This morning, I saw Bunny straining to urinate again.
It happened on 2nd October 2021 (last year) and it happened again today. He kept straining in the squatting position but either nothing came out or there were only a few drops of urine.
I know every case of FLUTD is a medical emergency (in case of urinary blockage) so I rushed him to the vet’s as soon as they opened.
The vet palpated Bunny’s bladder and there was no blockage. To be certain, an ultrasound was done. Thankfully, the ultrasound confirmed that his bladder was small and there was no blockage. Unlike the last time where Bunny had urinary crystals, this time, there were no signs of any crystals. But the bladder wall is inflamed. This inflammation could be due to an infection. The vet also checked his kidneys and it was the same as the last check in October. His left kidney is “good” for his age and there is some structural loss in the right kidney.
To address this feline idiopathic cystitis problem, Bunny was prescribed Baytril as the antibiotic (for 10 days). He was given Clavamox the last time, but he could not tolerate it. So, it’s Baytril this time. There was no stock of Cystaid Plus, so the vet prescribed UTI-Oxi as a supplement for 30 days. It contains a cranberry extract.
Bunny was also given a Metacam injection (an anti-inflammatory). To follow through, he was prescribed an anti-inflammatory suspension for 3 days, followed by Beazyme (papase) for another 10 days. These are all to address the inflammation.
Bunny was also prescribed Prazosin as a standby medication for the straining. This medication works to relax the bladder and urethra muscle. This is to be given if there is straining.
I also have Tramadol on standby in case Bunny is in any pain. The vet said Bunny was slightly dehydrated so I am to give him a 200ml subcut when we get home. Bunny should also increase his water intake to help flush out impurities from his bladder.
From my previous experience with feline cystitis, the medication normally works in a few hours and provides relief on the same day. I hoped it will work for Bunny this time.
Bunny weighed 4.2kg. There is a loss of 600g from October. We know Bunny has been losing weight gradually. But since he has been eating less than before, we decided to just let it be. Bunny is already 16 years old.
So, we came home and I gave Bunny Cindy’s pureed chicken mixed with hot water. He loves it with hot water. Bunny drank three portions. He seemed thirsty. Then, I quickly gave him the medication for the day – the Baytril, the UTI-Oxi and the Prazosin. The anti-inflammatory medication only starts tomorrow since he was already given an injection at the clinic.
Then, Bunny seemed very hungry too, so I gave him his Coco&Joe’s and he ate a lot. A good appetite is always very welcome.
By lunch time, Bunny asked for food again and ate with everyone else.
From what I could monitor, I saw no more straining. After letting him rest a bit, I did the 200ml subcut.
At 1pm, the magic happened. Bunny urinated all by himself! I even put my hand to collect his urine just to be sure. I read from the web that Baytril normally takes about 1-2 hours to work for FLUTD/UTI cases. It worked!
Glorious pee!! The yellowish urine was precious!
I hope Bunny continues to recover completely. But his last FLUTD/UTI was in early October last year and that was just 4 months ago. The vet said I could collect Bunny’s urine and let them check for struvites. We could also repeat the ultrasound after 3-4 weeks to check the condition of the bladder wall.
For now, I’m very thankful that Bunny has not strained since coming back from the vet’s. I know how uncomfortable and even excruciating the pain of FLUTD/UTI can be. I’m so glad Bunny is able to urinate on his own too.
As for pet UTI, the greatest fear is a blockage. That is why it is always treated as a medical emergency.
Doing a victory roll after being able to pee!
I am okay already, I want to come out and play!!
While everyone is taking their afternoon nap now, Bunny is strutting all over the room. Let’s hope this means he already feels much better.
I will hold off the Tramadol since he doesn’t seem to be in discomfort or pain. As for the Prazosin, the vet says I do not need to continue with that unless he starts straining again.
It’s going to be a few more days of monitoring Bunny.