Content
- What is SUF?
- Feline Urologic Syndrome - Symptoms
- Feline Urologic Syndrome - Treatment and Diagnosis
- How is SUF diagnosed?
- SUF treatment
- Feline urologic syndrome: medications
The cat's urinary tract has a mission: dispose of waste. The main responsible for this mission are the kidneys, bladder, ureters and urethra. In this way, we can understand the importance of urine excretion in our felines, just like in humans. Through the urine, toxic substances that come from metabolism and that can be deposited in the circulatory stream are expelled. Urea is also eliminated through urine, hence the name of this disease. Other substances excreted are creatinine, calcium and oxalate. Thus, urine production is essential for regulating the amount of water and minerals excreted.
When the urinary tract is not working properly, cats can have different problems. For this reason, the Animal Expert explains which symptoms and treatment of feline urologic syndrome (SUF).
What is SUF?
In Brazil, SUF is known as feline urologic syndrome, while the English name would be FUS. We say it's a modern-day disease because our cats lead very sedentary lives. This disease appears sporadically and is difficult to manage and resolve.
Like the causes of this disease are difficult to define., currently different definitions for feline urological syndrome are accepted, being favored by different factors:
- Sex: castrated males are more likely to contract this disease due to the low amount of hormones and the size of the urethra. Females can also be affected, although they are not frequent cases in clinical practice.
- food: poor quality industrial feed is one of the main causes of this problem. Foods very rich in minerals are, without any doubt, the main culprits. Choosing premium quality natural food or a homemade diet properly accompanied by a professional can help prevent the formation of these calculi.
- Weight: is closely related to urinary habits. An overweight cat tends to urinate less often and concentrate more urine, a big problem when treating this disease. You should get your cat to visit the litter box two to three times a day. This way you will be preventing the urine from having very high concentrations and consequently prevent the formation of crystals. A reduced water intake, a constantly dirty litter box and obesity are some of the variables that aggravate this very complicated situation.
Feline Urologic Syndrome - Symptoms
The key to treatment is early detection of the problem. The sooner we act, the better the prognosis. For this, you should pay attention to the main feline urologic syndrome symptoms:
- Difficulty and/or pain when urinating
- Cystitis
- blood in urine
- Small amount urination and/or outside the sandbox
- Apathy or lack of interest
- Deterioration of general condition
- loss of appetite
- There may be partial or complete obstruction of the urethra (veterinary urgency)
If you notice any of these symptoms, run to the vet to start treatment as soon as possible.
Feline Urologic Syndrome - Treatment and Diagnosis
If your little feline is sick, the first thing you should do is see a veterinarian. As we explained before, some symptoms are a veterinary emergency and your cat's life is what matters most.
How is SUF diagnosed?
Diagnosis can vary according to the case and the routine exploration of the animal. Generally, the veterinarian collects a urine sample which he observes under a microscope for crystals. You can also perform a ultrasound, in case the veterinarian thinks it is useful to reach the definitive one.
SUF treatment
The veterinarian will assess the severity of the case and decide whether it is necessary to administer medication or not. Unblocking with a probe and, in severe cases, surgical intervention may be necessary.
Your role as guardian is to ensure that you detect any change in your cat's behavior to prevent the case from reaching the vet in the worst case scenario.
Feline urologic syndrome: medications
Currently, there are less conventional alternatives to traditional veterinary medicine, we are talking, for example, of holistic veterinary medicine.
You can consult a veterinarian specialized in this area who will prescribe a correct homeopathic medicine after diagnosing the problem.
Professionals in this area usually use Bach Flower Remedies to help with the treatment, they prescribe a complete diet for a healthy eating. In some cases, they even perform some Reiki sessions to prevent relapses. Holistic veterinary medicine believes it can treat this disease, among others, in the healthiest and most natural way possible. If we try these alternatives with humans, why not try with our animals too?
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.