Feline lower urinary tract disease or flutd is a term for bladder and urinary tract issues in cats.
Cat crystals in urinary tract.
Chronic urinary tract infections.
Calcium oxalate and struvite crystals make a kitty s urine sparkly in the sunlight but this glitter is anything but good in your cat s urinary tract system.
The crystals themselves can be perfectly normal but become problematic when they combine to form grit or stones of varying shapes and sizes.
The detection of urinary crystals is not synonymous with kidney stones or the clinical signs associated with them nor is detection of urine crystals irrefutable evidence of a stone forming tendency but there is some association with an increased risk for kidney stones in animals that are.
It was formerly referred to as feline urological syndrome or fus.
A lot of dry foods don t provide the proper balance of nutrition and vitamins a cat needs and they can develop urinary tract crystals struvite stones.
Struvite crystals are microscopic crystals that are found in the urine of some cats.
This is a medical emergency that can very quickly lead to kidney failure and or rupture of the bladder and can prove fatal if the obstruction is not relieved.
Crystals and urinary stones form thanks to dietary and metabolic issues and can also be see in feline utis.
Water is the most important solution for a cat s urinary health.
Untreated urinary problems can cause partial or complete obstruction of the urethra preventing a cat from urinating.
If your cat has been displaying symptoms of urinary tract disease and has been diagnosed with crystals you are likely very keen to know what treatment options are available.
Especially with cats that have been on a dry food diet for some time.
Urinary tract issues are not that uncommon in cats.
Struvite specifically is a material that is composed of magnesium ammonium and phosphate.
Urinary crystals are microscopic structures that can be found in the urine of many animals including cats.
Crystalluria is a medical condition where crystals are expelled into the urine.
Flutd includes crystal formation in the bladder which might obstruct the cat s urethra.
What can happen if a cat s lower urinary tract problems go untreated.
Well the treatment will depend on which type of crystal is involved as the options are really quite different for each crystal type.
Some normal animals can have crystals in their urine although sometimes they are indicative of an underlying issue especially if present in large numbers or accompanied by urinary symptoms.