What should I do if my cat has a blocked urethra?
If a cat develops a blocked urethra, emergency treatment is required to remove the blockage. In most cases, the cat will be given a short-acting general anesthetic and the urethra will be flushed or catheterized. Urethral obstruction occurs almost exclusively in male cats.
How often does a blocked cat go to the ER?
Known in veterinary parlance as a ‘blocked cat’ or ‘blocked tom,’ this poorly understood disorder is seen with alarming frequency in vet hospitals and ERs. At the ERs I have worked in, we usually saw about two to three cats per week who couldn’t pee.
How old is my cat with a blocked bladder?
My little boy is 7 years old and had a blockage yesterday. He had a catheter put in to drain bladder and IV and returned home same day with medication. I chose the outpatient vs inpatient route due to costs, proximity and his lack of cooperation at the vet.
How long can blocked cat go unchecked?
A few hours can make a big difference – you don’t want those toxins circulating for too long, and the longer it goes unchecked, the more pain the cat experiences, the more work the vet has to do, and the bigger the final bill will be.
When does urethral obstruction occur in a cat?
Urethral Obstruction (UO) is a life-threatening blockage of the lower portion of the urinary tract. It prevents an animal from being able to urinate and, unfortunately, occurs relatively commonly in cats. Although UO can occur in any cat, it is more prevalent in young to middle age male cats.
What should I do if my cat blocks his urethra 3 times?
For cats that block 3 times within a short time span, or those that are discovered to have a stricture (abnormal narrowing) within a certain part of their urethra, a surgical procedure called a ‘perineal urethrostomy’ (PU) may be recommended by the veterinary team.
When to go to the vet for a cat urinary blockage?
If you believe your male cat has a urinary blockage, you will need to contact your local vet immediately. This can be a life-threatening situation if it is not resolved quickly. The fact is that you may not know there is a problem until your cat has been blocked for a number of days.
Can a cat die from an urinary blockage?
Urinary blockage basically means that your cat is unable to pee (urinate). This is extremely dangerous and if left untreated, can cause them to die. What Causes Urinary Blockage? Urinary blockage can be caused by one or a combination of the following: Bladder & urethral stones; Mucous plugs; Untreated urinary tract infections