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Another, less pleasant cat thread: Urinary Tract Infection
EmperorSeth
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
At least, that's what we're thinking it is. The problem started a bit more than a month ago, when I noticed my cat was regularly scooting his butt across the floor. I thought it just a weird quirk, but I was told it could be another problem, like impacted anal glands. So I took him to the vet, and a check was done. When that didn't help, I had to take him again a week or so later so he could be sedated and given the more...thorough treatment. Fine. But when I got him back, they also found blood for his urine, paid for a urinanalysis, and gave him a shot of antibiotics. They assumed at this point that it was a urinary tract infection. I assumed it would clear up in two weeks.
It did not clear up in two weeks, or at all. More importantly, they want me to get a urine sample, but their method didn't work. They wanted me to drain my litter box, toss some bead things in there that will convince the cat to go there, and then get some of the ...puddle and store it. This plan failed when the cat utterly refused to use the litter box without litter, and holding him back for too long would either cause him to go elsewhere, hold it in and cause more problems, or just whine at me all night. So I might need another method.
I also would like more information about this problem and people's experiences with it. How long did it last, how did you treat it, etc.? More importantly, how much did it cost. Counting the initial examination and the anal gland cleanings, this problem is already costing me over $700, and it doesn't sound like it's going away any time soon. What should I do about it? I can't afford much more, but I want to help my cat, too.
It did not clear up in two weeks, or at all. More importantly, they want me to get a urine sample, but their method didn't work. They wanted me to drain my litter box, toss some bead things in there that will convince the cat to go there, and then get some of the ...puddle and store it. This plan failed when the cat utterly refused to use the litter box without litter, and holding him back for too long would either cause him to go elsewhere, hold it in and cause more problems, or just whine at me all night. So I might need another method.
I also would like more information about this problem and people's experiences with it. How long did it last, how did you treat it, etc.? More importantly, how much did it cost. Counting the initial examination and the anal gland cleanings, this problem is already costing me over $700, and it doesn't sound like it's going away any time soon. What should I do about it? I can't afford much more, but I want to help my cat, too.
You know what? Nanowrimo's cancelled on account of the world is stupid.
EmperorSeth on
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I never had to get a urine sample myself so I can't help with that. As for cost, the vet visit, urine tap, urinalysis, culture, meds, plus the follow up visit with another tap, urinalysis, culture, was around $500. With sedation and thus the extra cost of hospitalization, $700 is not unreasonable, though perhaps a bit on the high side. It depends on what else the vet did under sedation.
I hope your kitty feels better soon.
B> Get a new fucking vet. Vets should not take a pet in, examine it, and say "here, he's done". There should be an observation time afterwards.
I absolutely hate lazy vets and there are plenty that will treat you and your animal with utmost regard.
As far as feline UTI, my cat Zeke is predisposed to this illness. One of the ways you can tell if your cat has UTI is if he/she grunts or makes other sounds indicating that they're in pain when using the box, if the cat is constantly using it all the time, or if he simply won't go to the box thinking that using the box is what is causing the pain.
My cat is on prescription catfood. Science Diet C/D. Like I said, if I take him off it he'll slowly get a new infection, but I'm hopin with age his bladder gets stronger and I can take him off of it as C/D is a very fattening catfood.
As far as your cat rubbing it's butt on the ground, that's either a swollen gland, something you yourself can visually inspect, but more or less it's a sign of worms.
C> Get a new fucking vet. If the possibility of worms didn't come into their head when you told them "anus - carpet", they're fucking retarded and don't deserve your business.
EDIT
I did all this with Zeke and it cost maybe 60$. The most expensive vet visit was when the little orange bastard ate a paintball and got his guts clogged up. My vet issued me a no insurance credit card for the surgery.
And yeah, as perianne mentioned, some UTI's can take a while to clear up. Most likely they'll start your kitty out on a standard antibiotic that docs give everything, humans included.
Also, just to save you from any potential freakout, if you ever force feed your cat medicine (and you will one day), and the cat starts foaming at the mouth, don't freak out. This is a natural reaction cats developed to freak out their owners for giving them nasty medicine. Really though, don't freak out. It's totally natural.
Also, did you really mean $60? How? A normal vet visit is more than that. As for medication, I was given liquid antibiotics after the first visit. It was horrible. Not only did Socks hate it multiple times worse than even a nail clipping, but it made him nauseous. I had to clean up puke like eight times in three days before I kept him off of those. A shot or pills would be better.
Definitely let the vet know the liquid meds made the cat vomit.
We tried pills, but they didn't work for us. We tried grinding them up in tuna fish water (she would refuse to drink it), covering it in food, everything we could think of... it sucked. With liquid meds, we just catch her when she's sleeping and we can usually get the full dose in before she realizes what's going on.
The appt by itself costs about $60 at my vet. I would love to pay less but just $60 for vet work, labs, and meds? Not happening anytime soon.
As for the urine sample, google has suggested a few other possible alternatives for the fake litter: strips of wax paper, clean non-porous pebbles (like for an aquarium), and clean rags cut into strips (you'll have to wring the urine out after).
Getting the urine sample yourself may be more than just the cost savings. Because going to the vet is stressful for the cat, it can change what's in the urine. I know that glucose in the urine is a sign of diabetes, and I also was told that cats can 'shed' glucose into their urine when the get stressed (thus giving a bad result for the test). Also, the urine tap can put small amount of blood in the sample from the use of the syringe. Depending on what the vet wants to test for, the sample from home may be superior to one acquired at the vet's office. Then again, if they just want to check for bacteria I don't know of any gain by doing it yourself other than cost. Thee again again, I not a vet.
Dunno.
Every vet visit, if it wasn't something major, usually ends up being in the 50$ range.
If I keep him over night, it's like... eight bucks extra.