Conference misery::feline_v1

    Sarah, there is something else that the vet can do.  She can get
    a sample of his urine and culture it, and then do sensitivity tests
    on the culture to find out exactly what antibiotic will kill the
    bacteria that is causing his problem.  Cefa is a very good drug,
    but it may not be the best thing to use for Buddy's problem.  She
    could also prescribe an additional urine acidifier if Buddy is prone
    to blocking up.  
    
    Why not call her and ask her about a culture and sensitivity.  Be
    sure that you tell her how concerned you are about the vomiting
    and that you have had a chronic problem with a previous cat.  I
    have found that sometimes the degree of treatment that a vet offers
    will depend on how the client represents the problem.
    
    I have had cats with chronic FUS, and it is frustrating and scarey.
    
    Jo

    One medication of choice for this problem that I've heard of is
    Tribrissan (sp?).  You might consider some tomato juice - they
    seem to like it and it also acidifies the urine.  You could
    check with your vet first though.  Sounds like you might consider
    a second opinion at another vet.

    My female cat has had this recurrring problem since she was Two years
    old!  Everytime she'd get sick again, the vet would prescribe the pills
    (she gets two different kinds, one is for her urine)  They would make
    her throw up, so the vet said to make sure she took them on an empty
    stomach.  There are several different medications that work, so maybe
    something else will work for your cat.  She also ate C/D for years! 
    However, my vet recommended the canned over the dry (dry food is more
    likely to cause problems.)  However, she got VERY fat on the C/D which
    is easily digestible.  That aggravated the problem.  So, we put her on
    R/D.  She gets a 1/4 can in the morning and 1/4 c dry in the evening. 
    She has lost quite a bit of weight, and guess what!  Since she's been
    on the R/D she has not had a bout of FUS!  The R/D is also easily
    digested, but has more fiber.  Maybe if you can get your cat's weight
    down (and you'll have to be VERY stricT!  My cat is ALWAYS nosing
    around for more food, on counters, etc.) it will help.  
    

    I am not sure RD as a permanent diet has enough nutrients;  you should
    ask your vet how long a cat can stay on it.  Other thoughts:
    
    If worse comes to worse, there is an operation that can be performed;
    I don't recollect exactly what it does, but the result is to widen the
    urinary opening.  I recollect that the operation has been improved
    and is more successful than an older version.  Be sure to ask about
    possible side effects;  I don't recollect if the new version still
    has them.
    
    You can reduce weight gain from eating CD by giving smaller amounts
    of it.
    
    My Holly throws up when given a certain antibiotic, so the vet
    prescribed a different kind.  I second the idea of a test to find the
    specific kind of antiiotic needed.
    
    There is a kind of short term only food called SD (more drastic than CD)
    that you might consider.
    
    If your vet is not responding properly, I would definitely get a second
    opinion;  perhaps a noter near you can recommend another vet.
    

    And please let us know what is happening;  we're worried about your
    baby, too.
    

    After my cats cases of FUS cleared up, I keep them on CD all the time
    except for treats about once a week.  This has kept them FUS-free fo r years.
    
    Another thought -- what are you feeding Buddy besides the things you 
    mentioned?  Pounce cat treats are notorious for bringing on FUS.
    

    Well,  Buddy thinks hes dying because he only gets 1 tbsp of C/D
    can in the evening and 1/4 cup of C/D dry at night.  Thats it, thats
    all.  My other cat Shadow thinks shes dying too, because she get
    the same.  I have to do it that way, because if I leave free food
    out for Shadow, Buddy eats it all up and doesn't leave any for 
    Shadow anyway.  When I give her the can food , 1 tbsp is all she eats
    in one sitting and then Buddy will eat the rest.  So, unfortunately
    I'm having to be strict with Shadows intake of food just so that
    I can be strict with Buddy's intake of food.  I will ask my vet
    about taking a urine sample and checking to see if there is a way
    to find out what antibiotic will work for him.  

    TiJai became completely blocked at the age of 2. We opted for the
    surgery ..which was experimental at the time. It was that or lose
    him anyway.  The surgery worked! We had TiJai for 18 more wonderful
    healthy years.
    
    Good luck!
    
    Linda

    Benjamin has been on C/D for 5 years, and no recurrence of FUS.  Prior
    to that, he got blocked regularly.  I liken it to drinking a 6-pack and
    not being able to go - the poor thing!  What pain!
    
    He refused to eat the soft, canned food which is actually better for
    FUS cats, but he does eat the dry.  In addition, I now leave water
    bowls all over the house (in the tub, the basement, by his food, all
    his favorite spots) and am always encouraging him to drink.  Knock on
    wood, but he hasn't had an FUS incident since the vet put him on C/D.
    
    Please do let us know how your baby is.  We all care!
    
    

    Well, I took him back to the vet last night.  She gave him another
    type of antibiotic and gave him 200 cc's of fluids
    sub-cutaneously(sp?).  I mentioned getting a urine sample and doing
    a culture on it, but she said that he needed to be off of the anti-
    biotics for at least a week before she could do a culture.  So,
    hopefully, this new antibiotic will help clear up the bladder infection
    which is what this is.  I also mentioned the operation to her and
    she said that she did not reccommend it because Buddy was not
    completely blocking up, that it was just a bladder infection.  The
    operation would help the blocking up, but would not get rid of the
    bladder infections.  Soooooo,  I guess its another "Wait and see"
    type thing.  Once he goes off the antibiotics, hopefully the infection
    will be cured for a while.  But if I notice that he gets it back
    within a couple of weeks, I will have her do a urine culture before
    he starts anymore antibiotics.  The weird thing about Buddy, is
    that most cats that have FUS or bladder infections don't like to
    or won't drink water.  Buddy always drinks water.  My other cat
    Shadow who has never had this type of problem rarely drinks water.
    
    

    re: weight problem - try getting a kitty tease or other toy and
    playing with him every evening.  The increased activity and calorie
    consumption should help him lose weight.
      Good luck with his urinary track problems.  I had them for years
    and everytime I read these types of notes I wince in sympathy.
      Nancy DC

    Re. drinking a lot of water.  Can you get a blood test done for
    kidney disease?  I lost a cat from chronic kidney deterioration
    earlier this year, and drinking a lot of water was the first, and
    for a long time, only, symptom.
    
    It probably isn't kidney disease, and I don't mean to scare you,
    but it's better to be over cautious.
    
    Helen.

    Well,  Since I last wrote Buddy has had two more episodes of FUS.
    I'm really at my wits end.  I just don't want to see him suffer.
    Because of the FUS, he has really gotten into a bad habit of trying
    to urinate in areas of my house that I would really not want him
    to since I have a 3 year old daughter running around.  With this
    last episode of his FUS which started yesterday, my husband and
    I had talked about maybe having him put to sleep because he is so
    miserable.  When I called our vet, she was very upset about this
    also.  We have exhausted all known possibilities on trying to keep
    him healthy.  She mentioned one last possible thing we could try.
    She mentioned in cases like this where his bladder get so infected
    and swelling that was making him strain to go to the bathroom that
    we could try an anti-inflammatory.  She said that this was an un-
    orthodox treatment, but that she has had some success in other cats
    whom have had chronic problems. She doesn't want us to lose him
    any more than we do.  She has become quite attached to him also.
    Well, I took him into the  vets today and she gave him a shot of
    prednisone.  She said that  this would reduce the swelling so
    that he would not strain so much to go.  Well, it did seem to help
    because I caught him urinating upstairs in my kitchen.  Now I know
    that the reason he did it was because that is where he tries to
    go when he is straining with the inflammation.  My question is that
    how do I go about retraining him not to try to go in any other places
    than his litter box.  We clean and change it about twice a week,
    so this shouldn't really be a big problem.  Has anyone else had
    a cat with chronic FUS that was treated with an anti-inflammatory
    drug.                      
    
    Any ideas would be helpful.
    
    Also, I wanted to ask one other question.  I feel that if the anti-
    inflammatory doesn't work and he does continue to have a problem
    that the best thing to do would to put him out of his misery.  As
    it is, my daughter gets very upset when she sees Buddy in the carrier
    when he goes to the vet.  How would we explain to her that she want
    see him again.  She does know that Buddy is sick.  When we bring
    out the carrier, the first thing she says is Buddy go doctor, and
    come home better.  How will we explain to her that he want come
    home better.  I hope this doesn't have to happen, but I feel like
    I should get some ideas on how to handle it in case it does.
    
    Thanks,
    Sarah

    Sarah -  When human's have UTI's they are often prescribed a medication
    called pyridium which helps relieve the symptoms.  (It does nothing
    for the infection so an antibiotic is still needed).  I was also
    given some medication called "Urimed" or "Uricet" which is a 
    urinary antiseptic and "anticholinergic".  That latter part means
    that it helped by relaxing the smooth muscle - which is what the
    bladder is - and decreased the painful spasms that can accompany
    infections.  Perhaps some medications like these would also help
    in conjunction with long term antibiotic therapy.  
    
    Perhaps you could print off this message and show it to your vet.
    
    re: retraining  -  He's probably got used to not using the box and
    you may have to confine him to a small area with a box for a while
    until he gets used to it again.  I suspect, however, that this is
    more due to his continuing discomfort.  He may never get fully
    cleared up between bouts of FUS.
    
    Good luck.  Keep us posted.
    

    Ask your vet about an operation called a PU. Basicly, tbe cat's uretha
    is re-routed so that the opening is bigger and he goes to the box like
    a female. I've had two cats have this procedure. One had it in the
    early 70s when the procedure was quite new and lived another 10 years.
    Argus had one about 4 years ago. He had a few bouts of FUS following
    that, but since he never got blocked, he just wound up going to the box
    more often. I might add, he had been given so much amoxie as an
    anti-biotic that he became resistant to it. I've also found that in a 
    multi-cat household that when one cat gets it, many of them seem to,
    and I've noticed that someone usually gets a cold in their bladder when
    the temperature in the house drops below 68.
    
    Also, it sounds like you need an enzyme to help clean up the places
    your cat urinated so taht he can't smell them anymore.
    
    Deb

    Hi 
    
    I have asked about the PU.  She said that this was a procedure done
    for cats that will block.  We've been lucky that he has never actually
    blocked, but just had the urinary tract infections.  One reason
    I am concerned about the anti-inflammatory drugs is that it might
    mask symptoms when he gets the urinary tract infection and therefore
    he could block and we may not notice it in time.  There's always
    something.  Do you know what kind of enzyme or cleaner could be
    used to get rid of the existing odors??
    
    Thanks for the inputs....
    
    Sarah

    Yes, NAture's Miracle is a very good product for taking care
    of places where he has urinated.  You can likely find it in
    a pet store.  If not, they will have a similar product.  What
    you wabnt to ask for if they don't carry NM, is the enyzyme
    type of cleaner which destroys the urine odor.
    
    My Holly has a chronic problem with going in the wrong places (she
    has been given a clean bill of health by the vet, and I'm sure it
    is because 3 cats are a little bit too much for my size house);
    fortunately she picks easily cleanable places in terms of floor
    surfaces, so I just use a large wad of paper towels to absorb the
    urine, then wipe the area first with water, then with NM (leave
    it slightly damp with NM and just let it dry).  There are directions
    on the NM bottle for rugs, etc.
    
    I understand your concern about your daughter.  I don't recollect
    if in the previous notes anyone suggested that the type of testing
    be done that could identify exactly what bacteria is causing
    buddy's problem, so teh antibiotic could be targeted to that 
    exactly?  I would certainly try that, and remember also that
    once Buddy's problem gets cleared up, it will take a little while
    yto retrain him also to not go in places he shouldn't.
    
    I guess what I would like to say most, is, difficult though
    it is, that you should try to be calm.  I suggest you explain to 
    your daughter that sometimes problems are hard to fix, and that
    you just have to keep working away at them.  Kisses to Buddy,
    and please let us know what is happening.
    

    p.s.  Is Buddy on a food like CD that will reduce the chances of
    recurring FUS?  If not, is he taking a urine acidifier to accomplish
    the same thing? (But not both at the same time, as that is an
    overdose).
    
    Also, he should be on the antibiotic for sometime after a bout of FUS
    appears rto be cleared up, to be sure it is really better.
    Although, I suspect if the antibiotic is not the correct one for
    a particularly resistent strain of bacteria that it might just
    suppress the infection which then flares up again after the antibiotic
    is discontinued, which is why I suggested the specific testing.
    

    Karen brings up a good point about how long thecat was on antibotics.
    It wasn't until the vet got really frusrated and left the cat on
    antibiotics for a full month that we had our last bout of FUS. I think
    that a lot of vets try to minimize the length of time the cat is on the
    antibiotic because so many people have a hard time pilling their pets.
    
    Deb 

    Have you ever actually seen the urine crystals your cat is trying to
    pass? They look like little icicles with barbs on them. If you can
    acidify the urine, these things will dissolve and pass easily. Or, if
    the cat is a female, or has larger opening (via a PU), they will be a
    bit less painful to pass.

    Getting a urine test (once the cat is actually off all medication)
    might be a real good way to find out what the real problem is. We did
    this with my Nikolas and discovered that there was no germ causing the
    problem, be just gets a recurring sterile cystitis, even though he was
    eating C/D. He now gets a weekly urine acidifier and since we started
    doing that, he has had no problems at all. The vet Niky just had a
    naturally alkaline urine that seemed to give him a tendency to develop
    crystals.

    Deb

    "recurring sterile cystitis" - Now I know what to call the condition
    I suffered with for three years. 
    
    BTW - if you aren't pleased with the results you're getting from
    your current vet - try another one.  Perhaps someone in this file
    can recommend one for you.
      Nancy

    re- past few.
    
    The vet has done urine cultures, but did not find anything significant.
    It appears that his urethra just seems to get inflamed for some
    reaon.  They did blood analysis to confirm that there wasn't a kidney
    problem.  That was negative.  We tried one time to give Buddy
    anti-biotics for a period of 6 weeks. ( Buddy is a piece of cake
    to give medication to) but, no matter what type of anti-
    biotic used he would start vomiting from them after about a week
    and half of taking them.  His stomach was just too sensitive to
    take them for that long.  He has been on CD for the past year. 
    At first the vet said to free-feed him the dry, because my other
    cat Shadow eats it too.  Well he gained too much weight ( and the
    vet said that being too heavy can instigate episodes of FUS),  so
    he is now getting 1/4 cup of dry CD in the morning and 1/4 cup of
    canned at night.  Needless to say, my other cat is getting about
    the same diet, because I can only put enough down for her that she
    will eat in one sitting, other wise Buddy pigs out on hers' too.
    Also needless to say, they both think they are starving to death.
    Since putting him on these rations he has lost about 2.5 lbs.  I
    really have a lot of confidence in my vet, I feel that she has taken
    all the steps necessary and I have followed all the instructions
    trying to keep him as healthy and happy as possible.  Its just I
    get so frustrated, when I see him straining again.  I feel bad that
    maybe I am letting him suffer.  As for the urinating  on the rugs,
    he seems to have been better the last couple of days.  I haven't
    seen any evidence of it, so maybe this too will pass.  The prednisone
    at least seems to have made him confortable (for the time being
    at least).  All I can do is pray that it isn't masking the symptoms
    completely and that he may block on me unknowingly.  He's such a
    sweetheart, I really don't want to have to make the type of decision
    that I may be forced to make.  To me, this is like deja-vu, because
    I had another male cat years ago, and he had Chronic Cystitis, where
    he would block completely.  He got so bad with it, I was having
    to take him to the vet every other week to have him catherized.
    When it got so bad, I had to take him twice in one week, I knew
    that I couldn't let him suffer any longer.  It broke my heart then,
    and the thought of it now, just brings tears to my eyes.  I really
    hope Buddy gets better.........
    
                              
    Sarah
    

    I realize that urine acidifiers aren't reccommended when a cat is on
    C/D, but has your vet considered haveing you give the cat one once or
    twice a week in addition? This made a world of difference with my Niky.
    
    One other thing I'll mention in passing. I've noticed that these bouts
    of FUS seem to flair up when their is a cold snap. During the day, when
    it is cold outside, I leave a small heater on in my bedroom and put the
    cats that seem prone to this problem up there for the day. That seems
    to ease the problem a bit.
    
    Deb

This is a long shot....but, i suggest you change to bottled water if you
aren't using it already.  Perhaps DISTILLED water would be better in that
it wouldn't be adding minerals to the cats diet that can contribute to the
problem.  Of course, ask your vet first, but it might help.

    Hang in there.  This must be very upsetting after your
    experience with your other cat.  perhaps that is contributing
    a little bit to excess worry?
    

    re: antibiotics - Why don't you ask your vet to teach you to give
    injections.  Then you could keep him on antibiotics for a long period
    of time - or perhaps start him on oral antibiotics then switch him
    to shots when his stomach acts up then go back to oral after his
    stomach calms down.
    
    I'm not really crazy about giving my cats shots but you can do it,
    especially if it might clear this up for good.
      N

    so sorry to hear buddy is having such trouble.  here's hoping you can
    find the right treatment that works for him...
    
    diane stanley & stella