Content
- What is FTUIF
- FLUTD symptoms
- Risk factors for the onset of FLUTD
- Causes of FLUTD
- FLUTD treatment in felines
In this article by PeritoAnimal, we are going to talk about FLUTD, feline lower urinary tract disease, that is, it is the set of problems that affect the lower urinary tract of cats. FTUIF is characterized by the appearance of difficulties in urinating and, in the most serious cases, by the obstruction of the urethra, which constitutes an emergency.
This illness requires veterinary assistance. In addition to treatment according to the cause that triggered it, measures must be instituted to reduce the cat's stress. That's why we're going to detail for you the FLUTD in cats - symptoms and treatment. Discover everything about her so you can offer a better quality of life for your four-legged companion!
What is FTUIF
The acronym DTUIF encompasses different problems that affect both the bladder and the urethra in cats, which is the tube that connects the bladder with the outside to expel urine. The acronym FTUIF stands for Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease and can be an obstructive, more serious, or non-obstructive disease. Next, we'll explain in detail.
FLUTD symptoms
The symptoms of FLUTD are quite unspecific. This means that they do not point to a specific disease, but can appear in several. Is important go to the vet as soon as you notice any of them, even if it's mild.
Rapid intervention prevents complications and reduces the severity and duration of the episode. Even if a stressful situation for the cat is anticipated, it is possible to initiate measures or treatment in animals in which feline lower urinary tract disease recurs. The most common symptoms are as follows:
- Difficulties to urinate.
- Pain during bowel movement, which can make the cat meow.
- Urinate more times during the day than usual.
- Hematuria, which is the presence of blood in the urine, or pebbles (crystallized grains).
- Evacuation outside the sandbox.
- Absence of urine in cases where there is obstruction of the urethra.
- Behavioral changes that may include not using the litter box or showing aggression towards other animals in the house or the caregivers themselves.
- Excessive licking that can cause injuries to the perineal area, under the tail, in an attempt to alleviate the discomfort. The male cat's penis may be exposed, and the female cat's vulva open.
- Anorexia, meaning the cat stops eating.
Risk factors for the onset of FLUTD
FLUTD can occur in male or female cats of any age, although it is more common among individuals between 5 and 10 years. Other risk factors that have been determined and influence the appearance of this problem are as follows:
- Obesity.
- Sedentary lifestyle.
- Living indoors, without access to the street.
- Feed based on ration and low water consumption.
- Castration.
- Persian cats, as it is considered a predisposed breed.
- Finally, the male cats they are at greater risk of suffering an obstruction of the urethra because this duct is narrower in them than in females.
Causes of FLUTD
There are several causes of FLUTD in cats, but we must keep in mind that, in most cases, it is not known what triggers the symptoms. THE origin is then considered idiopathic. As for the causes, that is, the diseases associated with feline lower urinary tract disease, they can occur individually or in combination. For non-obstructive cases, they are as follows:
- Non-obstructive idiopathic cystitis, diagnosed in more than half of cats with FLUTD. Stress is considered fundamental to its development. Cats are very sensitive to changes in their environment. Changing the diet, the arrival of new family members, a bad situation in the litter box or feline overcrowding at home are some of the stress triggers in cats. This cystitis is diagnosed as a cause of FLUTD when all other causes have been ruled out.
- stones, also called uroliths, in the bladder. In cats, they are usually struvite or, to a lesser degree, oxalate.
- anatomical defects.
- tumors.
- behavior problems.
- bacterial infections, although they are very rare and usually secondary to another of the most common causes. Older cats, especially those with kidney stones, are at greater risk, although FLUTD is not common in them.
About Obstructive DTUIF, the most frequent causes are:
- Idiopathic obstructive cystitis.
- Obstruction in the urethra, composed of proteins, bladder and urine cells and various crystallizations. It is the most common cause of this type of FLUTD.
- bladder stones accompanied or not by bacterial infection.
FLUTD treatment in felines
It is believed that cases of non-obstructive FLUTD can resolve spontaneously in less than ten days, but even so, the treatment is recommended to prevent the cat from spending all that time in pain and related stress. Also, especially in males, there is a risk of obstruction of the urethra.
Depending on the cause determined by the veterinarian, a pharmacological treatment can be established. It may include, but is not limited to medications to relax urethral muscles and pain relievers. But in addition, the management of these cats must include measures like the following:
- Examine your vital circumstances to identify stress points that must be changed. Take environmental enrichment into account.
- offer one wet diet, at least mixed or, if the cat only eats kibble and does not accept wet food, ensure adequate water intake. Multiple drinking fountains, fountains, clean, fresh water at all times or rationing food into several servings are some of the ideas to encourage your cat to drink more water. This way, the volume of urine increases and the cat eliminates more. Furthermore, if crystals are detected, it is necessary to use a diet that dissolves them and prevents their formation.
Now that you know all about FLUTD, the feline lower urinary tract disease, you might be interested in the following video about the most common diseases in cats. After all, prevention is always the best medicine!
This article is for information purposes only, at PeritoAnimal.com.br we are not able to prescribe veterinary treatments or perform any type of diagnosis. We suggest that you take your pet to the veterinarian in case it has any type of condition or discomfort.
If you want to read more articles similar to FLUTD in cats - Symptoms and treatment, we recommend that you enter our Other health problems section.