Pls help! Cat has blood in urine and couldn't get up off the floor yesterday

aldreams

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Hello friends,

Our female Maya is 18. For about a week we've been seeing red patches in her pee. Yesterday morning I found her on the floor meowing hard, dragging herself and not able to stand on her feet. We took her to the vet and they sent us home with some sedatives. They said it doesn't look like she had a stroke and that all her limbs are moving fine. They told us to hydrate her and see how she does over a couple of days. Today she looks a bit better. She got up on her feet, wobbled around for a bit and had a pee. The pee again had red in it (almost looks like red sand sprinkled in it). She is still not stable, hasn't been drinking or eating, and keeps tucking away to her dark place out of sight.

Have any of you folks seen this kind of issue in your kitty (bloody pee, painful meowing, not being able to get up off the floor)? Do you have any clues what might be going on with her? What can we do to help her get better (like any medication and/or supplements)? Any advice on how to help her to eat and drink something? What should we expect going forward?

Thanks in advance. Any help would be much appreciated!

Maya's family
 

Jem

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I would bring her back to the vet for some blood work and urine testing. Other than the bloody urine, you are describing what happened to my old boy when he "was crashing" and was diagnosed with chronic kidney disease (age related) The crash happens when the kidneys can't keep up with filtering, but it could be anything. She needs a diagnosis before you start messing with meds and supplements, you don't want to make it worse by giving her the wrong treatment.
One thing though....how are you hydrating her? Just getting her to drink more probably isn't enough...did the vet give Maya fluids (IV or sub-Q) while at the clinic? Did they send you home with any sub-Q fluids to administer yourself?
 
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aldreams

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Jem Jem and FeebysOwner FeebysOwner thanks for the replies! Maya has been slowly recovering. I was going to bring her to the vet yesterday as per your suggestions. But she was up on her feet and drank a lot of water yesterday, so we thought of seeing how she does rather than moving her (which she doesn't like at all). She's still wobbly though and I'm not sure if she has eaten anything. Her pee today looks like it was without blood.

I'm still trying to figure out what she went through. It seems like a bladder issue judging by the bloody pee. Vet suggested it may be kidney stones/crystals or a urinary infection. Like Jem Jem said it could also be chronic kidney disease. I also came across a urinary tract disease called FLUTD. I have noticed that she has some pain when peeing (she meows after going to the toilet), even without bloody pee.

The vet also suggested that seizures may be a problem for her at this age. She doesn't have huge seizures, but they do happen.

Do you folks have any suggestions for supplements/natural remedies to try to help Maya with these issues (kidneys, urinary tract, seizures)? We really want to avoid surgical procedures for many reasons (Maya being 18 y/o and the risks of her not making it, and cost is also an issue). Have you guys tried anything that's worked for you? We'd appreciate any recommendations. Thanks again.
 

Jem

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My boy would get seizures, and they were related to the CKD. So if CKD is a problem, I would recommend a wet food only diet, and try to find foods low in phosphorus.
A wet food only diet can also help with urinary issues.
Check out this site
Tanya's Comprehensive Guide to Feline Chronic Kidney Disease - Everything You Need to Know to Help Your Cat
Best site to find all things CKD!!! was a life line for me when I went thru it with my boy. I would not do anything crazy though unless you get a blood test from your vet to confirm a diagnosis. And I would also caution you on any significant supplements until you get that blood test. Kidneys are what filter many meds and supplements...you don't want to exacerbate the problem if Maya has CKD.
And if her seizures are linked to blood pressure problems NOT related to CKD but CHF instead, treatments for CKD and CFH actually counteract each other...

I'm glad she seems to be feeling better, but I still encourage you to go get a full panel senior blood workup. And also a urine analysis and culture. There is no surgery necessary to simply get testing done. It will point you in the right direction on what treatment options are good for you.
 

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I mean this in the best way as I've been in the what happened place at vets before. Is it possible your vet suggested you bring her in for blood work and, in an understandable state of shock, your mind didn't register her suggestion? It would be perfectly all right to call and ask if that would be a good idea.
 
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aldreams

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Thank you all for the help! Do you know why the antibiotic may not be working for a UTI?

Maya has been having blood in the urine again lately so I took her for urinalysis. The doctor said it's UTI and prescribed Clavaseptin (amoxicillin + clavulanic acid). I've been giving the full dose to her regularly for the last couple of weeks but the blood in the urine is not going down (see photos). Any clues why this might be? She's been taking it with food/treats and not been vomiting it. Thanks!
 

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Some UTIs are caused by bacteria that can be resistant with certain antibiotics. The only way to determine the best antibiotic(s) is for a urine culture to be performed, as it IDs the strain and tests it against various antibiotics. The blood may also be for other reasons, such as cystitis/crystals/stones causing inflammation that sometimes can lead to bloody urine.

What does the vet say about how/if her possible CKD might be playing a role? How is she doing otherwise? Did the vet do blood work?
 

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Hello cat friends,

Our cat Maya has been getting blood in the urine. We took her for urinalysis and the vet said it's a UTI. She said they found E.coli in the urine. The vet prescribed Clavaseptin 50 mg (Amoxicillin 40mg + Clayulanic Acid 10mg). I've been giving the full dose to Maya for about 2 weeks (1 pill every 12 hrs) but the blood in urine persists. I'm using pill pocket treats and she eats up the pill without vomiting (except just the first time). The problem is that the blood in the urine persists pretty much daily. The antibiotic seems to help partially but not fully. See attached photos. Has anyone dealt with this before and do you know why it is happening? Is the antibiotic a good one and the right strength? Could there be something else going on that is causing blood in the urine? Any experience, suggestions or input would be much appreciated! By the way, Maya is 18.
Did your vet do an X-ray to check for blockage
 

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Hello, A aldreams . It sounds a little like pancytopenia (but, I am obviously, not a vet). What food is she eating? What do her gums look like? I just heard that cat food brands sponsored by the Fold Hill Foods company are getting anemic and then dying from pancytopenia, and it sounds like she is anemic because of the blood in the urine and the vomiting.
Here are the symptoms of pancytopenia (taken from the PDSA website).

Low energy/weakness
Not eating
Pale gums
Bleeding from the gums, nose, eyes, mouth, anus or vagina
Blood in the poo or pee
Blood in the vomit
Unexplained bruising
Repeated or severe infections
Fever
Collapse
If your cat has pancytopenia, they are likely to start suffering from anaemia (low red blood cells), clotting/bleeding problems, and serious infections (all caused by a lack of the cells listed above).


Pancytopenia in Cats

Thousands of cats are hit by deadly disease linked to PET FOOD
 

maggiemay

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It sounds like Maya needs a complete blood chemistry panel and urinalysis. I couldn’t tell from your post if the vet did more than a physical exam, but she is in trouble. Petwellbeing.com has some amazing formulas for cats, and their products are also available on Amazon. That said, you need a vet diagnosis of what is going on with her, for sure, before choosing their herbal products. Has diabetes been ruled out? You might take Maya to a different vet if this one did not do a complete work up on an 18 year old in distress. Your girl needs help quickly.
 
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aldreams

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Thanks for the responses! We did do a urinalysis and the vet identified E.coli bacteria and told us it is a UTI. We just finished one course of antibiotics. They seemed to work while Maya was taking them and reduced the redness in the pee. But they didn't work permanently. And it was hard to have her take all regular doses, even with a pill pocket treat. Some of them she spit out, others she vomited. I wonder if she might have a complex case of UTI and maybe an infection that's spread upwards to the kidneys and ureters.

British Girls British Girls Thanks for the suggestion! We don't see any other bleeding or gum problems, except the blood in the pee. The vet said there are bacteria in the pee and that it's probably a UTI. What I can't figure out is why the antibiotics didn't work fully though.

maggiemay maggiemay Thanks for the tips! It's pretty clear Maya has a UTI or kidney problem. We don't see any other major signs except for blood in the pee. The vet said it's an infection and thought the antibiotic would help. But maybe there's something more complex going on because the antibiotic (though it helped some) didn't resolve it.
 
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aldreams

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Some UTIs are caused by bacteria that can be resistant with certain antibiotics. The only way to determine the best antibiotic(s) is for a urine culture to be performed, as it IDs the strain and tests it against various antibiotics. The blood may also be for other reasons, such as cystitis/crystals/stones causing inflammation that sometimes can lead to bloody urine.

What does the vet say about how/if her possible CKD might be playing a role? How is she doing otherwise? Did the vet do blood work?
Interesting, thanks. The vet said the bacteria is E.coli and prescribed Clavaseptin (amoxicillin + clavulanic acid).

Urinalysis was done, not blood work (for reasons of cost, sadly). For the record, I would've liked to do the full range of tests, but I'm not Maya's primary owner and even doing this much has taken lots of advocating on my part. I've met with resistance about taking any action at all. It's a complex situation on the human level, I'm doing my best.
 
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aldreams

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Hello friends,

Our Maya seems to have a complex case of UTI. Has anyone dealt with this and can you recommend how to treat it?

Here is the background. Maya has been having blood in the pee for some time. We took her to the vet and urinalysis showed E.coli in the urine. The vet said it is a UTI and prescribed an antibiotic Clavaseptin (amoxicillin + clavulanic acid). We just finished a 2 week course. The antibiotic helped to reduce the redness in the pee, but the blood kept coming back. It was also a challenge getting Maya to take the full pill each time. Now we're out of antibiotic and the redness is back full on.

I suspect Maya might have a complex case of UTI, perhaps one that runs up into the kidneys and ureters (and not just the lower tract). Has anyone dealt with something similar and might have some recommendations? I'll be reaching out to the vet, but I hope the good folks on this forum might have some input as well. Thanks!
 

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FeebysOwner

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Pure D-Mannose won't eradicate a UTI, but it will help to remove e-coli from the bladder. Feeby was prone to having e-coli in her urine and was placed on antibiotics multiple times because of it. I started giving her D-Mannose a while back and her last urinalysis was completely clear of e-coli.
 

maggiemay

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Thanks for the responses! We did do a urinalysis and the vet identified E.coli bacteria and told us it is a UTI. We just finished one course of antibiotics. They seemed to work while Maya was taking them and reduced the redness in the pee. But they didn't work permanently. And it was hard to have her take all regular doses, even with a pill pocket treat. Some of them she spit out, others she vomited. I wonder if she might have a complex case of UTI and maybe an infection that's spread upwards to the kidneys and ureters.

British Girls British Girls Thanks for the suggestion! We don't see any other bleeding or gum problems, except the blood in the pee. The vet said there are bacteria in the pee and that it's probably a UTI. What I can't figure out is why the antibiotics didn't work fully though.

maggiemay maggiemay Thanks for the tips! It's pretty clear Maya has a UTI or kidney problem. We don't see any other major signs except for blood in the pee. The vet said it's an infection and thought the antibiotic would help. But maybe there's something more complex going on because the antibiotic (though it helped some) didn't resolve it.
If she isn’t eating or drinking and she’s hiding, you have an emergency situation on your hands. I know vets are expensive, and I know you are not her primary owner. She is 18 and is suffering. My guess is that she does have a kidney problem as well as dehydration. At the very least, have the vet give you something for pain that you can go pick up. I use Buprinex, at least she won’t be lying there suffering. Her pain is probably excrutiating. You can also give her children’s unflavored pedialyte. Give her small amounts by dropper every ten minutes for an hour (aim inside cheek, not straight down her throat). Then mix turkey or beef baby food (make sure no onions in ingredients) with more pedialyte and see if she will lap that up. I’m sure she is dehydrated and, if so, needs sub-q fluids. Just get the buprinex and let her final hours be pain free, and bless you for trying to help her. With the right vet care, she might make it, but it sounds as if that won’t happen, and I’m so sorry for that. It may just be her time, but at least let it be without more suffering. Buprinex would take the pain away.
 
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FeebysOwner

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Hi. If a urine culture was not done along side of the urinalysis, there is no way to determine the most effective antibiotic treatment. Further if the infection has traveled to the kidneys it usually requires a VERY LONG regimen of antibiotics. If you have not already read these articles (see links below), please do so. Get a second opinion from a vet within an entirely different practice, if you find any reluctance from your current vet about what you suspect. If this is an infection that has traveled further up into the urinary tract it can become very, very serious if not treated properly.

Feeby's e-coli was treated with Orbax (orbifloxacin) - amoxicillin was found to be much less effective when they did her urine culture. I would also start Maya on a routine dose of pure D-Mannose (as I suggested in your other thread) to help clear e-coli from her bladder.

Pyelonephritis (Bacterial Infection of the Kidney) in Cats | VCA Animal Hospital (vcahospitals.com)
Signs & Symptoms of Kidney Infection in Cats (thenest.com)
Bacterial Kidney Infection in Cats - Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, Treatment, Recovery, Management, Cost (wagwalking.com)
 

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Did the Vet change her antibiotic once they discovered the UTI was caused by E-Coli. Certain bacteria are very resistant to certain antibiotics so it takes the exact antibiotic to kill them. That happened with one of my cats and his UTI, although it wasn't E-Coli that posed the problem but another bacteria

As far as giving her the medication, it can be compounded in various ways if pilling isn't easy for you, or you can take a peek at one of these threads:

Pilling Cats: Must-know Tips For Hiding Pills – Cat Articles
The Best Pill-taking Secret I Know...
Pilling Cats and Dogs Safely
How We Give Our Pill Hating Cat A Pill
Getting Cat To Take Pills... Post Tips Here.
 
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aldreams

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Did the Vet change her antibiotic once they discovered the UTI was caused by E-Coli. Certain bacteria are very resistant to certain antibiotics so it takes the exact antibiotic to kill them. That happened with one of my cats and his UTI, although it wasn't E-Coli that posed the problem but another bacteria

As far as giving her the medication, it can be compounded in various ways if pilling isn't easy for you, or you can take a peek at one of these threads:

Pilling Cats: Must-know Tips For Hiding Pills – Cat Articles
The Best Pill-taking Secret I Know...
Pilling Cats and Dogs Safely
How We Give Our Pill Hating Cat A Pill
Getting Cat To Take Pills... Post Tips Here.
Thanks! Pilling became a real issue by the end of the antibiotic course. At first she was good with the doughy pill pockets, but soon she caught on and would only lap up the dough while leaving the pill behind.

I had some success with hard treats (like Temptations) but they are too small to put a pill in them reliably each time. The good thing about hard treats is she can't lap them up like dough but has to bite and chew the whole thing. Any recommendations for larger hard treats that work better to hide a pill in?
 
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