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Cat Forum / Health and Behavior / November 2005Staving off a cystitis attack?
I think Meep may be working her way to another cystitis attack, despite the glucosaine, wet food, strategicly-placed water bowls and Drinkwell (she does drink tons more now!) I don't want to wait until she's in pain, and I'd like to avoid the stress of a trip to the vet. Since she's still peeing fine (it's just the number of visits before she did has me worried), what can I do to head this off before it requires a vet visit? I have some urinary acidifier, but haven't been using it because the other management methods were working. If I start giving that now, will it help bring her back in balance? Thanks for any help! jmc > I think Meep may be working her way to another cystitis attack, despite > the glucosaine, wet food, strategicly-placed water bowls and Drinkwell [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > > jmc Speak to your vet about Amitriptyline (Elavil), it's commonly used in cats with interstitial cystitis to reduce stress. Amitriptyline also has some antiinflammatory and analgesic properties which might help relieve any pain or discomfort and the continuous urge to urinate. The inflammation induced by FIC causes a nervous sensation that mimics the sensation that's normally induced by a full bladder where the bladder is full or not. Amitriptyline should help her relax her bladder until the inflammation subsides and the bladder was heals. Are you giving her Cosequin or Adequan? Phil Suddenly, without warning, Phil P. exclaimed (17-Nov-05 8:54 AM): >>I think Meep may be working her way to another cystitis attack, despite >>the glucosaine, wet food, strategicly-placed water bowls and Drinkwell [quoted text clipped - 23 lines] > > Phil Phil, thanks. Not Cosequin, but a different glucosamine supplement, yes. jmc > Phil, thanks. > > Not Cosequin, but a different glucosamine supplement, yes. > > jmc I'd be very interested in following this over time. You guys might be onto something > Suddenly, without warning, Phil P. exclaimed (17-Nov-05 8:54 AM): > > bladder was heals. Are you giving her Cosequin or Adequan? > > [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > > jmc If you're giving her Elmiron/Cartrophen (pentosan polysulfate sodium), you might want to check her liver values and clotting times. Good luck, Phil Suddenly, without warning, Phil P. exclaimed (19-Nov-05 7:29 AM): >>Suddenly, without warning, Phil P. exclaimed (17-Nov-05 8:54 AM): > [quoted text clipped - 14 lines] > > Phil No, this is a joint combo - Dr. Fosters & Smith Joint Care - has glucosamine, also has conodroitin (sp?) and MSM. As she gets older she's got some joint issues as well, this seemed a good kill-two-birds sort of therapy. I've never heard of what you mention above. Is that a supplement, or a prescription med? As we're looking at moving in the relatively near future, after the holidays I'm going to take her in for a complete workup, make sure she's healthy as possible before we start another overseas move. Liver and Kidney were some I was going to ask for, as these values have been occasionally borderline in the past. jmc > Suddenly, without warning, Phil P. exclaimed (19-Nov-05 7:29 AM): > > [quoted text clipped - 24 lines] > I've never heard of what you mention above. Is that a supplement, or a > prescription med? Prescription- its the same drug that's use in human females with idiopathic cystitis. It contains some heparin (an anticoagulant), that's why I suggested checking her clotting times if you were using it. > As we're looking at moving in the relatively near future, after the > holidays I'm going to take her in for a complete workup, make sure she's > healthy as possible before we start another overseas move. Liver and > Kidney were some I was going to ask for, as these values have been > occasionally borderline in the past. If she has liver and kidney issues- forget the Elmiron. Moving can be very hard on a cat that's susceptible to IC. You might want to spray her carrier with Feliway to try to keep her as calm as possible. Some people swear by Rescue Remedy- although I didn't notice any remarkable results. Will you be flying? Phil Suddenly, without warning, Phil P. exclaimed (20-Nov-05 7:34 PM): >>Suddenly, without warning, Phil P. exclaimed (19-Nov-05 7:29 AM): >> [quoted text clipped - 48 lines] > > Phil I don't know if she's got liver or kidney issues, since every time (well, twice)there's been a marginal test, she's tested fine next time. But I always keep the possibility in mind. Yes, I think Meep's getting a Feliway spray for Christmas :) Good idea about spraying her carrier. Yea, we have to fly. Fortunately, she's done it before (three times!) so she seems to understand it better - at least, she doesn't stress like she did the first time. She's quite the seasoned traveller, actually. jmc > I don't know if she's got liver or kidney issues, since every time > (well, twice)there's been a marginal test, she's tested fine next time. > But I always keep the possibility in mind. Were both of her kidney values (BUN/Creatinine) borderline or just the BUN? The reason I'm asking is because the BUN can be affected by feeding whereas creatinine usually isn't. If she ate a few hours before the blood sample was taken the elevations in her BUN could have been the result of feeding rather than pathologic causes. Also, some cats- especially older cats, can become azotemic just from the visit to the vet. Some increases in liver values can be artifactual- i.e., hemolyzed blood sample- usually caused by squirting the sample into the test tube through the needle again. Hemolyzed blood can throw off liver values by as much as +20%. I try to rule out all other possibilities before I start worrying. > Yes, I think Meep's getting a Feliway spray for Christmas :) Good idea > about spraying her carrier. It seems to help- even for short trips to the vet. > Yea, we have to fly. Fortunately, she's done it before (three times!) > so she seems to understand it better - at least, she doesn't stress like > she did the first time. She's quite the seasoned traveller, actually. I'd bet she is- and she even has her own luggage. ;-) Phil > I think Meep may be working her way to another cystitis attack, despite > the glucosaine, wet food, strategicly-placed water bowls and Drinkwell [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > > jmc>>. Don't have an answer for you but hope Meep will be ok. I have a feliway plug in diffuser for Kim which I am sure helps. Alison >I think Meep may be working her way to >another cystitis attack, despite the [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] >me worried), what can I do to head this off >before it requires a vet visit? This is the trouble with cats that have interstitial cystits-you never quite know if it is a flare-up or if there is a real infection going on. I am going through this right now with my cat Teddy. He started the typical behavior of running to the box often, but he was passing urine, the ph was fine and there was no visible blood. I have amitriptyline on hand for such events so I gave him a small dose and he calmed down and stopped running to the box. I still watched him like a hawk and regularly felt his bladder to make sure it was empty. Yesterday morning he tried to pee but didn't pass any urine, and so I immediately felt his bladder and it was full. I then checked his penis and could actually feel where the blockage was. We went straight to the vet and sure enough, he was blocked although it was fortunate that I had caught it right away before it had a chance to get bad. Here's the weird part, though. He did not have crystals in his urine and the ph was 6.5. The blockage was made up of mucus and debris from the bladder lining, etc. most likely a result of the IC flare-up (urinalysis showed there was indeed an inflammatory response going on) and on top of that he did have bacteria in his urine, which is very unusual. Needless to say, he was catheterized (I watched and actually helped with flushing the bladder which was kind of fun and interesting- I have a new vet who totally rocks and lets me be involved with everything) and he is now back at home on extra fluids and antibiotics. So the moral of the story is, even though you know your cat and have certain expectations when a cystitis flare-up happens, there is always that curveball that can get thrown at you that completely changes everything. It would be better to be safe than sorry and have your cat vet checked. You just never know. Megan  Signature"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." -Edmund Burke Learn The TRUTH About Declawing http://www.stopdeclaw.com Zuzu's Cats Photo Album: http://www.PictureTrail.com/zuzu22 "Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one elementary truth the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then providence moves too. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one's favor all manner of unforeseen incidents, meetings and material assistance, which no man could have dreamt would have come his way." - W.H. Murray |
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