PING LAUREN [PawsForThought] re: URINE TESTS ---> Mooch

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billn - 03 May 2004 06:18 GMT

Hi Lauren,

You asked for a follow up on our conversation in this thread and I promised
to do so. Posted it last Thursday, but in case it was so far up that it got
missed I'll repost it here in a new topic intead. :-)

----- Original Message -----
From: "billn" <li&st@wi.rr.com>
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats.health+behav
Sent: Thursday, April 29, 2004 23:23
Subject: Re: Urine Testing Beads & URINE TESTS ---> Mooch

Well, I talked to my vet on the phone yesterday and she now says that since
his problem has not reappeared we can probably not do the urinalysis.

[He had symptoms of a UTI 3 times in a few month period. The last time the
symptoms reappeared even before the last bottle of clavamox was used up.
She then put him on Cefo-drops after a shot of dexamethasone. Anyway, it's
3 weeks since the last episode]

So, I don't have to worry about that and I just hope the symptoms don't come
back.

I did ask just how she would obtain the sample and she told me that her
preferred method is the urocentesis [sp?], or the needle into the bladder.
I mentioned my concerns that I'd been told he'd be placed in a cage with an
empty litter box and she said there must have been a misunderstanding.
Well, maybe so, but I know what I was told. Just my opinion, but in that
place I think they should let the vets do the talking instead of the other
staff, then I wouldn't have spent all this time dreading this.

Her reasoning for the misunderstaning is that a cat may be placed in a cage
when brought in for urinalysis, but only if at the time of collection the
bladder is empty and some time has to pass for urine to be produced. I
guess if the owner can't stay or whatever...

But again, I know what I was told, and to me it's a case of someone of the
support staff just telling half the story.

But like I say, for now it can be avoided as long as he stays symptom free.

So, that's it for now, thanks for reading...

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PawsForThought - 03 May 2004 13:32 GMT

>From: "billn" li&st@wi.rr.com

>You asked for a follow up on our conversation in this thread and I promised
>to do so. Posted it last Thursday, but in case it was so far up that it got
>missed I'll repost it here in a new topic intead. :-)

Hi Bill,
I'm glad you posted it here because I did miss your post.

>[He had symptoms of a UTI 3 times in a few month period. The last time the
>symptoms reappeared even before the last bottle of clavamox was used up.
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
>So, I don't have to worry about that and I just hope the symptoms don't come
>back.

That's good news! I hope his symptoms don't come back either. Do you have him
on a canned diet?

>I did ask just how she would obtain the sample and she told me that her
>preferred method is the urocentesis [sp?], or the needle into the bladder.
[quoted text clipped - 11 lines]
>But again, I know what I was told, and to me it's a case of someone of the
>support staff just telling half the story.

I think vets should have little pamphlets or whatever that they can give to
clients to explain certain procedures. I think it would be so helpful.

>But like I say, for now it can be avoided as long as he stays symptom free.
>
>So, that's it for now, thanks for reading...

Thanks for letting me know, Bill.

Lauren
________
See my cats: http://community.webshots.com/album/56955940rWhxAe
Raw Diet Info: http://www.holisticat.com/drjletter.html
http://www.geocities.com/rawfeeders/ForCatsOnly.html
Declawing Info: http://www.wholecat.com/articles/claws.htm

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billn - 04 May 2004 04:45 GMT

"PawsForThought" --------------->

> >From: "billn" ---------->
>
[quoted text clipped - 15 lines]
> That's good news! I hope his symptoms don't come back either. Do you have him
> on a canned diet?

So far, so good on the symptoms. Last time they reappeared after 3 weeks.
This last weekend marked the 3 week point and he's doing okay.

Mostly they eat dry food. They were [vet said to feed both of them the
same] to eat the Purina UR food, and initially liked it, but have since
decided they hate it. So now they get ProPlan Weight Management with some
UR on the side if they get too hungry. They both could stand to lose a few
pounds.

> >I did ask just how she would obtain the sample and she told me that her
> >preferred method is the urocentesis [sp?], or the needle into the bladder.
[quoted text clipped - 14 lines]
> I think vets should have little pamphlets or whatever that they can give to
> clients to explain certain procedures. I think it would be so helpful.

I think it would be too.

> >But like I say, for now it can be avoided as long as he stays symptom free.
> >
> >So, that's it for now, thanks for reading...
>
> Thanks for letting me know, Bill.

My pleasure ;-)

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PawsForThought - 04 May 2004 16:38 GMT

>From: "billn" li&st@wi.rr.com
>"PawsForThought" --------------->

>Do you
>have him
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
>UR on the side if they get too hungry. They both could stand to lose a few
>pounds.

If they'll eat it, I would highly recommend a mostly canned diet, especially
for the boy with the UTI problem. Here is a very good article. Also, at the
end of the article is a link to Dr. Zoran's excellent article as well:

http://www.catsincanada.com/articles/feeding.html

Keeping good thoughts for continued good health for your boy :)

Lauren
________
See my cats: http://community.webshots.com/album/56955940rWhxAe
Raw Diet Info: http://www.holisticat.com/drjletter.html
http://www.geocities.com/rawfeeders/ForCatsOnly.html
Declawing Info: http://www.wholecat.com/articles/claws.htm

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billn - 04 May 2004 18:38 GMT

> >From: "billn" li&st@wi.rr.com
> >"PawsForThought" --------------->
[quoted text clipped - 19 lines]
>
> Keeping good thoughts for continued good health for your boy :)

Thanks for the link, have skimmed it over now, will go over it closer a bit
later. The thing that jumped out for me right away was about water
consumption which is one thing I hadn't mentioned in any of our
conversations.

They always had fresh water available with their food and would always drink
some when eating. I think Mooch though would drink more than his sister.
[Funny he's got the problem now]

Anyway, the vet re-iterated how important water was. Now, around here the
drink of choice for people is water/ice water in a glass while we watch TV,
or do computing, and the cats always have to have a taste of what's in the
glass. We though, what's if they had their own glass? Plus, for Mooch,
even though we thought he was getting enough water [and the vet agreed] we
thought it better if he had even more.

So we took one of these 'big gulp' cups like you get from McD's or Burger
king and put it in the middle of the coffee table, so we could see all the
time if/when they used it. Filled it to the brim. Instant success. Mooch
came over, investigated, drank his fill. His sister just kind of watched
for a day or two, then she got into the act.

Now they love having their very own cup to use, it's fun to watch them
drink, I've taken plenty of pictures of pink tongues lapping water, and we
know they're getting plenty to drink.

If the level gets to low or you take it away, they go back to just drinking
when they eat. So this 'new toy' keeps them healthy and is fun for all.
And they've never spilled it.

Enjoy your day and thanks for the links.

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