feline, elderly, crf and possible uti and treatment???

15 years ago

My 20.5 y/o CRF kitty has been urinating very frequently since last fall (at least 1x hour, sometimes more). A month or so after that increase, she was in pain and a UTI was diagnosed. She spent about 2.5 weeks on Clavimox. Her pain went away, otherwise, frequency of urination stayed the same.

Every time I mention it to the vet, she just says that it's a result of her kidneys (an explanation would follow). But I can't find anyone with a CRF-only cat that goes this often, so maybe there's still a UTI involved??? Even the vet admits it's excessive.

The vet says she could do a needle aspirate to optain a proper urine sample for culturing, but Casey's bladder would need to be full for it (which it never is since she voids all the time). I collected urine myself (as clean as I could get it, following proper instructions, etc.) in the very beginning, but it didn't show anything, so I hestitate in doing it again for the very reason....

What would you do? Treat her with ABX anyway, "just in case"?

I read that sometimes UTI's need much more than the standard 2 weeks of ABX to get cleared. I wonder if we didn't do it long enough that first time.

This morning she visited the litter box about 8 times in 5 minutes, complaining slightly (but not "pain")! Only little pea-sized drops were found. I don't think she was straining for a BM since she''d left me a nice one overnight (it's not been a problem in over a month since starting her on Miralax). She's been quiet since, just the normal comings-and-goings to the box.

I'm about to pull my hair out.....any ideas?

Thanks!

Tracey

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Comments (11)

laurief_gw
15 years ago
That sure sounds like a UTI to me. Or she could be trying to pass urinary crystals, or she could just be having spasms in her urethra. She could even have stones in her bladder. In any event, she needs to see your vet again for a proper diagnosis. If you can collect a fresh, clean urine sample at home and get it right to your vet, do it. Otherwise, have your vet collect a sample in the office. The sample needs to be cultured for bacteria and put under the scope to check for crystals.

There is DEFINITELY something awry in your girl's urinary tract, and you need to find out what it is so tht you can treat it effectively. If your vet can't do that for you, I strongly recommend you seek out a second veterinary opinion. It's little wonder that your girl is feeling cranky and uncooperative if she's been suffering with urinary discomfort for months. I'd sure be in a nasty mood if the same were happening to me!

I hope you can get to the bottom of this problem once and for all. A longer course of antibiotics might help IF you're dealing with a UTI and IF the infective organism is sensitive to the specific antibiotic you're using. That's why you need a urine culture, to find out exactly what you're dealing with.

I wish you and your girl all the best,

Laurie
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tracey_b
Original Author
15 years ago
Hi Laurie. Thanks. UTI is what I keep thinking. But if it's anything else, I don't guess there's much treating that can be done on an already elderly CRF kitty. She won't eat a special diet, and surgery is out (I won't put her through it).

I'm going to try and collect some clean urine tomorrow and get it to the vet for analysis. She's been her "normal" urinating self since this morning's complaint and 8x/5 min. Who knows......

Hope all your menagerie are doing well.
Tracey
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Elly_NJ
15 years ago
If she has interstitial cystitis, which does not present with infection but with bladder inflammation and discomfort, the discomfort can be alleviated with amitriptyline, but you need to get this id'd from a vet, as Laurie suggested.
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Anne_Marie_Alb
15 years ago
Tracey,
When I first read that your kitty was going once an hour, I could not help thinking of my CRF Picasso. The minute he would drink or eat something he had to go. But then I read the rest of the message, and you have already got excellent answers. All I'll say is that Picasso had one of these episodes-- he kept going but could only produce a few drops. It cleared as fast as it appeared. So I hope this is the same for yours. She seems to be doing so well that I really hope she does not have to go through another visit at the vet's and more meds...
Wish you the best,
Anne-Marie
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quasifish
15 years ago
I can't offer any advice, just moral support. I sure hope you get some answers soon, it definitely doesn't sound right. Even if your vet can explain it away with CRF, it seems like the discomfort should be controllable somehow.

Muddy's experience with CRF is the typical one you already know- she pees A LOT, but not all that often, just when her bladder is full. Muddy was prone to bladder infections when she was younger, that all stopped for her when she developed CRF- I guess all that fluid kept her type of problem washed out.

Good luck. Thinking of you and your kitty.
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Meghane
15 years ago
Maybe kitty could spend the day at the vet to get a sample. Many cats will not urinate without a litter pan, so sometimes I put the cat in a completely empty cage for an hour or so, and then their bladder is full enough to get the cysto sample. I would culture the urine regardless of the UA results. Cats with CRF have dilute urine and it is very difficult to see bacteria on a standard UA with such dilute urine. Also the culture will tell the vet the proper antibiotic to use. Dilute urine from any cause predisposes animals to UTIs, so it is very likely she has one.
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laurief_gw
15 years ago
Meg, your post makes perfect sense to me except for this line, "Dilute urine from any cause predisposes animals to UTIs ..."

Could you explain this, please? I would have assumed that dilute urine would be less predisposed to UTI because it would keep bacteria flushed out of the system.

I'm confused.

Laurie
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tracey_b
Original Author
15 years ago
Hi ladies:

First, to answer Laurie's question, I think urine should be slightly acidic to help prevent bacteria from attaching to the bladder wall (or kill it altogether)? Something like that.... Although, the vet did say that it's good to keep fluids going through her to keep her bladder "washed out", too.

Casey had another bout this morning, although not quite as bad as it was yesterday. And like yesterday, by afternoon she was back to her usual peeing (still about every hour).

I collected a urine sample this afternoon and took it to the vet. They called right about closing time saying there was "something in it" and the vet wanted to put her on ABX again. I couldn't get there before it closed, and since Casey seems her new usual self, I'll get it in the morning.

I was looking back at her previous urine analysis (last fall), and it showed a pH of 5. That's a tad below the range of 5.5....to whatever. Maybe she has some crystal formation--I'll ask the vet tomorrow about today's pH results.

Strange that she has a worse problem w/ frequency in the morning time.

It's maddening, isn't it? Not always being able to figure out what's going on with your pets. If there's nothing to be done (like if she had bladder cancer or something), at least I'd know that. Not knowing the cause makes you think you haven't done enough to try and help the situation.

Thanks!
Tracey
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runsnwalken
15 years ago
at the age of 20 your cat is "breaking down" cats on average only live to 20 or so, unless they eat really good, or are very lucky

I would put quality of life before anything else at this point.

If cat can no loner live without pain/then its time, you will know when to make that choice.
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tracey_b
Original Author
15 years ago
Casey has blood in her urine, so she's back on Clavamox, this time at 1 mL instead of the previous dose of .5.

Cats can't get our viruses, can they? I just came down with something. I guess I'll scrub up good and try not to breath on her when administering her meds :-)

She seems quieter already!
"Scratches" to all the kitties and pups out there.....
Tracey
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Meghane
15 years ago
Cats don't get any of our viruses, no worries.

Urine that is concentrated is not a good environment for bacterial colonization and growth- there are natural bacterial inhibitors in normally concentrated urine. Dilute urine doesn't have that benefit, and in fact sets an animal up for bacterial infections. That is why diabetes,kidney disease, Cushings (iatrogenic from steroids and the organic disease) predisposes animals to infection. The increased frequency of urination doesn't prevent bacterial colonization unfortunately. That's why animals with those conditions should have routine urine cultures done, regardless of absence of clinical signs, as these can still be hazardous to the animal's health.

Glad Casey has antibiotics now. Hope she feels better soon.
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feline, elderly, crf and possible uti and treatment???

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feline, elderly, crf and possible uti and treatment???

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