Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
X-rays in 80 cats before and 73 cats after clearing blocked urethras
By Young, C S et al.·Published in The Journal of small animal practice·2021·Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Radiographic diagnoses in 80 cats before and 73 cats after unobstructing the urethra.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A group of cats with urethral obstruction, which can cause painful urination or inability to urinate, were studied to see how often different issues were found on X-rays before and after the blockage was cleared. The results showed that more problems, especially urethral plugs, were identified on X-rays taken before the obstruction was treated compared to those taken afterward. This suggests that taking X-rays before treating the obstruction can help vets find the underlying cause more effectively.
People also search for: cat urethral obstruction treatment · why is my cat not urinating · cat urinary blockage symptoms
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate causes for feline urethral obstruction and determine whether the frequency of radiographic diagnoses differs between cats radiographed before or after unobstruction of the urethra. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective cross-sectional study of cats with naturally occurring urethral obstruction was performed. Only cats presenting for their first urethral obstruction in which radiography was integrated in the initial evaluation were included. The diagnosis frequency (overall and for each disease type) was compared between cats radiographed before or after unobstruction of the urethra. RESULTS: Eighty cats (52%) had radiographs obtained before unobstructing the urethra and 73 cats (48%) had radiographs taken after unobstructing the urethra. Cats radiographed before unobstruction had a greater frequency of radiographic diagnoses than those radiographed after unobstruction (61% versus 45%). This difference was largely due to a greater frequency of urethral plugs detected before unobstruction versus after unobstruction (45% versus 5.5%). CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Radiographs obtained before unobstructing the urethra provided a diagnostic advantage for detecting a cause for urethral obstruction compared to radiographs obtained after unobstructing the urethra. Urethral plugs were the most common diagnosis.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33604908/