Treatment for bladder stones in cats

Video: Bladder stones in a cat

Treatment for bladder stones in your cat may involve dietary changes, medications or even surgery, depending on the size of the stone and the length of time your cat may have been unable to urinate.

Signs of Feline Bladder Stones

Signs of feline bladder stones vary, depending on the size of the stone. Some cats may have only minute crystals in their bladders, which can be irritating but may produce few clinical signs. Other cats may strain to urinate or may visit the litter box frequently, eliminating only small quantities of bloody urine each time. Still others may strain to urinate unsuccessfully because their stones are too large to allow urine to be eliminated from the body.

Video: Pet Tips - Bladder Stones

Male cats are more prone to developing bladder stones than female cats, because their urinary system is more likely to become blocked. However, any cat can develop a bladder stone at any time in his or her life.

Treating Feline Bladder Stones

The treatment of feline bladder stones depends in part on the composition of the stones. Feline bladder stones are either struvite, oxalate or urate.

How to Treat Struvite Stones

Several treatment options exist for struvite stones, including surgical removal, bladder flushing with sterile saline or dietary changes. The course of treatment your veterinarian decides on may use one or all of these options. Another indicator of which method your veterinarian will use will be the severity of blockage that your cat is currently experiencing. A cat that is unable to pass any urine will likely undergo surgery to remove the stone, and the cat will also eat a different diet after the surgery to prevent reformation of the stones. Additional water consumption should also be encouraged, and your cat may be switched to a free-choice feeding method, rather than eating one or two daily meals at set times.

Video: Cat with Obstructed Bladder

How to Treat Oxalate Stones

Treatment options for oxalate stones include surgery or bladder flushing, depending on the severity of your cat`s blockage. Dietary changes will not dissolve oxalate stones, but dietary changes can help prevent this type of stone from forming in the first place. Increased water consumption should also be encouraged to prevent the formation of oxalate stones.

How to Treat Urate Stones

Although urate stones are more commonly diagnosed in dogs, they also occur in cats, especially those with liver problems or metabolic diseases. Treatment options include surgical removal or bladder flushing, depending on the severity of your cat`s blockage. Switching the cat to a lower-protein diet after the stones are removed, along with increased water consumption, may help prevent stone reformation.

Additional Treatment Considerations

Antibiotics may be prescribed as part of your cat`s treatment to alleviate any secondary bacterial urinary tract infections that have developed as a result of your cat being unable to urinate.

In severe cases, a male cat with recurrent urinary blockages may undergo a surgical procedure called a perineal urethrostomy. In this procedure, much of the cat`s penis is removed to create a wider urethral opening, which makes urination easier.

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