Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease

Calcium Oxalate Urolithiasis – Crystals

Your cat has been diagnosed with Calcium Oxalate Lower Urinary Tract Disease (FLUTD).  In some cases you pet may have undergone surgery or hydropropulsion to treat existing stones.  In other instances Calcium Oxalate crystals have been recorded on your cat’s urinalysis.  Regardless of the presentation, it is important to follow these important steps in order to help prevent a recurrence of this painful and potentially life-threatening condition.

1. Once discharged from the hospital your cat’s litter box habits must be monitored closely.  Please watch for frequency of urination, amount and color.  If you have more than one cat it may be wise to keep the patient in a separate room with a litter box until regular and appropriate urination can be confirmed.

2. Please ensure that all prescribed medications are given.  Cats that have obstructed or have a bladder infection are generally sent home on an antibiotic.

3. It is important to provide clean, fresh water at all times.

4. A repeat urinalysis is crucial within one week after the antibiotics are finished.  This will allow the veterinarian to assess the degree to which the crystals have been dissolved, as well as the level of bacteria and inflammatory cells in the urine.  Even low levels of inflammation or bacteria can cause a recurrence of FLUTD.  The urinalysis also will measure the pH of your cat’s urine which will determine the effectiveness of your pet’s new diet.

5. Please ensure that your cat is eating well, since he/she will be on a special diet.  If your cat is not adapting to the new diet please call the clinic for advice.

The next step to controlling a recurrence of Calcium Oxalate Urolithiasis is to provide your cat with a diet designed to prevent the recurrence of these stone/crystals.  The veterinarian will suggest one of a number of diets designed specifically for this purpose.  This list included Hills c/d-o and Walthams pH Control (canned and dry).

There are many commercial diets claiming to prevent and/or treat FLUTD, however once your cat has been diagnosed with Calcium Oxalate FLUTD, you should feed only the Veterinary diets described above.  Dietary control and pH modification are the essentials to the treatment and prevention of urolithiasis.

These special preventative diets must be fed as the only diet for your cat (unless otherwise recommended by this veterinary clinic).  You must also be aware that these are prescription diets and cannot be sold unless we have seen your pet within the past eighteen months.