Perineal urethrostomy (P.U. surgery) for cats (canned food, UTI, antibiotics)

[Travel'r]

Originally Posted by tloagn

Vet said - that it is an absolute must he must drink / have lots of fluid although I am buying the food they say - and have a water fountain for them and he wasn't dehydrated when I brought him to the vet on Saturday - I would only go to a board certified Vet from now on - if my other cat has any issue with UTI

The vet is certainly correct RE the bolded part. However, I do hope it's either a RAW or low-carb wet food containing meat. If it's dry especially, it is totally defeating the purpose = cat needs fluid.

You may be inclined to do a little research regarding that "prescription" food; its ingredients and carbohydrate content; and just why veterinarians "prescribe" it.
Google for "why vets sell _____ food" , or many threads right here on it.
(They do NOT study nutrition.)

[TANaples]

Originally Posted by Travel'r

May want to check out this Feline Specialist DVM's information -- thoroughly covers all these common health issues in cats: Feeding Your Cat** Know the Basi

Should answer every question in this thread, with no doubt -- especially the Crystal/Stone/UTI info she states which will probably floor people when they read the facts. Feeding Your Cat** Know the Basi

Yes, that is very, very true. My boys have always drank a LOT of water. My Mom's cat, who had this, absolutely refused to drink any water period.

Actually, my 18 year old will not even eat when I give him food, until his water bowl is refreshed and he drinks first.

[pennel]

we had the same problem with our cat "Tubby", but put him on bottled water and special dry food
and he isnt bothered at all anymore.
Didnt want to have the surgery and so far he hasnt needed it.

[3timesacharm]

TLOAGN - my heart goes out to you. I can't believe you are continuing to have so many issues. Ugggh.

I'm not sure I would have gone through with the PU surgery had I previously not had 2 very successful surgeries by another vet.

Zack got his stitches out yesterday, although he will need to continue to wear the collar for a few more days and then I can take it off of him under supervision to ensure he doesn't do any damage to his tender incision scars. He is so eager to get back to normal. Being holed up in the bathroom, although it is a fairly nice size, is getting old. For him and all of us! Thinking positively, I am hoping that we do not continue to have issues. I did notice last week (2 weeks after surgery) there was still blood in the urine and Zack is still leaking some.

Thank God for all the websites and blogs out there on pet nutrition! Stay away from dry foods and know how to read your labels. The sites above are excellent!

Also, for those interested, a local shelter director with 600 cats (without UT issues) recommended VeRUS natural holistic pet foods.
VeRUS All natural holistic human grade pet food, dog & cat food He has had NO problems with his male cats on this diet.

VeRUS currently has both wet and dry dog foods, but only dry cat food. They informed me via e-mail that their wet cat food is in the works - so keep your eyes open for that.

[tigafan]

Fingers crossed for a good recovery!!!

[3timesacharm]

Originally Posted by tloagn

Fluffy has gone through the surgery at the end of May and is experiencing some of the same issues, however I have to go back and get the hole made bigger and to a Board Certified Vet- My costs have been similar and will rise after the next surgery.

All of the vets I have dealt with seem concerned and telling me just a little more and that will solve the problems - look where I am now after following what to feed him for the past 9 years (dry food) veterinary prescribed diet. Now on a veterinary prescribed diet that has 70-80% water and he hates it... absolutely hates it....

So, he has blocked again - Local vet expressed his bladder and I have to find it in order to do that and I have had no luck and I don't want to cause any more damage - so I just rub his belly in hopes that it will stimulate him going to the bathroom.

So, I understand your dilemma and the concern about the ability of some Vets - Fluffy has seen 3 regular vets and 1 Board Certified Vet that will do another surgery - Because scar tissue has made the hole to small for him to eliminate all of his bladder.

About the blood - I was not told after surgery P/U that he would have any blood - so that one was new to me- however fluffy had blood just two days ago and that meant he was blocked in his case - as blood I am told anyways shouldn't be in the urine especially if he has healed - that could indicate infection-

The hardest thing for me is trying to get him to use only the yesterday's news litter as it is made not to clump and cause further issues - My other cat Fred is the hardest to transition over - and the food I have decided to continue with is raw food diet - Fluffy is currently also receiving fluid therapy at home by inter venous which I just learned to do Saturday August 22 2009 - Vet said - that it is an absolute must he must drink / have lots of fluid although I am buying the food they say - and have a water fountain for them and he wasn't dehydrated when I brought him to the vet on Saturday - I would only go to a board certified Vet from now on - if my other cat has any issue with UTI

Poor Fluffy.
I feel your frustration. You are a wonderful owner who truly does do everything possible to ensure that your pet has a healthy, happy life.

I hear you about the food - of course we all follow the VET's lead reagarding food. We assume they KNOW what is best for animals, but apparently they really don't. After reading the websites out there regarding WET vs DRY and the health issues associated with DRY food, I am struck with how my Vet's office has a 15' long by 5' high shelving unit in the office filled with nothing but dry Science Diet pet foods. And how about those ingredients? FILLERS, FILLERS, FILLERS. Where's the protein? Why isn't MEAT the first ingredient in these foods? And for Cats - where is the water content? I KNOW Vets care about animals, but it is ridiculous that their education on animal nutrition seems to be limited to what comes from a sales rep for Science Diet....does anyone see the conflict of interest.

I have decided that I would be a irresponsible owner to not do my due diligence. There is enough body of evidence out there to learn about pet nutrition - and a lot of that evidence is coming from people who do not profit from it. Lisa Pierson's site is incredible and chock full of insight. I cannot believe I didn't know about it sooner.
Feeding Your Cat** Know the Basi

Anyway - please keep us posted on Fluffy. You are in my thoughts

[jlcd]

Hi,

I am new to the forum, having just found this thread. My cat had this surgery on Tuesday and I am worried. He drips when he tries to jump and sometimes when he walks. He is refusing to use a litter box and just going on the floor. We tried to take him home but he is now recuperating a bit more at the vet due to the leakage. The vet seems fairly hopefull this dripping will resolve and he will go back to the litter box. I am looking for some first hand experience with this, and hoping someone who has been in the same situation can tell me how their cat is doing now, and how long it took for them to recover. TIA!

[tloagn]

I recently went back to a veterinarian and said that I was going to feed Fluffy raw food and she said that cats with early possible kidney failure need low protein and especially because all that Fluffy has gone through.
That a high protein diet is not recommended and is not supported by most veterinarians because there is no evidence to support that a raw food diet can be complete if we do it for them - we could never offer a truly complete raw diet for our animals - outside of their natural environment.
I trust that she knows what she is told and don't believe that she is doing anything intentional but truly need to know what raw food is recommended for my cats.
They don't mind it - I had a mixture of things to ensure that they got a little but of everything bone/ meat and cartilage - fluffy ate a whole mouse that he caught minus some inside pieces - vet thought that was funny as he was not to eat anything before surgery and he caught himself a mouse in the house. (time of year in the country) - so the attempt to the surgery had to be post-pone to another day.
I just booked his other surgery for September 22, 2009 to get the hole made bigger - that is an eight hour drive - just hope to get the time off of work without a hassle.

[tloagn]

Originally Posted by jlcd

Hi,

He drips when he tries to jump and sometimes when he walks. He is refusing to use a litter box and just going on the floor. how long it took for them to recover. TIA!

Hello jlcd,

My cat Fluffy went through the surgery at the end of May 2009 and overall had a good experience directly after surgery with the exception of a few mishaps... then he started dripping and leaking everywhere 3 months after surgery because of the scar tissue closing the hole in to much. He needs to have another surgery and vet seems to think the leaking won't be as much if he can eliminate his bladder fully - when he is in the litter box.

I think with your kitty not wanting to use the litter box at this time he maybe associating the pain he had before when trying to use the litter box. As well my cat was not sent home on any pain medications after his P/U Surgery - and I was told by several vets that he should have been on pain medications after surgery - Did your vet have your kitty on any pain medications after surgery?
The healing maybe to painful for him - he maybe inflamed. We thought that about Fluffy and had him on pain medications - but problem never went away - conclusion hole to small and no running board as she called it. Do you have multiple cats? - I have 2 cats and I had to ensure that Fluffy had full access at all times to a litter box so I have 4 in total - not always practical for some but I have the room to do so.

That is was I read before surgery on how to help Fluffy recover - access to a litter box, separate from other animals/stress, wear collar until healed because the constant licking can somehow create more scar tissue - weather that is true - unknown, and use Yesterday's news cat litter none clumping cat litter and wet food only.

Has the vet ruled out that your kitty doesn't have any stones to pass or mucus blocking? - because that could be the cause of the leaking and the fact that he maybe peeing on demand - could that be an infection that needs to be treated with anti-biotics. Fluffy has been on a full variety of anti-biotics after his surgery. They had to rule out any blockages, mucus or infection for fluffy before booking his next surgery.

I hope some of this helps and questions for your Veterinarian too. It is difficult as the kitty's are so independent and probably don't want to bother us with their issues.

[jlcd]

Originally Posted by tloagn

Hello jlcd,

My cat Fluffy went through the surgery at the end of May 2009 and overall had a good experience directly after surgery with the exception of a few mishaps... then he started dripping and leaking everywhere 3 months after surgery because of the scar tissue closing the hole in to much. He needs to have another surgery and vet seems to think the leaking won't be as much if he can eliminate his bladder fully - when he is in the litter box.

I think with your kitty not wanting to use the litter box at this time he maybe associating the pain he had before when trying to use the litter box. As well my cat was not sent home on any pain medications after his P/U Surgery - and I was told by several vets that he should have been on pain medications after surgery - Did your vet have your kitty on any pain medications after surgery?
The healing maybe to painful for him - he maybe inflamed. We thought that about Fluffy and had him on pain medications - but problem never went away - conclusion hole to small and no running board as she called it. Do you have multiple cats? - I have 2 cats and I had to ensure that Fluffy had full access at all times to a litter box so I have 4 in total - not always practical for some but I have the room to do so.

That is was I read before surgery on how to help Fluffy recover - access to a litter box, separate from other animals/stress, wear collar until healed because the constant licking can somehow create more scar tissue - weather that is true - unknown, and use Yesterday's news cat litter none clumping cat litter and wet food only.

Has the vet ruled out that your kitty doesn't have any stones to pass or mucus blocking? - because that could be the cause of the leaking and the fact that he maybe peeing on demand - could that be an infection that needs to be treated with anti-biotics. Fluffy has been on a full variety of anti-biotics after his surgery. They had to rule out any blockages, mucus or infection for fluffy before booking his next surgery.

I hope some of this helps and questions for your Veterinarian too. It is difficult as the kitty's are so independent and probably don't want to bother us with their issues.

Thanks for your input. He was on a pain patch that the vet took off on Monday. (Surgery was the prior Tuesday). He did not have any stones, has had those in the past. He was also given a shot of antibiotics that lasts for 2 weeks. Vet felt he was blocked by scar tissue and thus the operation. . We brought him home yesterday around 6 and he did not pee until about 12:30 today. He did not use the litter box. He is not dripping when he walks but he does when he jumps. For some reason he will not set foot in our litter boxes but did at the vet. Using regular litter as he has refused yesterdays news in the past and at the vet after this surgery. He seems to be eating well, all wet food. Hopefully this will improve. I though by now, over a week after surgery, he would be better than this.