Topic: Freddy - been back to vet (Read 10511 times)

Desley (booktigger) · « **Reply #50 on:** January 19, 2008, 09:51:09 AM »

Aww, fingers crossed he continues to do well.

Gillian Harvey · « **Reply #49 on:** January 18, 2008, 18:57:43 PM »

Oh thats good news Michelle, fab Freddie!

Ralph's mum (angie) · « **Reply #48 on:** January 18, 2008, 18:48:33 PM »

Great news Michelle, well done Freddie

Gill (sneakiefeline) · « **Reply #47 on:** January 18, 2008, 18:46:23 PM »

Good boy Freddy, stop all the licking now and it will get better sooner

Maddiesmum · « **Reply #46 on:** January 18, 2008, 14:49:49 PM »

Well done Freddy hope you continue to pee

Roz · « **Reply #45 on:** January 18, 2008, 14:23:33 PM »

Excellent news Michelle...

Well done Freddie...keep up the good work!

Fingers crossed Michelle that this will see him on the road to recovery - I wonder why he couldn't pass it before?

Don't quote me 'cos I'm only hazarding a guess, but I wonder if it was because his sphincter muscle was cramping that prevented him from being able to pass urine...and now, having been palpated manually and with the meds kicking in, he's feeling less stressed and has allowed his system to relax and operate properly once again.

Just a thought.....

Keep those wees nice and long for ya mummy Freddie

clarenmax · « **Reply #44 on:** January 18, 2008, 13:30:52 PM »

Well done Freddy

That's great news Michelle and hopefully a step in the right direction

Dawn F · « **Reply #43 on:** January 18, 2008, 12:54:37 PM »

oh that's good news Michelle, hope he is on the mend

Michelle (furbabystar) · « **Reply #42 on:** January 18, 2008, 12:23:05 PM »

HE HAS DONE A WEE ON HIS OWN, A PROPER WEE !!
He still licked and licked himself after and the end of his willy is sooooooo sore but NO CRYING and NO SITTING IN TRAY FOR A LONG TIME.

He has had his steriod tablet this morning and i will collect the Feliway spray later.
He is still not 100% himself but deff getting there
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Gill (sneakiefeline) · « **Reply #41 on:** January 18, 2008, 00:59:01 AM »

I hope that Freddy is OK today

Michelle (furbabystar) · « **Reply #40 on:** January 18, 2008, 00:26:00 AM »

Hi Roz and everyone else,

I dont know why he isnt on any of the meds mentioned !

I had cut the story short earlier but this is what happened.
They took him in and he was very stressful and trying to wee. They said he did a little bit of a wee on his blanket so the vet got him out to feel his bladder. As he was doing this Freddy let a little bit of wee out so the vet squeezed his bladder and he wee'ed loads.

Freddy seems so much brighter, I have been out tonight so not sure if he has used the litter tray but since i have been in he hasnt been trying to go so fingers crossed things are looking up.

I text my vet earlier to say thank you and he replied and did say that he isnt out of the woods yet and to keep a close eye on him still.

I havent allowed him to have any dry food, have got him loads of nice wet dinners.

I am off to bed now, shattered after hardly any sleep last night.
Thank you for your support, Hopefully he will continue to get better

Much love ...Michelle xxx

Maddiesmum · « **Reply #39 on:** January 17, 2008, 20:55:01 PM »

Poor little Freddy hope he is feeling better cystitis is awful.

Desley (booktigger) · « **Reply #38 on:** January 17, 2008, 20:28:58 PM »

Aww, fingers crossed for him - you dont need a prescription to buy Cystaid, but you can only get it online in tubs of 250 tabs. I dont have any left in the house, I gave mine to my friend, or I could have sent you some. I would ask about it though, although I know the rescues vet doesn't stock it, whereas mine does

Gillian Harvey · « **Reply #37 on:** January 17, 2008, 17:39:58 PM »

Quote from: furbabystar (Michelle) on January 17, 2008, 16:04:43 PM

My Vet is still saying STRESS has caused this and although i do not agree who i am to say any different.

Its true stress is a major factor, but its not the only one, its more like a combination of factors which include stress, diet, water intake, exercise, weight etc. I think I would want to know what type of crystals or stones he has - has that been tested? Cats can suffer from struvite stones which are small and can cause this plug combined with other proteins to cause a blockage - these can generally be dissolved and are formed when the urine is too alkaline. The others are oxalate stones which are due to urine that is too acidic - these cannot be dissolved and have to be removed surgically.

Roz · « **Reply #36 on:** January 17, 2008, 16:22:06 PM »

Hi again Michelle,

Re pills: I would have thought he would have been on the medication everyone else has mentioned viz: Cystaid, Metacam, (no antibiotic needed if he has already had one), Cystease etc etc.

I am just worried that after a week or more he is still not feeling better if it is just cystitis. That should have responded to the medication by now.

And why did his bladder need palpating if it was not beginning to block? Looking on the bright side however, it couldn't have been too bad because they wouldn't have been able to express it manually if it was really blocked...a catheter is the only solution to this.....but something is causing him trouble.

And stress is the reason for most cases of FLUTD...so nothing new there. Knowing the cause is not necessarily addressing the symptoms.

I have to pop out now for a few hours but will look in later to see how the little guy is doing.

Personally I think it would have been better if they had opted to keep him in under observation to see whether he was able to urinate on his own or not.

Hope everything settles down for you both Michelle

Roz

Michelle (furbabystar) · « **Reply #35 on:** January 17, 2008, 16:04:43 PM »

Quote from: Roz on January 17, 2008, 15:44:37 PM

Well, I'm pleased to read that Freddie has been expressed manually but I am surprised that they have sent him home so quickly...and without any of the usual medication for this condition.

Hi Roz,

What you had thought he should be on ?
He had a long lasting antibiotic injection last week and an antinflamatry one.

Now he is on Steroids coz vet said they were quicker at bringing down the inflammation of the bladder.

My Vet is still saying STRESS has caused this and although i do not agree who i am to say any different.

Dawn F · « **Reply #34 on:** January 17, 2008, 15:48:35 PM »

when bluto had crystals they expressed him but then kept him overnight - it's so stressful as an owner watching them like this that I was releaved that they did keep him in (selfish I know) have they suggested a presciption diet, it worked for bluto for 7 years

Roz · « **Reply #33 on:** January 17, 2008, 15:44:37 PM »

Well, I'm pleased to read that Freddie has been expressed manually but I am surprised that they have sent him home so quickly...and without any of the usual medication for this condition.

Did you ask the vet how to feel for a blocked bladder Michelle?

If you are not already feeding Freddie on a prescription diet please do not give him any more dry food...only wet and add water to each meal...and that tiny bit of cranberry if you can manage it. You can buy cranberry tablets from Tesco or any chemist.

These are just ways in which you yourself can help him but I would not dismiss the other drugs the vet has given to Freddie. They might be prescribed to help his muscle (sphincter) to relax. This might be why he could not urinate himself.

I know you will but keep up the vigilance.

Let's hope the little love will start to feel better again very soon.

Lots of good wishes and love being sent his way

Roz

Michelle (furbabystar) · « **Reply #32 on:** January 17, 2008, 15:10:35 PM »

Hi,

Didnt get much sleep last night, Sat up with Freddy half the night....and he still didnt do a wee !

This morning he was in a terrible state again going back and forth to the litter trays, he had tried weeing on the bed but still nothing.
To cut a long story short i ended up taking him to Vets at 11.30am, they admitted him. I got a call about 2pm to say he has been to wee and i could go and get him.
It turns out the vet squeezed his bladder and he wee'ed for england.

I have to carry on with the Prednisolone tablets but i'm stopping the Clomicalm (happy pills) and starting to use Feliway spray.

Hopefully he will start to improve now, He seems alot brighter and has eaten some food.
Got to keep a close eye on him and take him back to vet if i am at all worried xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Roz · « **Reply #31 on:** January 17, 2008, 13:08:49 PM »

Thanks Teresa...that is the one that Jet had as well. In fact, it was especially important to him and he continued to have it for some time. Dibenylin (sp?) or Dibenylene.

When Nigel, Jet's vet, took him to Newmarket to be examined by Dr Dick White, who is a world renowned veterinary urologist, six days after the operation, I remember that he advised Nigel to give him Cystaid rather than Cystease which he had been taking up to that time...and I think it worked better for Jet than Cystease ever did. Of course, he had had his op by that time but I do still remember that that was what the great doctor recommended.

Hope our little patient is feeling more relaxed today

Lots of love to him

Roz

Teresa Pawcats · « **Reply #30 on:** January 17, 2008, 09:07:58 AM »

Think the pill beginning with D that Roz is trying to remember is Dibenyllin spelling? Thats what Buster had.

sending lots of get well vives.

Desley (booktigger) · « **Reply #29 on:** January 17, 2008, 08:00:44 AM »

i am surprised at the meds they have given him, I would have thought something like Cystaid would be a lot better than calming tablets (Cystaid is a glucosamine based med that helps the lining of the bladder - worked wonders with Tom), and dont like his comments about food, my vet shouts at you if you give a cat with cystitis dry food, her treatmetn is wet food only, cystaid, more water in the food and less stress (the latter being the harder, especially when you either dont know what is stressing them, or in my case, can't do anything about it). Fingers crossed for him, but I would be tempted to see a different vet.

Gillian Harvey · « **Reply #28 on:** January 17, 2008, 00:00:30 AM »

Quote from: furbabystar (Michelle) on January 16, 2008, 22:48:23 PM

Freddy went to the litter tray about 5mins ago, He sat there for 3-4mins but nothing came out. He didnt cry or scream this time but then went and sat with his willy out again licking and licking it (it actually looks quiet sore on the end now).

Well i just dont know what to do anymore, Vet says his bladder was empty when he saw him at 2.30 this afternoon so he cannot be blocked.

Michelle, my next door neighbours cat was showing all those signs and when I alerted his owner, she took him straight to her vet. The vet sent him home with antibiotics and anti spasmodic I think, and said that he wasnt blocked. Now maybe he wasnt - then, but the medication he received didnt help, and he must have blocked sometime during the night. It can happen quite quickly from not being blocked, to being blocked so as Roz said keep a very close eye on him (obviously you will anyway)

Roz · « **Reply #27 on:** January 16, 2008, 23:09:49 PM »

Hi Gill,

Thanks for the vote of confidence!!! ha ha.

No, I would hope that every vet in the land knows about the implications for FLUTD because it is such a common condition. Jet's operation was very rare (and still is I would imagine, but like everything else that starts off as radical, it is becoming more routine now for very difficult cases..and two years is a long time in medicine.....Teresa's Buster had the same op ten years ago!! We compared notes afterwards and it sounded like Jet definitely had the easier time of it!...such is progress)

I would think that Freddie has very severe cystitis. But I do think Michelle is doing the correct thing by keeping a very careful eye on him.

I would have thought however, that the infection would have started to respond to the medication by now and he should be in less pain. I think it's been over a week since Freddie first became ill. So that is a cause for concern.

Are you managing to get the pills down him Michelle? Jet had Cystease, Cystaid, Metacam, Synolux, and some muscle relaxants that I can't remember the name of now...began with a 'D'. He did have a few more as well but those were the main ones.

Roz · « **Reply #26 on:** January 16, 2008, 22:58:01 PM »

Just a rider to what I have written below Michelle....If your vet has felt Freddie's bladder and is happy that it is not blocked, then he must consider that there is no real danger at the moment for Freddie.

I know how to feel for a blocked bladder and if Freddie is causing you a lot of anxiety, I think it would be a good idea to ask your vet the next time you see him to show you how to 'feel' for a blocked bladder too. Under no circumstances should you rummage around with a cat's tummy if you don't know what you are doing but it is useful to know how such a condition feels if your cat suffers with FLUTD. A vet will often describe it as 'tight as a drum' and it is always an emergency.

Cystitis however, can be a bacterial infection (not necessarily crystals) but will still cause burning and pain to a cat who is trying to urinate. And they will try to go again and again..without much success and often the urine is blood stained. Moreover, a normally clean cat will try to urinate anywhere because he is in such pain and discomfort.

Encourage him to drink as much water as possible to keep the kidneys and urinary tract flushed, and if you live in a hard water area, try to give him spring or mineral water rather than tap water. If you can persuade him to eat it, a tiny amount of cranberry tablet crushed and disguised in his food can sometimes be helpful.

Lastly, do not let him wonder away from the house if he is free roaming. Keep him under very strict supervision just in case he does start to block.

Hope that helps.

Get well soon Freddiekins.

Roz

Gill (sneakiefeline) · « **Reply #25 on:** January 16, 2008, 22:57:28 PM »

I hope Roz sees your post tonight but this extract from hers makes me very concerned about Freddie

Eventually this gunge sloughs off and, coupled with the possibility of crystals within the urinary tract, can lead to the formation of a plug at the opening of the penis, thus causing a blockage and preventing the elimination of urine. Very dangerous!!!

I am wondering if your vet knows enough about this especially as he doesnt sem to lnow that the op is not that rare. The way I read Rozs post and I no medical person, is that the bladder maybe empty at the time but if he still cant urinate when it starts to fill then he has major probs.

Dont like the sound of the happy pills either , what are they and have you done a search on internet sto see wehat they are?

Maybe you should start very fast looking for vet who can give a second opinion and who knows a bit more about this type of problem?

Michelle (furbabystar) · « **Reply #24 on:** January 16, 2008, 22:48:23 PM »

Hi Roz,

Thank you for taking the time to type all of that for me.

I really am at a loss here

Freddy went to the litter tray about 5mins ago, He sat there for 3-4mins but nothing came out. He didnt cry or scream this time but then went and sat with his willy out again licking and licking it (it actually looks quiet sore on the end now).

And I dont like the "happy pills" he is on, he seems spaced out and not my Freddy

Well i just dont know what to do anymore, Vet says his bladder was empty when he saw him at 2.30 this afternoon so he cannot be blocked.

I think i will shut him in Son'd bedroom tonight with a litter tray so i can see if he wee's during the night.

Gill (sneakiefeline) · « **Reply #23 on:** January 16, 2008, 22:19:18 PM »

Michelle I hope you have seen Rozs post and if not maybe you are at the vets, cos it sounds like for Frefdde this could be very serious now

Roz · « **Reply #22 on:** January 16, 2008, 21:56:29 PM »

Hi Michelle,

Just caught up with this thread again after Gill pm'd me. Unfortunately, I don't have any of Jet's old blog from C.C. but have written a lot about FLUTD since, and like Teresa, or anyone else who has had experience of a cat suffering with the extreme version of this condition, you never forget the symptoms or the anguish! (e.g. the blocked bladders that ALWAYS occur at midnight!...I can remember many times during those months telling the 'nightwatch' on C.C. that Jet was blocked and I was about to rush him to the hospital)

Anyway, if you don't already know this (and please forgive me if you do...I don't want to teach my grandmother to suck eggs

) cystitis is inflammation of the urinary tract and is often a precursor to full-blown FLUTD (crystals). Cystitis is triggered by irritation to the urinary tract (crystals? or infection) and causes the bladder walls to thicken. Eventually this gunge sloughs off and, coupled with the possibility of crystals within the urinary tract, can lead to the formation of a plug at the opening of the penis, thus causing a blockage and preventing the elimination of urine. Very dangerous!!! Although FLUTD affects both male and female cats, it is only the male cat who is in danger from dying of a blocked bladder because his urethra is long and narrow as opposed to a queen's which is shorter and wider....

A blocked bladder can theoretically cause death within 24 hours so it is always an emergency. Unfortunately FLUTD (Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disorder) is quite a common condition but is usually successfully controlled by a prescription diet which regulates the PH balance within the urinary tract. If the bladder is blocked or suspected of blocking, a catheter is inserted until the urine runs clear and the cat is able to pass urine easily on his own. Obviously medication is given and relaxants for the sphincter muscle as well. In Jet's case it was not so much that his urinary tract created lots of crystals, it was more that his sphincter muscle would go into spasm every time the catheter was removed...so another would need to be inserted and so on and so forth...Sometimes he would not be discharged from the hospital for nearly two weeks! A penilectomy was his only hope...and he underwent this operation on Jan 6th two years ago. Just hours before (a little after midnight) I had rushed him into the hospital once again for unblocking and and was so upset because I thought this would put his op back another month (it had been scheduled for 12th Jan but I had been told that the operation couldn't take place unless Jet had been clear for at least a fortnight), so after being reassured by the emergency vet that Jet was comfy again at just past 7 am, I went to bed to get some sleep. I awoke at 10 am to find messages from the vets and my hubs advising me that Jet was undergoing his op that day!!! I shall never forget because it was my birthday. So I slept through the whole trauma but I needn't have worried because it transpired to be the best thing he could ever have had done.

I shall be available for questions later

Hope that helps Michelle.

Lots of love and special wishes to Freddie....he must be in such a lot of discomfort and pain..bless him...

Roz

Millys Mum · « **Reply #21 on:** January 16, 2008, 20:53:22 PM »

He may not be blocked at the moment but could easily have something else lurking. I guess i would be in pain if crystals were rubbing about in my bladder!

When Lola got cystitis i took her in explained my concerns and they took a sample and agreed if it reoccured she would be examined further, i dont like to hang around, id rather pay for test and find its nothing and the vets know that

I would certainly ask your vet if he will rule things out for you, its your cat afterall

Michelle (furbabystar) · « **Reply #20 on:** January 16, 2008, 20:35:47 PM »

Quote from: Millys Mum on January 16, 2008, 19:49:19 PM

How do they know its only cystitis? Have they checked a sample? Its also worth bearing in mind that a urine sample can be clear of crystals even tho the cat has stones so an xray can give an answer.

If he was screaming out it must be bloody painful

Some vets just wont except dry food as being a cause of health problems

MM, should i ask for an Xray to be done ?
My Vet felt his bladder and said it was empty so he didnt have a blockage. He said that Cystitis in a male cat is very very painful.
so could he has crystals or stones then MM ?

Thing is Freddy is not weeing.
He went from litter tray to little tray this afternoon and couldnt do a wee, he let out a terrible scream on 4 occasions. Inbetween trying , he sat on the floor with his Willy out and was licking and chewing at it.

He i fast alseep now, think the "happy pills" have knocked him out.

Millys Mum · « **Reply #19 on:** January 16, 2008, 19:49:19 PM »

How do they know its only cystitis? Have they checked a sample? Its also worth bearing in mind that a urine sample can be clear of crystals even tho the cat has stones

so an xray can give an answer.

If he was screaming out it must be bloody painful

Some vets just wont except dry food as being a cause of health problems

Gill (sneakiefeline) · « **Reply #18 on:** January 16, 2008, 19:48:36 PM »

I hope that Roz will either be able to post it on here or at least give you Jets story.

Michelle (furbabystar) · « **Reply #17 on:** January 16, 2008, 19:44:55 PM »

Gillian, I will take Freddy off dry food compleatly ( not easy in a multi cat household though). I asked the vet if the dry food could be causing it and he said No (where as i thought it could) Nether the less i think it is best to try changing things.

Gill, That would be great if you can get your hands on the thread for me.

Gill (sneakiefeline) · « **Reply #16 on:** January 16, 2008, 18:25:58 PM »

Seems like old database gone now but will pm Roz and see if she has a copy on the thread.

Gill (sneakiefeline) · « **Reply #15 on:** January 16, 2008, 18:19:52 PM »

Rozs Jet was going downhill very quickly and its just two years ago since he had his operation. I dont know if Roz has a copy of the thread cos it was in Cat Chat and I dont know if their database still has all the old stuff on, I will have a look, it may even be in our links section.

Jet is a new boy now and doing very well.

I will have a look.

Gillian Harvey · « **Reply #14 on:** January 16, 2008, 18:12:42 PM »

Quote from: furbabystar (Michelle) on January 16, 2008, 17:11:58 PM

Then we will look at the food situation and also try and work out what is stressing him out.
I really cant think what it could be !!
My vet said it could be something so simple as another cat looking at him a funny way, something i wouldnt pick up on but could stress him out. I

My friends cat had the surgery after blocking several times, and he's been fine ever since.

With my Ben it was a simple change of diet that helped him. He's not a stressy sort of cat (laid back Persian) BUT he's quite sensitive and there are a couple of things that I think back in retrospect that could have combined to cause the cystitis. After he blocked, I changed his diet to the high meat content wet foods, with no dry food at all (he does have a bit of dry food now though with no probs) and raw diet, and he's been fine for 4 yrs now, with no more cystitis at all.

smudgepickles · « **Reply #13 on:** January 16, 2008, 18:03:14 PM »

omg poor little boy, cant a couple of metacam drops ease the pain a little

big kisses from me and head kisses from all my babies

xx

Mark · « **Reply #12 on:** January 16, 2008, 17:42:34 PM »

Hope he's feeling better - poor Freddy

Michelle (furbabystar) · « **Reply #11 on:** January 16, 2008, 17:11:58 PM »

Quote from: Teresa Pawcats on January 16, 2008, 16:57:50 PM

Hope Freddy soon recovers,it is awful to see them in so much pain.Is he on special diet food?

Yes Our Buster had the op,gosh 9-10 years ago, and Jet Roz`s boy had it done 2-3 years ago; the op is not the end of the world infact it was a bright new beginning for Jet and Buster.

We jokingly call it a sex change but it is known as a P.U. or penilectomy.

He is on steroids and "happy pills" to try and sort the immediate problem out...............
Then we will look at the food situation and also try and work out what is stressing him out.
I really cant think what it could be !!
My vet said it could be something so simple as another cat looking at him a funny way, something i wouldnt pick up on but could stress him out. I really am at a loss Teresa, Hate to see him like this (in pain) but dont know what is causing him to get Cystitis.
He doesnt seem stressed and gets on with all the other cats. He is Tonkenese so laid back and full of fun. He is so loving to us and the other cats.

Author Topic: Freddy - been back to vet (Read 10511 times)