Ashley not making a perfect landing sometimes, you may be so worried about her that you are seeing tiny details that you would miss at any other time.

If you can afford it, then a second vet is a good option. I've been surprised over and over again at the variation in opinion from different vets.

[Anikaca77]

Thank you everyone, I have a call to have my regular vet call me back first. I really do like the current vets that we have and they are very good with my babies and they know my financial situation.

I've been watching the jumping thing more and she is seeming to get up on the bed just fine and it seems like she is having a trouble when she is rushed (like one of our male cats chasing her in the bathroom or something, they are not allowed in the room but sometimes they end up sneaking in but I kick them out as soon as I notice they are in there) only a few times have I noticed it on her own so maybe I'm just being overly cautious or something but the vet (it's actually this newer vet that just recently started) is going to call me so hopefully she can offer some advice but I think for right now we will just keep the x-ray on schedule for Monday, Oct. 12th and see what happens. My husband thinks we should give her a dose of pills but I'm sorta thinking why do that if she's not sick, I doubt it could hurt her but I will ask the vet for sure because if it is an infection, although they only saw crystals in her urine, no white blood cells which is what my vet said is needed to tell that it's a bladder infection.

Lizzie- Did your vet test Taranis urine and if so did they fine anything? How did your vet determine that she had a UTI?

Thanks again,
melissa

[Lizzie]

I wouldn't give pills to Ashley if you have already decided to take her to a vet since medication will probably mask symptoms. I only give them when it's a minor recurring problem and I know I'm not going to take a cat to the vet - such as Diego's intermittent fevers and the vet has already given me meds to pulse treat, or Darcy's interstitial cystitis (no infection or crystals ever).

Yes, the vet always does a urine test when I take in any of mine for possible UTI or cystitis. Taranis' first UTI happened before she was returned to the shelter for the second time and she had a recurrence within the first year of being adopted by me. The vet found lots of white cells, which confirmed it was an infection, blood and a small amount of crystals. This was in the days before the very wonderful Metacam was used for inflammation so she got antibiotics and something to relax her bladder contractions. If the antibiotics hadn't worked, we were going to send out a urine sample to the lab for more specific analysis. She's also been on Prozac for years because she sort of hates other cats. Mind you, she acts like she hates people too and has slashed me quite a few times, nearly bitten me too. I say sort of and acts because she loathes being alone and will actually jump up to be by the other cats, just lunges if they come close to her, and she likes to lean into me - just slashes and bites if I touch her. Yes, a difficult cat!

With Taranis' later problems no white cells were seen but there was blood. I just called my vet to check and the stones (tiny as they are and more like sand actually than gravel) were easily visible on x-ray. There was large amount of stones and it took the vet a long time to rinse and pick them all out of the bladder. Taranis didn't need an ultra-sound.

[Anikaca77]

Lizzie-

I don't have any pills anyway and the vet hasn't prescribed anything because she never saw any white blood cells or blood in her urine indicating a bladder infection, the only thing she saw was crystals in her urine.

The newer vet called me and she said that she thinks the x-ray is a good step and that if nothing shows up then we could try to get a Cystocentensis, which from what the vet said they will get her to pee and somehow get her urine. The vet said that would cost about $80 and they send that test away to a lab to culture it and see if anything happens.

I haven't seen any blood in Ashley's pee at all and neither did the vet so I'm thinking maybe we are not looking at an UTI that maybe it is just stones but maybe not. The vet of course mentioned it could be behavorable too but I'm really hoping that is not the case but I don't want Ashley to have stones either, I guess I would just like an answer as to why she is doing this.

I suppose I'll just have to wait until Monday. My husband told me she peed again today, so something is up and I really think that's why she is doing it to try to tell us something.

Melissa


I wouldn't give pills to Ashley if you have already decided to take her to a vet since medication will probably mask symptoms. I only give them when it's a minor recurring problem and I know I'm not going to take a cat to the vet - such as Diego's intermittent fevers and the vet has already given me meds to pulse treat, or Darcy's interstitial cystitis (no infection or crystals ever).

Yes, the vet always does a urine test when I take in any of mine for possible UTI or cystitis. Taranis' first UTI happened before she was returned to the shelter for the second time and she had a recurrence within the first year of being adopted by me. The vet found lots of white cells, which confirmed it was an infection, blood and a small amount of crystals. This was in the days before the very wonderful Metacam was used for inflammation so she got antibiotics and something to relax her bladder contractions. If the antibiotics hadn't worked, we were going to send out a urine sample to the lab for more specific analysis. She's also been on Prozac for years because she sort of hates other cats. Mind you, she acts like she hates people too and has slashed me quite a few times, nearly bitten me too. I say sort of and acts because she loathes being alone and will actually jump up to be by the other cats, just lunges if they come close to her, and she likes to lean into me - just slashes and bites if I touch her. Yes, a difficult cat!

With Taranis' later problems no white cells were seen but there was blood. I just called my vet to check and the stones (tiny as they are and more like sand actually than gravel) were easily visible on x-ray. There was large amount of stones and it took the vet a long time to rinse and pick them all out of the bladder. Taranis didn't need an ultra-sound.