I think Robin is doing much better after the vet’s visit. The Meloxicam anti-inflammatory injection must be doing its job.
He’s active, very alert and happily grooming himself. I have not seen any straining since then.
After coming back from the vet’s, he urinated a wee bit too. Just a very small amount.
I have been force-feeding water, but in small amounts as he doesn’t seem to like it.
In the ultrasound this morning, there were clearly crystals in the urine in his bladder. The vet wasn’t unduly worried and she said the change in diet (to urinary food) should do the trick.
Crystals in a cat’s urine can be normal, but a large number of crystals can cause irritation, inflammation, or blockage.
- Diet: A poor diet or food high in certain minerals, like magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, and chloride, can cause crystals
- Dehydration: Not drinking enough water can cause crystals to form
- Urinary tract infection: A urinary tract infection can cause crystals to form
- Bladder inflammation: Inflammation of the bladder can cause crystals to form
- Congenital liver shunt: An abnormality in blood flow to the liver can cause crystals to form
- Breed: Some breeds, like Siamese and Burmese, are more likely to develop crystals
Robin wasn’t dehydrated while at the vet’s, so perhaps he has a urinary tract infection which the Baytril antibiotic will address. Or even though he wasn’t dehydrated, perhaps he just isn’t drinking enough water.
Because most cats don’t drink much water, they tend to be chronically dehydrated, which also contributes to formation of both types of common crystals or stones. This is why wet food is preferred.
I’m glad he is willing to eat the RC Urinary S/O wet food as long as it’s freshly opened at room temperature. He just doesn’t like it if it’s been in the fridge.
Rey wants some too. The vet said it is okay to feed the other urinary food too, if they want.
But upon checking with my vet-friend, she cautions against this as urinary s/o food lowers the pH of the urine and makes a healthy cat more prone to stones formation. So, I don’t think I should be giving the rest the urinary food.
I need to find out more about this.
Naughty Big Brother Smurfy!
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