13264 Pond Springs Road

Austin, Texas 78729

(512) 258-2024 - Voice

(512) 258-8865 - Fax

 

The Cat’s Meow

Cat Hospital Of Austin's

August 2004 Newsletter  

Hospital Happenings

One of the newest additions to our team, Michelle, got married on August 14th.  Look for pictures of her wedding coming soon in the Archive section of http://www.CatHospitalofAustin.com.  Congratulations Michelle!  

Party with Us at Pet-A-Polooza

This is a new event for the Cat Hospital of Austin!  Majic 95.5 is sponsoring a large pet fair at the Travis County Expo Center on August 28th from 11 am – 6 pm .  The Cat Hospital of Austin will be closed on the 28th so that we can participate in this event.  It sounds like both a very informative and fun exhibition.  Come join us for a fun day!

Labor Day

Everyone at the Cat Hospital of Austin wishes you a happy holiday.  Keep in mind that Bogart’s Bed and Breakfast is accepting reservations for this end of summer weekend.  In honor of this holiday, we will be closed on Labor Day Monday, September 6th.  We will resume normal business hours on Tuesday, September 7th at 7:30 a.m.   If you have an emergency while we are closed, please call the Animal Emergency Clinic at 331-6121

Urination Concerns? By Dr. Diane Coleman

Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease (or FLUTD) is the collective term used for several lower urinary conditions in cats: crystalluria, urinary tract infections, and feline interstitial cystitis.  A cat with any of these conditions can exhibit one or all of these clinical signs: straining to urinate, urinating in inappropriate places, increased water intake, increased frequency of urination, or vocalizing while attempting to urinate.  Because these conditions all clinically look the same, a urinalysis is essential to differentiate between them.  This article will provide an overview of each condition. 

bulletCrystalluria—formation of crystals in the urine—occurs when cats react to commonly-available commercial diets.  It is unclear why some cats develop crystals on commercial diets, while other cats do not.  There are two major types of crystals in cats—struvite and calcium oxalate.  Changing to a prescription diet is the treatment for most of these crystals; however, surgery may be necessary if the crystals coalesce into stones that are too large to be passed in the urine.
bulletUrinary tract infections occur when bacteria travel up from the urethra into the bladder.  If a lower urinary tract infection were to persist long enough, the bacteria may ascend even further into the kidneys.  Therefore it is important to give prescribed antibiotics until they are gone, and to always follow up with a recheck urinalysis, to make sure the infection is fully resolved.  Your veterinarian may recommend a culture and sensitivity in some cases, which not only identifies the bacteria involved, but also denotes the antibiotic which will kill the bacteria the most effectively.
bulletFeline Interstitial Cystitis (FIC) describes inflammation of the bladder in the absence of crystals or infection.  There is little known about the cause(s) of this syndrome.  Many ideas have been explored—some researchers postulate it may be brought on by stress, for instance.  Most cases of FIC last from one to two weeks.  Recurrence is common, however, it is important to perform a urinalysis each time there is an outbreak, to rule out urinary tract infection or crystalluria.  Definitive diagnosis of FIC is made by bladder biopsy; however, most veterinarians make a presumptive diagnosis of FIC by ruling out urinary tract infections and crystalluria.  Little is also known about the most appropriate treatment; however, most researchers agree that placing or keeping a cat on canned food will help limit length of clinical signs, as well as lengthen the time between episodes.  One common treatment that helps alleviate or lessen clinical signs is subcutaneous (fluids under the skin).  Also, amitriptyline (a tricyclic antidepressant) and/or Cosequin (a joint supplement) are showing some potential for making cats with FIC feel better faster.  Aggressive research in this area is ongoing at this time.
bulletIn summary, because the clinical signs of cystalluria, urinary tract infection, and feline interstitial cystitis look very similar, the term FLUTD (feline lower urinary tract disease) has been used to group these conditions into one syndrome, until the particular condition can be diagnosed.  It is important to check a urinalysis for each outbreak, since each new occurrence may be from a different condition. 

Did You Know? Geriatric Screening and Kidney Disease – by Dr. Diane Coleman

Kidney failure (also known as CRF or chronic renal failure) is a disease process in which the kidneys lose their ability to efficiently filter the bloodstream.  As a result, toxic metabolic byproducts are allowed to build up in the body, and important items such as blood proteins and potassium are allowed to escape into the urine.

Kidney disease is a slow and progressive process. As kidney cells die off, the remaining kidney cells have to compensate by working harder.  For this reason, these cells will eventually die off as well, as the downward spiral continues.  Chronic renal failure is eventually terminal; however, early detection can aid in slowing the disease process and delaying onset of clinical signs.  This is where a “senior” or “geriatric” screening is essential in the “healthy” appearing senior cat.  Through routine blood work and a urinalysis, your veterinarian can detect early elevations in kidney enzymes and dilute urine, long before clinical signs emerge.  At this stage, simple steps such as a change in diet and at-home fluid therapy can add years to a cat’s life.  Our practice recommends annual geriatric screening for healthy cats 7 years and above, to give your pet the best chance of enjoying many more “golden years.” 

Quotes from Famous Cats

bulletThe cat who doesn't act finicky soon loses control of his owner.
--"Morris the Cat"
bullet Garfield 's Law: Cats instinctively know the precise moment their owners will awaken ... then they awaken them ten minutes sooner.
--Jim Davis

List of Services

The Cat Hospital of Austin is a full-service veterinary facility.  We perform vaccinations, a variety of in-hospital blood testing, Xrays, surgery, and preventative health care maintenance.  We also carry a wide selection of cat toys that have been feline-tested and approved.  Flea control products and a high quality cat food selection are also available.

We hope you’ve enjoyed this issue of The Cat’s Meow Newsletter. Our convenient hours are Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday 7:30 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. Wednesday 7:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m and 2:30 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. (we have a client service meeting from 12:00 – 2:30 p.m. for training and education) and Saturday 7:30 a.m. – Noon .  We are closed the last Saturday of every month. 

If you have a particular topic that you would like to read about in our next Newsletter, please email Dr. Percival at kpercival@CatHospitalOfAustin.com

   

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