Urinary Blockage is an Emergency!

I just wanted to talk about a case I saw over the weekend.  I had a male cat present for small bloody urine drops and trouble defecating(pooping), for 4 days duration.  When I hear this history I always assume the cat is actually straining to urinate, 'He can't pee'!!!  It is pretty rare for a cat to have trouble defecating.  This cat had a very low temperature, wasn't moving much and crying out at random.  I felt so bad for the big guy, so he got some pain meds and immediate testing.

When a cat, especially a male is having trouble in the litter box it is an emergency.  Emergency means take the cat now, not tomorrow or in a few hours, now.  If it turns out they can not urinate, the bladder gets bigger and bigger and can eventually burst/rupture.  The reason the cat blocks is because mucus, crystals and even tiny bladder stones can clump together to form a plug in the narrow male cat urethra.  It also causes backup into the kidney's and cause dysfunction of the kidney's.  If caught early enough these cats can be 'unblocked' and treated very successfully.  If the blockage has persisted 3 to 6 days, the toxin build up will result in death.  

It is crucial to realize that the cat is at risk for re-blocking for a good week or two from the time of discharge.  This is because the irritation syndrome that led to blocking in the first place is still continuing and as long as the episode continues, blocking is a possibility.  Most cats recover uneventfully and most do not need continuing medication after they have recovered. Some cats, especially if they have blocked before, will require on-going treatment. Once the cat is no longer obstructed, management is the same as for any other cat with feline idiopathic cystitis that is not obstructed, which may include a special diet, water fountains, etc.

This case did not end very well.  The kitty had been blocked for too many days.  His kidney values were extremely elevated.  His electrolytes were very high, which can lead to fatal heart arrhythmia's.  And that is what happened when I attempted to un-block this kitty he went into cardiac arrest and we unable to save him....  Now please don't think this is what normally happens, I have seen many cases of urinary blockage and successfully treated these guys and they went on to enjoy the rest of their nine lives.  This poor kitty had simply been blocked too long.  I hope by writing about this it will make more people aware of the dangers and to seek immediate medical attention if they notice any straining or problems with urination or defecation.