Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Recurrent episodes of feline lower urinary tract disease with different causes: possible clinical implications
- Journal:
- Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery
- Year:
- 2018
- Authors:
- Lund, Heidi S & Eggertsdóttir, Anna V
- Affiliation:
- Department of Companion Animal Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Oslo, Norway
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
This study looked at six cats in Norway that had repeated problems with their lower urinary tract, which can cause issues like pain or difficulty urinating. Each time these cats had an episode, they underwent thorough examinations, including blood tests and urine tests. Some of the cats initially had bladder stones but later showed signs of a different problem called feline idiopathic cystitis (FIC), which is inflammation of the bladder without a known cause. Others started with FIC and later developed bladder stones or infections. The findings suggest that cats with recurring urinary issues might have different underlying causes over time, and it's important for veterinarians to investigate each episode thoroughly. The treatment approach should include improving the cat's environment to help manage these urinary problems, and the study indicates that this strategy could be beneficial regardless of the specific diagnosis.
Abstract
Case series summary While descriptions of cats with recurrent episodes of feline idiopathic cystitis (FIC) exist, little is published on cats with recurrent episodes of feline lower urinary tract disease (FLUTD) where the cat is diagnosed with different causes of FLUTD at separate episodes. In the present paper, six cats, originally part of larger studies of FLUTD among Norwegian cats, are described. In the project period (2003–2009), these cats had several episodes of FLUTD. At each episode, the cats had a complete physical examination, abdominal imaging, blood work, urinalysis and urine culture performed. Two of the cats initially presented with urolithiasis and subsequently with episodes of non-obstructed FIC. Four of the cats presented with non-obstructed FIC at one or more episodes, but were later diagnosed with urolithiasis or bacterial cystitis without prior catheterisation or other known predisposing factors. Relevance and novel information Cats with recurrent episodes of FLUTD may present with different causes at different times. The need to thoroughly work-up cats with recurrent episodes of FLUTD at each presentation is emphasised. FIC may be considered as a predisposing factor in cats developing urolithiasis or bacterial cystitis; alternatively, interrelated FLUTD disease mechanisms exists. Thus, applying multimodal environmental enrichment and modification (MEMO) to cats with signs of FLUTD independent of diagnosis should be considered.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://doi.org/10.1177/1098612x18783839