Potential obstruction question

[Buffster7]

Hi guys, my Finn was diagnosed with FLUTD when he was young, making him more vulnerable to UTIs. He's had a few instances that have required vet care/antibiotics/steroids/pain meds to get things moving again. I noticed his appetite hasn't been great lately, decreased intake and now he has not produced urine since yesterday. I took him to the emergency vet this morning. They felt around and bladder not distended, thought we would be fine to try conservative treatment with subq fluids, antibiotic shot, pain shot and wait and see if that helps. If he hasn't urinated within 12-24 hours, bring him back.

I've only been home for a few hours but I'm watching him like a hawk and just worrying about him. He's definitely uncomfortable, I can't decide if it's because he's full of fluids or if it's the pain meds that are making him act strange, or if this is truly a blockage. How long should I wait before returning to vet?

Every time I approach him he rolls around on the ground. This is not his normal. right now he's laying beside me on the ground stretched out on his side, but he will then sometimes roll from one side to the other. I don't know if he's high on the pain medicine or if it's a sign of pain. Feeling a little clueless..

 

[fionasmom]

I am not trying to spend your money, but I would err on the side of caution if you suspect a blockage or if he simply does not pee. How many hours has it been? However, counting down the hours as the ER vet suggested is more or less invalidated if there is a blockage.

You would probably go back to the same ER? Given you were just there, they do not have to start from the ground up, but could determine if he is blocked...meaning that while it will be stress and expense, it will not be as bad as the original visit.

Over the years I lost two untrappable feral boys to blockages, so I always take any urinary issue seriously.

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

If he's stretched out on the ground, this doesn't seem like a position of a cat in pain (at least not to me). But you know your cat better than anyone. Since they said his bladder was not distended, to me it sounds like you could wait for 12 hours, but I have never been through this with any of my furbabies.

Hoping those sub-q fluids work and he gives you a pick pee very soon

 

[Buffster7]

Thank you both. Still waiting. I changed the bag in the drawer of his litter box yesterday evening when I suspected he wasn't going. The app showed he attempted to use the box 6 times yesterday which is a lot for him - he's normally 2-3x daily. Only he uses that box and it weighs him so I know it was him attempting to use it. That's when I changed the bag to start watching. There's still nothing in it.

I did call the emergency vet and they don't really feel he's at blockage stage yet since the bladder isn't distended and I haven't witnessed him straining or even attempting to pee today. They said the rolling around was probably him being loopy on pain meds, but to watch for signs of agitation/pain and vomiting or lethargy.

I'm just very concerned as his appetite has been gone for days and I know he hasn't eaten at all today and I don't believe he ate yesterday, either. And with all the sub-q fluids, shouldn't he need to pee? I do appreciate the conservative approach as I have wracked up a $650 bill one visit this year from worry, when it was just a UTI and no blockage. However, if he hasn't peed by, what, bedtime? I will take him back in..

 

[fionasmom]

I would continue to watch for as long as you are comfortable doing so. This is uncharted water, so you have to try to make the best decision that you can. If 12 hours feels right, work with that. How long has he gone without food? Do you have a regular vet that you can get to on Monday? I am not suggesting that you wait, but it is a possible follow up or continuation if this is not resolved.

 

[Buffster7]

He has been refusing food all week but he will take a few bites here and there, definitely greatly reduced amount. He didn't eat at all yesterday and hasn't eaten today. I finally put some kibble down for him which I know is not good for cats with urinary issues, but with all the sub-q fluid they gave him I'm hoping it's the lesser of the evils (vs. not eating at all - didn't I read somewhere that going too long without food can also cause issues with the liver or kidneys or something?) - and he did eat some of the kibble just now.

Vets around here are all very overwhelmed. The earliest I could get an appt with my own vet was Friday, a week from yesterday, when I called. So if he doesn't pee by day's end, it'll have to be resolved at emergency vet.

How long does it take the antibiotics to start lessening the inflammation, I wonder? And how long does it take for the sub-q fluids to make its way through his bladder? Shouldn't he be peeing by now?

 

[Furballsmom]

I unfortunately don't know about the peeing situation/timing, but I'm thinking that things could get serious enough that you may need to consider hand feeding him, or maybe a feeding tube.

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

You are correct in that not eating can cause liver issues. 36 hours is usually the max time to let them go without eating, so having him eat some kibble was a good call. Not sure how long it takes for the fluids to reach the bladder, and I'm not sure than an antibiotic will help with inflammation. They make anti-inflammatories for that.

Keep us posted on what's happening with him. Continued vibes for some pee soon

 

[Buffster7]

I took him back to the emergency vet tonight, I knew I would be worried sick until I knew with certainty that he wasn't blocked. They felt around and said that his bladder was small but still not distended, offered to keep him overnight, but vet said if it were her, she would take her kitty home and continue to monitor. I did. When I got him in the car I took him out of his crate and he peed all over me - a HUGE pee! The cushion in the crate was saturated as well as my pants and sweatshirt. When I got home, it was puddled in the crate as well. I'm so surprised his bladder wasn't distended with the volume of fluid he released. And it was bloody, when I cleaned out his crate, the paper towels were soaked with bloody urine. Does this mean there are crystals? Or simply that there's infection? I've got Gabapentin for his pain that they sent me home with earlier. Need to ask about anti-inflammatory, and need to order some more d-mannose. I have never been so thrilled to be covered in cat pee!!

 

[Furballsmom]

And it was bloody, when I cleaned out his crate, the paper towels were soaked with bloody urine. Does this mean there are crystals? Or simply that there's infection? I've got Gabapentin for his pain that they sent me home with earlier. Need to ask about anti-inflammatory, and need to order some more d-mannose.

You'll have a chance to talk to the vet about this?

 

[Buffster7]

You'll have a chance to talk to the vet about this?

Which vet? Not sure about the ER vet, depends on how he's doing in the morning. I'll call my vet on Monday. He is just acting so strange. He is prone to UTIs, but he's never acted like this before. When he walks he walks like his hind legs are weak. When I approach him he flops and presses into me and purrs hard (he's usually not much of a purr-er). But he's been hiding most of the night, under the sofa in the next room. Won't spend any time where Charlie and I are. Hasn't eaten or had anything to drink all day other than the little bit of kibble. This has been going on since Friday. I don't know what to do for him, I'm feeling worried.

 

[Furballsmom]

This sounds like he's in pain, poor baby. Has he improved today? Can you handfeed him?

Would anything here help, such as the baby food soup?
Tips To Increase Your Cat’s Water Intake – TheCatSite Articles

 

[Buffster7]

This sounds like he's in pain, poor baby. Has he improved today? Can you handfeed him?

He is still lethargic and not moving much, but I don't have that same anxiety when I touch him. I think he's turning the corner. Still won't eat or drink but I dissolved a churu treat in water and he did lap that up, so I added his Gabapentin to it and got that down him. His eyes look clearer today and he's laying on the floor in the living room with us, probably because I have the fireplace going.

He won't touch his wet food but he did eat some more kibble last night before I went to bed. I got online and ordered some special urinary kibble if that's all I can get down him - I know he shouldn't eat kibble with cystitis, but I don't know what else to do. I'll just have to keep dissolving churu in water to get fluids down him for now. Thanks for asking.

 

[Furballsmom]

 

[Buffster7]

I was wondering something. The water here is REALLY hard. As in it leaves a rough film on their drinking bowls in no time from mineral deposit. I wonder if this is not good for a cat with urinary issues? I previously only used water from my Culligan cooler in their water bowls but he seems to like the taste of the regular filtered water (that still has the minerals) and he seemed to drink more when I used that. Now I wonder if the minerals could contribute to bladder crystals and I should go back to the Culligan, or if that's unlikely? Questioning everything now.

 

[Furballsmom]

I don't know how actually bad it might be especially since you're filtering it, but it might be possible it makes his kidneys work harder even if he does like the taste.

What might have a larger impact could be the PH level but I don't have knowledge about that aspect of things.

 

[Buffster7]

Seeing a lot of the third eyelid today.

 

[Furballsmom]

Oh, goodness, sweetiepie

 

[fionasmom]

How is he now? Blood in the urine can be from an infection or crystals or stones. He was given an antibiotic, but not an anti-inflammatory? Or gabapentin is being used in place of one? D Mannose will not cure an infection; it is only a non adherent which prevents certain bacteria from getting a foothold.