Very Frustrated, Urinary Issues

[Beaux]

Hello, I'm back again to talk about my cat Beaux and his urinary issues. I'm very frustrated that nobody can give me answers and as an unpaid intern, I can't afford to keep taking him in for urinalysis every few days.

Beaux is 2 y/o domestic shorthair cat. I got him when he was 8 weeks old. He never exhibited any problems besides being a clumsy eater until a few months before turning 2. He started squatting all over the house and peeing on my comforter. I didn't have any experience with this before and when I realized he was squatting and nothing was coming out, I took him to an emergency room. They told me he was partially blocked, but I couldn't afford to have him hospitalized. I called several other vets and found an awesome doctor that agreed to see him for a fraction of the price. I took him there and as he was being examined he got off the table and peed on the floor. They took a sample of that pee and that was the first time I was told he had struvite crystals. Since he had peed, he didn't need to be hospitalized or have a catheter inserted but was given antibiotics, pain medication, and Hills Prescription Urinary Diet. When I ran out of that food, I thought it would be okay to get him a non-prescription food from Purina that was made for urinary problems (my mistake).

Since then, there were two other instances where I thought he was blocked and took him to the vet only to have him pee in his crate on the way there. He was doing fine for a few months and we moved to a different state. Everything was going well and then my dad came to visit and I wasn't home as often and got home one night to him straining to pee all over again. We took him to the vet first thing in the morning and he was fully blocked with a few drops of blood tinged urine coming out. He had a catheter inserted this time, for the first time, and he WAS SENT HOME with me, WITH A URINARY CATHETER IN PLACE. I took care of him and on the third day had the catheter removed. He remained on antibiotics and pain medication and I finally continued to feed him Hills Prescription canned food.

Since the catheter was removed I've been to a different vet twice. The first time I was worried because I had read cats can re-block after a catheter and he wasn't peeing very much. When we got to the vet, he had peed in his crate. They gave him fluids and sent us on our way. A week or two passed and I started my UNPAID internship, and once again I noticed he was squatting for long periods of time in his litter box, but this time there would be many chunks of urine and litter so I didn't think he was blocked. I called the vet and they said he might have a UTI except he's been on antibiotics so I took him in this Wednesday. The vet gave him a anti-inflammatory shot, another antibiotic, pain meds, and an anti-spasm medication as well as fluids. A urinalysis was done and they found small traces of bacteria and, still, some crystals.

I'm confused, frustrated, stressed and I just don't know what to do. I've spent around 2,000 in the past few weeks on what feels like nothing. Beaux is now continuing to go to the litter box frequently, despite all the medication he's on, only producing small amounts of urine at a time and then went into my roommates bathtub and peed a whole bunch. The long stream of urine had blood in it. I called the vet who told me I could bring him in if I wanted.... I was like, you literally did a urinalysis 3 days ago, why can't you guys help me over the phone (yes, I get it, they have to see the pet, but still, it's another $100 just to have him seen plus the $60 urinalysis). They told me maybe I need to try a different prescription food.

I just feel like the doctors keep pulling things out of their A**es (please excuse my language), prescribing him medication without even knowing what's actually going on, I have so much work to do, no money left and I don't know what I'm going to do. I can't help but feel this wouldn't be so stressful if I were rich, which is shallow. I just need one person to give me some actual insight or advice on what I can do.

Thanks for reading and sorry for the long post

 

[Jem]

I have a few questions for you...
What medications is Beaux still on, and for how much longer will each be for?
How long has it been since the catheter has been removed?
Is he back on the Rx food for crystals? and which food is it?

 

[Wile]

Hi Beaux - this sounds like a really frustrating saga. I have a few questions about what you posted:
1) Has your cat ever had a culture & sensitivity test performed? This is a test which would determine exactly what bacteria he is infected with so that the vet can prescribe the right antibiotic rather than guessing.
2) How exactly is the vet taking the sample for the urinalysis? Normally you don't test urine on the floor for bacteria. Is it by cystocentesis?
3) A UTI and crystals are different. With the recent urinalysis did your cat test positive for crystals and bacteria, or just bacteria?

 

[sweetblackpaws]

I am so sorry for this incredibly scary and frustrating medical case. First, I would switch to Royal Canin S/O (they make both wet and dry). Not sure it would be better, but doesn't seem the Hill's is working. RCSO has worked for my boy. Since he is a struvite-making boy, I don't think this is a UTI issue (however, I am not in the medical field - just personal experience from my boy). I honestly think it would be cheaper in the long run to consider PU surgery rather than multiple ER visits, which seem inevitable at this point. I have been there with my boy and it is terrifying and costly. I don't know why some cats make more crystals. Some have narrower urethras. I wish I could help - but I do think you should switch prescription food for now. He has had a lot of stress, too - the move, visitors. FIC (feline idiopathic cystitis) can rear its ugly head during those times and usually test negative for bacteria when that happens.

 

[stephanietx]

Have you tried running Feliway diffusers to help him de-stress? What are you feeding him? He needs to be on an exclusive wet diet. Have you tried any supplements such as cornsilk or D-Mannose?

 

[1 bruce 1]

I know money is an issue right now due to his past costs, but how many vets have you seen, aside from the ER?
I'm kind of unclear on the idea of adding water to canned food to increase water intake, but it might be something to look at.
I wonder if this is a structural issue?
Any chance of getting a second opinion? This doesn't sound right...
Poor Beaux, and honestly poor you. No one needs this.

 

[sweetblackpaws]

I can't remember exactly what I paid for my boys PU surgery (AFTER numerous ER visits), but I think around 2k. Where I live, an ER visit (and running a catheter) is around 1200.00, so might actually be better financially to have the surgery. Care Credit often runs zero interest promotions and most vets accept it. You can usually apply for it at the vets.

 

[ManekiNekko]

How is Beaux doing? Sorry you're dealing with this. I just got on here to post about my cat's FIC, too.

 

[animallover07]

I too am going through a similar issue with a 5 year old female cat. It is very frustrating. I have found some natural type things I am willing to try but I definitely would not without the okay of my vet. I think sometimes cats just have a pretty bad infection that gets hard to shake. My cat has been to the vet 3 times already herself and still has bacteria and swelling.


Also, slightly random but a cat will sometimes pee in their crate from just being scared of the crate, car ride and/or vet visit. I have cats that pee in theirs to have to go. It can be very stressful to them.