Jennsen
06-23-2005, 08:38 AM
A few years ago, I made the fatal mistake of not knowing the signs of urinary blockages. I noticed my cat(neutered male) kept going to the litter box every 10 minutes or so, but thought it might be just a bladder infection like what us humans would get, and thought if he still was doing this I'd have him checked in the morning. Well morning came and I found him sprawlded out on the floor moaning. I quick called my vet(it was 7am) and said it was an emergancy my cat was near death. They said the vet wouldnt be in until 8am, and I said I'd be there waiting. As I sat in the front waiting area....waiting....my poor kitty died in my arms. They did not want to hear my story with him...they dismissed it as anti-freeze poisoning and said I should be more careful. So, I did my own research and learned everything there was to know about urinary blockages so I would never make that mistake again.
Last Saturday night at 10pm, my sister called me, and asked if I knew why her cat (neutered male) couldnt go potty and what should she do. I told her he had a blocked urethra probably from a crystal build up and if she didnt get him to an emergancy vet right away, he would be dead by morning. She rushed him in, and they took a large syringe and plunged it into his abdomen filling it twice with bloody urine. They inserted a catheter and took tests which came back possitive for crystals.
This can occur when your cat is given seafood or tuna fish products high in minerals and magnesium. When dissolved minerals are present in high concentrations, they can reach a saturation point and begin to precipitate out of the urine as crystals. Struvite is the name used to describe magnesium ammonium phossphate crystals or stones. This combined with a high urine pH create the perfect environment for this to develop!
I'm sorry this got a little lengthy, but I wanted everyone to be aware of the signs and how deadly this can be.
Thank you! And healthy bladders to all!!!!
Last Saturday night at 10pm, my sister called me, and asked if I knew why her cat (neutered male) couldnt go potty and what should she do. I told her he had a blocked urethra probably from a crystal build up and if she didnt get him to an emergancy vet right away, he would be dead by morning. She rushed him in, and they took a large syringe and plunged it into his abdomen filling it twice with bloody urine. They inserted a catheter and took tests which came back possitive for crystals.
This can occur when your cat is given seafood or tuna fish products high in minerals and magnesium. When dissolved minerals are present in high concentrations, they can reach a saturation point and begin to precipitate out of the urine as crystals. Struvite is the name used to describe magnesium ammonium phossphate crystals or stones. This combined with a high urine pH create the perfect environment for this to develop!
I'm sorry this got a little lengthy, but I wanted everyone to be aware of the signs and how deadly this can be.
Thank you! And healthy bladders to all!!!!