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Dietary nutrition for urolithiasis in cats and dogs (beginning). What to do if your cat has struvite in the urine

Urolithiasis (ICD) is the formation of single or multiple urinary calculi (stones) in the renal parenchyma, pelvis or bladder. The causes of ICD can be: improper feeding (excess of proteins and lack of carbohydrates, excessive feeding of fish containing large amounts of phosphates and magnesium salts), lack of vitamins A and D, sedentary lifestyle, imbalance in the acid-base balance of blood and lymph, breed predisposition, overweight, early castration, lack of free access to drinking water (or poor water quality), as well as urinary tract infections (especially streptococcal and staphylococcal). Most of these causes lead to metabolic disorders, in which there is an excessive excretion of various metabolic products in the urine. So, for example, too early castration of a cat, accompanied by the removal of the testicles, can lead not only to hormonal imbalance, but also to narrowing of the already narrow urethra (urethra).

Cat breeds such as Persians (particularly blues, creams and whites) have a genetic predisposition to urolithiasis, most notably to the formation of tripel phosphates. Neutered cats develop phosphate stones very quickly. Long-haired Himalayan and Burmese cats are most predisposed to oxalate urolithiasis, which occurs in about 25% of urolithiasis cases in cats, in addition to Persians. Overall, urolithiasis is detected in approximately 7% of cats admitted to veterinary clinics (Osborne e.a. 1995).

The urethra in cats is already quite narrow, and with a high content of fish and dairy products in the diet, crystals of phosphorus and calcium salts fall out in the urine, which leads to spasms and urinary retention, followed by urinary tract infection and the development of acute renal failure. Males are most susceptible to KSD because their urethra is longer and narrower than that of females.

With KSD, various hardly soluble salts accumulate in the kidneys and urinary tract, which ensures a change in the acidity (pH) of urine. These can be calcium phosphates, calcium carbonates, calcium oxalates, urates, as well as struvites (complex salts of ammonium, magnesium, phosphorus and calcium). Urates consist mainly of uric acid salts (there are spines on the surface of these stones that injure the vascular walls, contributing to inflammation), and phosphates are made of calcium and magnesium phosphate. Phosphate and struvite stones form mainly in alkaline urine and grow very rapidly. The hardest stones are oxalates, they are formed from salts of oxalic acid and are found, like urates, mainly in acidic urine. That is why the normalization of urine pH leads to a slowdown in the formation of crystals and to the dissolution of existing ones. Carbonates are formed from salts of carbonic acid, they are soft, crumble easily and make up the bulk of the sand in the urine. In recent years, there has been a trend towards an increase in the formation of urinary stones (uroliths) from calcium oxalate and, on the contrary, a decrease in the frequency of formation of uroliths from struvites (Markwell e.a. 2000). The frequency of occurrence of bladder stones, differing in chemical composition, is as follows. Containing magnesium and ammonium phosphate (triple phosphates 70-90% of all stones), containing calcium oxalate (oxalates 5-8%), calcium phosphate (phosphates 1-3%), uric acid (urates 2-4%, more often associated with the breed) , cystine stones (2-22%, depending on the breed, more often in cats), silicate stones (1-3%), mixed stones (5-10%).

Uroliths are formed by the aggregation of mineral crystals. But urethral plugs consist of a protein matrix (mucoprotein), which usually contains many mineral crystals. Both uroliths and urethral plugs can lead to inflammation and obstruction of the lower urinary tract.

Many uroliths in cats form in the bladder and can damage the lining of the bladder. Depending on their size, uroliths can partially or completely block the bladder neck. And the urethra of cats, which is much narrower than that of cats, can be blocked by both uroliths and urethral plugs.

You can often hear that KSD occurs in cats as a result of excessive feeding of imported dry food. Apparently, these rumors are unfounded, since branded dry food is a carefully balanced product, the combination of nutrients, trace elements and vitamins in which is calculated with the maximum benefit for the health of animals. In addition, statistics show that since 1991, i.e. approximately since the advent of ready-made feeds in our country, the incidence of KSD in cats receiving traditional food is even higher than in animals that are on a branded diet. Just remember to give your pets fresh water.

With severe urolithiasis, feline urological syndrome (USS) can be observed, the most common disease of the lower urinary tract in cats (USS also occurs in cats, but cats are more predisposed to this disease). In cats, UC is accompanied by obstruction of the urethra, which is clogged with urinary stones (uroliths), which are most often sand or small crystals (struvites are most common), sometimes with an admixture of blood clots and mucus. Both blockage of the urethra and damage to its mucous membrane leads to stagnation of urine and the development of a secondary ascending urinary tract infection. As a result, catarrhal-purulent inflammation of the bladder (urocystitis) and renal pelvis (pyelonephritis) develops. If the urethral obstruction is not resolved within 2 days, the cat may die from postrenal azotemia. With USC, either catheterization or surgical intervention is necessary, however, despite all efforts, the death of about 15-20% of cats is usually observed, and in the operated animals, relapses of the disease are observed in most cases (I.A. Timofeev, V.M. Ushakov, 2001). Death occurs mainly due to rapidly developing toxicosis (much less often due to rupture of the bladder) and stress associated with painful sensations. Urinary sand, blood cells, pus, fibrin clots are found in the urinary sediment of such animals.

Symptoms: The disease develops slowly without obvious clinical signs, but the results of the study of urine can give a fairly reliable prognosis: the pH of the urine shifts to the acid side for urates, oxalates and to the alkaline side for phosphates (normal 6.5-7), urine density increases. The cat refuses to eat, depressed, often licks the perineum. When the urinary tract is blocked, urinary colic is observed, the animal is restless, meows when urinating, during urination takes an unnatural posture (humps), lingers in it for a long time, the pulse rate, respiration, and temperature increase. The cat experiences pain when her stomach is touched, goes to the toilet more often (or, conversely, can urinate anywhere), the amount of urine decreases, the urine may be cloudy or bloody (hematuria), urination is difficult (or, conversely, very frequent and painful) or may be completely absent.

With urological syndrome, both with complete and partial obstruction of the urethra, a painful swelling appears under the tail of the cat. As pressure builds up in the upper urinary tract, the kidneys stop producing urine. In the blood, toxic metabolic products accumulate, leading to uremia. The appetite of the animal decreases, the cat becomes lethargic, vomiting appears. If urgent treatment is not started, acute renal failure will occur and the animal will die. Therefore, it is necessary to eliminate the obstruction of the urethra as soon as possible. Remember that sick cats often try to hide, retire, so do not leave them unattended and do not let them go outside.

Sometimes it is quite easy to determine the onset of the disease. To do this, you only need to carefully monitor the process and result of urination of the animal. If the cat urinates into a bath or a cuvette, then when removing it, you should pay attention to the amount and color of urine. If you have taught the cat to use the filler, then watch the number of lumps formed after urination. If the amount of urine or lumps decreases, and the color changes, some urine should be collected in a clean bottle for laboratory analysis.

It is possible to start treatment only after establishing the nature of the formed salts, therefore, first of all, you need to show the cat to the veterinarian.

Treatment is aimed at eliminating the pain syndrome, increasing the solubility of salts, loosening stones, and preventing further formation of urinary stones. It is possible to alleviate the condition of the animal with the help of antispasmodics (baralgin, spazgan), treatment of detected infections with antibiotics (cefa-cure, enrofloxacin, albipen LA), sulfonamides (urosulfan, sulf-120), the drug "Cat Ervin" (with obstruction of the urinary tract, it can be administered directly into the bladder, after pumping out the contents of the latter), as well as with the help of a special diet that prevents oversaturation with calcium and phosphorus salts. To stimulate the smooth muscles of the bladder, gamavit or catozal are recommended, to eliminate urethral plugs - catheterization and washing the urethra with Ervin the Cat (16 ml per dose), hot baths (40 ° C) when the cat is immersed to half of the body, anti-inflammatory therapy - dexafort ( V.L. Zorin, 1999, 2001).

According to veterinarian E.V. Gordeeva, a clear and rapid improvement in the cat's condition can be achieved by subcutaneous administration of gamavit in combination with maxidin and fosprenil.

In the St. Petersburg SPC "Chin" a method has been developed for the treatment of KSD using a pulsed magnetic field, which not only promotes the dissolution of uroliths, but also has an anti-inflammatory and local analgesic effect. Relief occurs in all but the most neglected cases.

Cats should not use medications containing glycerin and essential oils - urolesan, cystenal, pinobine, phytolysin, as this can be fatal. Avisan, cystone can be used, however, the dosage of these drugs is designed for a person, so it is necessary to take into account not only the weight of the cat, but also its sensitivity to the plants that make up the drugs.

For timely detection of the disease, aging cats and cats aged 6 years and older need to give urine for analysis once every 3 months.

Homeopathic treatment. Of great importance is the control of the mucosa of the bladder and urethra in cats with urolithiasis.

For this, long-term therapy is prescribed with the use of Berberis-homaccord and Mucosa compositum. Medicines can be given with drinking water 2-3 times a week.

In acute inflammation and pain, traumeel is prescribed subcutaneously 2-3 times a day or in the form of drops every 15-30 minutes. traumeel is also prescribed after surgery (cysto- or urethrotomy).

If urolithiasis develops against the background of chronic pyelonephritis, then the main treatment is best carried out with the help of preparations cantharis compositum and berberis-homacquord.

Phytotherapy. It is recommended to use Phytoelite Healthy Kidneys and Cat Erwin. From herbs: a decoction of bearberry leaves (bear ears), an infusion of half-pala (herva woolly), parsley rhizomes, highlander, watercress, etc.

Diet therapy. Currently, foods are more effective at preventing struvite uroliths, thus inevitably increasing the percentage of oxalate uroliths.

Overacidification of some cat foods or the use of acidifying diets in conjunction with urine acidifiers results in demineralization of the bones, releasing calcium to provide a buffer.

An increase in the incidence of oxalate urolithiasis in cats has contributed to the development of the new Hill's Prescription Diet Feline x/d, which was created specifically to prevent the formation of calcium oxalate crystals and uroliths and prevent recurrence of calcium oxalate urolithiasis. A carefully selected and strictly controlled level of calcium slows down crystal formation. The reduced content of vitamin D helps to avoid excessive absorption of calcium from the intestines. The increased content of potassium citrate, which is able to form soluble salts with calcium, contributes to the partial destruction of oxalates, and soluble fibers contribute to the binding of calcium in the intestine.

For a long time, Hill`s has been producing diets that:

Prevent the formation of struvite crystals and uroliths in cats (Prescription Diet Feline s/d), prevent the formation of struvite crystals and uroliths in obese cats (Prescription Diet Feline w/d), dissolve struvite uroliths (Prescription Diet Feline s/d).

Hill`s also recommended Prescription Diet Feline k/d to prevent further formation of oxalate, urate and cystine crystals and uroliths in cats. However, Feline x/d is now a more suitable product as it has a moderately reduced vitamin D content.

Both struvite and oxalate are most common in overweight, indoor cats with low water intake - the first two factors interfere with urinary frequency and lead to urinary retention, and the last factor increases the concentration of minerals in the urine.

However, if struvite is more common in young animals (under 5 years old), then the risk of developing oxalate uroliths is greater in older cats (over 7 years old) and especially in cats of breeds: Persian, Burmese, Himalayan.

While there are general principles for preventing both types of kidney stones, recommendations for specific nutrients vary considerably. For optimal control of a specific type of urolith, the most appropriate level of each individual nutrient must be strictly controlled. Therefore, there is no diet that is suitable for controlling both types of stones.

The presence of a urinary tract infection with urease-producing bacteria will worsen the development of struvite uroliths. But infection rarely appears as the primary cause of urolithiasis in cats, more often as a secondary or concomitant microflora.

The basic principles of nutrition to prevent urolithiasis are a number of rules.

1. Maintain adequate water intake to ensure adequate urine output. Increasing your water intake will increase the amount of urine produced and dissolve the crystal-forming substance. Urine volume is usually greater in cats fed a canned diet. Also, if the feed is highly digestible, it reduces the amount of dry matter in faecal matter, which requires less water. Thus, faecal water loss is reduced, allowing water to be excreted in the urine.

2. Avoiding excessive consumption of those minerals that are constituents of urolith, thereby reducing their concentration in the urine.

Calcium and oxalate form an insoluble complex in the intestinal lumen,

which is not absorbed (just as they form an insoluble complex in

bladder). A dietary reduction in only one of these may mean that the other is free for absorption and will then be excreted in the urine (where it can bind to oxalate or calcium, which are released from body tissues to form calcium oxalate). It is recommended that calcium and oxalate restriction occur long-term and together. There should not be a large reduction in calcium intake, and its absorption may be reduced by binding to soluble fibers.

Certain foods contain high or moderate levels of oxalates. First of all, it is food of plant origin (many fruits, vegetables and nuts) and sardines. Plant foods are rarely consumed by cats, but oxalates can be consumed as part of treats (tea, nuts).

High and moderate levels of oxalate are also found in milk, cheese and other dairy products, certain types of fish (sardines) and legumes. Lactose in dairy products may also improve calcium absorption from dietary sources. It is undesirable to offer this kind of products to cats for which there is a risk of developing calcium oxalate urolithiasis.

The principle ingredients of Canned Prescription Diet Feline x/d (Beef, Pork Liver and Rice) contain low levels of oxalate and calcium. The desired level of minerals in the feed is achieved by adding the required amounts of mineral supplements and other ingredients.

Struvite dissolution can be achieved using the same dietary principles as for prevention, but to a greater extent. For this reason, Prescription Diet Feline s/d contains less magnesium, more sodium, and the pH of the urine produced is somewhat lower than Prescription Diet Feline s/d.

As for oxalate uroliths, it is impossible to dissolve them.

Hill`s Prescription Diet Feline x/d

Features of the Hill`s Prescription Diet Feline x/d diet that help in preventing the formation of calcium oxalate crystals and uroliths are:

A controlled calcium content helps to avoid excessive consumption and, accordingly, urinary excretion of calcium, which is an integral part of urolith;

Controlled oxalate content - the main ingredients are low in oxalate, which is an integral part of urolith, which helps to avoid its excessive consumption and therefore excretion in the urine;

Controlled content of vitamin D - helps to avoid increased absorption and urinary excretion of calcium;

Increased content of soluble fibers that bind calcium in the intestinal lumen to avoid its excessive absorption and urinary excretion;

Controlled sodium content; its high intake can lead to increased excretion of calcium in the urine;

Increased citrate promotes the formation of soluble compounds with calcium in the urine, thereby reducing the availability of calcium to form insoluble complexes with oxalate; citrate also increases urine pH;

Adequate content of vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) - limits the endogenous production of oxalate and its subsequent excretion in the urine;

Promotes the formation of urine with a pH of 6.6-6.8, which increases the solubility of calcium oxalate and therefore stops further formation of calcium oxalate crystals and uroliths;

The canned product provides additional water to support adequate water intake and produce more urine, which dissolves calcium and oxalate, thereby preventing crystallization;

A highly digestible diet reduces the amount of faecal solids available for water retention, which reduces faecal water loss, providing more water for urine production.

All nutrients are present at a level that meets the needs of a healthy cat. The terms "low", "reduced", "limited" and "controlled" do not mean less than the required level - this is an important point, as these terms are often misinterpreted.

Cystine prophylaxis: Feline k/d;

Oxalate prophylaxis: Feline k/d;

Struvite dilution: Feline s/d ;

Prevention: Feline c/d;

For cats with comorbidities: Feline d/d, h/d, p/d, r/d, w/d.

Su Jok therapy. According to M.A. and A.V. Svyatkovskikh, Su Jok therapy turned out to be an effective method in the treatment of urolithiasis in cats. After only 3-4 sessions of exposure to biologically active points located on the paws, a stable improvement was achieved, the pH of the urine returned to normal, and no relapses were observed for six months or more.

Prevention. Prevention of the appearance of stones in the genitourinary system is, first of all, to control the acidity of urine. Depending on the age of the animals, the types of stones differ, and quite significantly. So, in young cats (under the age of 5 years), phosphates are most often detected. Acidification of urine prevents their occurrence. In mature cats (between 6 and 9 years of age), the chance of developing phosphate stones (struvites) is reduced, but the risk of oxalate stones is increased, especially if the urine is too acidic. In order to limit their formation, it is recommended to take measures to reduce the acidity of the urine. But in older cats (over the age of 10 years), the formation of oxalate crystals should be most feared: urine with a neutral acidity index, when potassium citrate is added, limits the risk of their formation. Allopurinol (a xanthine oxidase inhibitor) is used to prevent and dissolve urate stones. Cranberry juice has been shown to lower the pH of urine and prevent the formation of uroliths. An excellent prophylactic is the phytopreparation "Cat Erwin". To restore the body after surgery, the microelement preparation gemovit-plus is indicated.

If tripelphosphates are found in the urine of a cat, then this is a direct indication that the animal has begun to develop urolithiasis (MKb). In such a situation, urgent treatment is necessary to restore the normal state of the cat and eliminate the risk of further development of the disease, which in severe cases can even lead to death. It is tripelphosphates that urine contains that form stones, which, having reached a significant size, can clog the urethra and cause acute urinary retention. This type of disease never occurs in dogs.

Reasons for the problem

Tripelphosphates appear in the urine of a cat for the following reasons:

  • improper feeding - if the cat receives food that is not suitable for him, then the body begins to experience a carbohydrate deficiency, due to which metabolites begin to appear, which provoke the onset of the pathological process;
  • fluid deficiency - when a cat drinks too little, the concentration of mineral salts in the cat's body increases. As a result, urine contains tripelphosphates, which is why urolithiasis starts;
  • excessive feeding of the animal with fish - such a product, beloved by almost every cat, is excessively rich in phosphorus. When it enters the cat's body in excess, the urine changes its composition - tripelphosphates appear in it, which causes the first signs of KSD. There are always phosphates in the urine of a cat, but normally there are few of them;
  • violation of the acid-base balance in the cat's body - in this case, the urine contains tripelphosphates in more or less quantities;
  • insufficient physical activity of the animal, due to which excess weight occurs, further aggravating the situation with the kidneys. With this disorder, urine dramatically increases the mineral content, and phosphate, ammonium and oxalate eventually cause the formation of a urinary stone, and the cat begins to get sick;
  • the cat is castrated too early - if the operation is performed earlier than at 6 months, then the animal's body does not have time to form yet, which causes a hormonal disorder when the urine begins to contain tripelphosphates. This negatively affects the state of the urinary system and provokes the appearance of urolithiasis. Therefore, unnecessarily, castration should not be carried out before the animal is one year old;
  • the cat is spayed before 10 months - the effect is similar to what happens with cats. With this in mind, a cat should not be operated on too early unless it is due to an extreme case such as an unwanted pregnancy;
  • infectious lesions of the cat's urinary system, due to which an inflammatory process develops. Due to inflammation, the urine has a disturbed acid-base balance, and tripelphosphates appear in it.

Regardless of what the urine composition changed, and tripelphosphates appeared in it, the animal needs mandatory and high-quality treatment. Without it, the cat's life is in jeopardy.

Symptoms

Most often, the fact that the urine of a cat contains tripelphosphates is discovered by chance during an examination for another reason or during a routine examination and testing. The symptomatology of the pathological condition appears only when the disease has already gone far (began to bleed) and significant stones have formed. In such a situation, the main manifestations of the disease are:

  • decreased appetite in a cat, which gradually leads to a complete rejection of food;
  • depression - the cat begins to refuse even its favorite games and communication with a person, even if up to this point it was mobile and sociable;
  • frequent visits to the tray, in which urine is not natural in color with a pungent odor;
  • constant licking of the genital area and the exit of the urethra, which is irritated by urine containing tripelphosphates.

Having noticed such strange behavior in your cat, it is urgent to take the animal to the veterinarian to identify the problem in a timely manner.

Treatment

Treatment of the problem is urgent. In order for the cat's urine to restore its normal composition, it is necessary first of all to review the pet's diet. It is important to exclude from it all components that worsen the condition of the kidneys; and at the same time increase the content of those that will remove excess mineral compounds and prevent the appearance of stones. If struvite is found in the urine of a cat, treatment is required especially urgent and complex.

It is also mandatory to conduct high-quality therapy with the use of drugs. Under their action, urine will restore its normal state, and excess tripelphosphates will disappear from its composition. All medicines are prescribed by a veterinarian. It is strictly forbidden to treat pathology on your own, because without professional help, urine will worsen even more and tripelphosphates will increase their amount in it. Such changes will pose a serious threat to the life of the animal.

At the veterinary clinic, already at the first visit, a urine test is performed to determine the cause that led to the deterioration of the cat's health and make the correct diagnosis. If after it an accurate diagnosis is not made, then an additional examination of the animal is carried out. If the onset of the KSD is detected, it is possible to save the animal if all medical recommendations are followed.

Vet

Tripelphosphates in the urine of a cat are stones that can form in the bladder, pelvis, or in the renal parenchyma. Most often, this disease is simply called ICD, that is, urolithiasis.

With problems with metabolism, sparingly soluble salts and crystals enter the urine in large quantities. They lead to the formation of small stones that clog the urethra, causing inflammation and pain.

See also: Why do struvites appear in the urine of a cat and how are they treated?

Causes of ICD

Unfortunately, there are a lot of reasons for the development of KSD, and because of this, it is more difficult to find out the reason. However, in general, the most common are:

  • improper pet diet - lack of carbohydrates with high protein intake, too much fish in food;
  • the norm of obtaining vitamins A and D is not observed;
  • sedentary lifestyle of a pet;
  • obesity;
  • early castration of the male;
  • breed predisposition to diseases;
  • the animal does not drink fresh water;
  • development of urinary tract infection;

These factors listed above greatly affect the metabolism - it is disturbed and an excess amount of metabolic products is produced in the urine. As for breed predispositions, breeds such as Persians very often get sick with KSD - nothing can be done about it.

Neutered cats are also at greater risk, especially those who have been neutered too soon. In castrated cats, hormonal failure is observed, the urethra can narrow and struvites form very quickly. Statistics say that 7% of cats that go to a veterinary clinic are found to have urolithiasis.

It is often said that stones can form due to the fact that the cat is given the wrong diet. Excessive feeding of expensive dry food sometimes leads to KSD. When you hear statements like this, don't listen to them. These foods are perfectly balanced and will not cause such disturbances. Studies also show that cats that eat traditional foods are more likely to develop stones than those that eat dry foods. The most important thing that should be included in the mandatory diet is clean water. It must be in sufficient quantities.

Symptoms

The disease usually develops slowly, and there are no visible symptoms for a long time. However, problems can be noticed when analyzing urine. Urine pH shifts to the acid side for oxalates, phosphates and urates. This increases the density of urine. Visible symptoms include:

  • the cat gradually begins to lose appetite, and over time she refuses to eat at all;
  • her condition can be described as depressed, she is not at all inclined to games and communication with the owner;
  • the cat often licks the perineum.

If there is a blockage of the urinary tract, then painful colic can be observed during urination. The animal is extremely restless and meows during urination. Sometimes body temperature rises and breathing quickens. The amount of urine is usually significantly reduced. Urine may be bloody or cloudy. In some cases, urination is completely absent. Over time, the cat becomes apathetic, severe vomiting appears. In this condition, the kidneys stop producing urine and everything will end with the fact that the cat will die if urgent treatment is not started.

Treatment

You should not look for how to dissolve the stones on your own - you should only seek the help of a specialist in a veterinary clinic. Treatment is primarily aimed at eliminating pain, increasing the solubility of salts in the urine. Then drugs should be given that break down the stones and prevent their further formation.

You can relieve pain with the help of drugs such as Spazgan and Baralgin. If the cause of the formation of stones is an infection, it will have to be destroyed with antibiotics. During treatment, a special diet should be observed, which must prevent saturation with salts. If the urethra is blocked, catheters are used and the urethra is flushed. A warm bath at a water temperature of no more than 40 degrees will not be superfluous.

The main thing that needs to be learned is that do not try to overcome the problem with folk remedies, because practice shows that they only get worse. You should not torment the animal - the veterinarian is able to help the pet as soon as possible.

Sometimes surgery is required. Operations should be carried out only in trusted clinics where good specialists work.

Finally, we can conclude that KSD can be avoided with great effort by controlling the diet. First of all, make sure your cat has access to fresh water. Do not give her many foods that contain minerals. This includes plant foods, nuts, and fish. Minerals are also found in small amounts in milk, cheese and other dairy products. Legumes should also be excluded from the diet.

An increase in salt concentration, a change in ph, the appearance of crystallization nuclei, leads to the formation of solid sediments that impede the outflow of urine. Calculi are grouped into grains of sand or stones. They are able to clog the urinary duct, which poses a threat to the life of the animal.

In the urine of cats, stones of different chemical composition are formed, but, most often, Struvites are formed. Therefore, the term is used when it comes to uroliths in general.

Varieties of uroliths

There are two types of urinary stones seen in cats:

  • Struvites (Tripel Phosphates).
  • Oxalates are compounds of oxalic acid.

Formed in alkaline urine. They represent a complex mixture of salts, in which ions of trivalent Phosphorus predominate, as well as Calcium, Ammonium, Magnesium. The cause of crystallization may be dehydration.

Up to 80% of uroliths in cats are represented by Tripelphosphates. These are loose or hardened formations of yellow or cream color. Under a microscope, crystals with diamond-shaped edges are observed in the urine.

Struvites are amenable to drug dissolution, have radiopacity, which makes conservative treatment of cats possible.

Oxalates

Formed at acidic ph urine, rapidly crystallize, have a complex structure with sharp edges. Stones of increased hardness are difficult to dissolve, so conservative treatment is ineffective.

Conditions for the formation of struvite

Struvites are formed under the influence of the following factors:

  • A sufficient amount of mineral salts.
  • The duration of stay in the lumen of the urinary canal.
  • Ph urine > 7.0.
  • There is protein in the urine.

Causes

The formation of stones provokes alkalosis. This state of urine is provided by the following reasons:

  • Unbalanced cat diet.
  • Pathology of water and salt metabolism.
  • Congenital predisposition.
  • Hormonal failure in a cat.
  • Adynamia.
  • Infectious diseases.
  • Chronic pathologies.

Unbalanced diet

Excess protein with a deficit of energy supplied, mainly due to carbohydrates, is utilized by the putrefactive intestinal microflora, forming toxins that change the properties of urine. An important role is played by ensuring the need for essential amino acids, for example, taurine, as well as vitamin A.

Pathology of water and salt metabolism

Fluid deficiency, its inadequate quality, dehydration, lead to an increase in the concentration of urinary salts. Chemical compounds from saturated solutions precipitate.

congenital predisposition

Outbred cats, Persians, Birmans are subject to urolithiasis.

Hormonal disbalance

Hypersecretion of Parathormone is accompanied by an increase in the concentration of Calcium, an increase in the pH of the urine, which provokes crystallization.

Adynamia

A sedentary existence leads to the stagnation of fluids, increasing the risk of precipitation of sparingly soluble urine salts. Such cats are prone to obesity, diabetes, pancreatitis. An indirect cause of adynamia is castration. Sexually unmotivated cats are prone to reduced mobility.

Infectious diseases

The penetration of conditionally pathogenic microbes from the blood, lymph or genitals causes inflammation of the excretory channels. Necrotized cells become crystallization nuclei.

Symptoms

The beginning of the formation of stones is difficult to notice. The cat's appetite worsens, it becomes lethargic, and experiences discomfort during urination. Clinical manifestations develop gradually:

  • The abdomen swells, becomes sore.
  • The cat becomes annoying, rubs against the legs of the hostess.
  • When landing on the tray, a plaintive meow is heard.
  • The cat begins to relieve himself anywhere.
  • The filler becomes pinkish, hematuria develops.
  • Seeing thirst.

Recurrent cystitis becomes a constant companion of a sick cat. If the stones block the lumen of the urinary canal, the cat stops eating and drinking. he develops anuria, vomiting, convulsions. The condition is life threatening.

Diagnostics

The presence of struvite in a cat is established, taking into account the clinical signs, as well as additional information about the animal:

  • Breed. Domestic cats are susceptible to pathology, as well as Persians, their hybrids, Birmans.
  • Age. Sick, mostly animals older than 6 years.
  • Floor. Among cats, the disease occurs 6 times more often, due to anatomical features.
  • Is the animal spayed and at what age? With early castration of a cat, the urethra remains underdeveloped, so the risk of blockage increases.
  • The composition of the diet. The use of cheap ready-made feeds, natural foods, especially with an abundance of fish and foods unusual for cats, increases the risk of uroliths.

With the help of ultrasound or radiography, localization, type, shape, number of stones are established. Chemical analysis of urine, as well as crystallographic research, can determine the type of stone and develop control measures.

Treatment

The therapeutic concept is developed on the basis of clinical symptoms. If the urethra is blocked and the cat's condition is life-threatening, surgery is indicated. Responsible fellinologists deliver the pet to the clinic in a timely manner, and the veterinarian prescribes conservative treatment, which consists of dissolving stones.

Surgical treatment

The following treatments are in demand:

  • Catheterization. Emergency care for anuresis.
  • Cystostomy. Removal of stones from the urinary bladder.
  • Urethrostomy. Elimination of obstruction of the urethra.

Conservative treatment

Steps to treat struvite in cats include:

  • Diet therapy.
  • Drinking organization.
  • Medical therapy.

With a balanced feeding of a cat, an optimal ph of the urine is ensured, which prevents the precipitation of its components. To draw up a diet from natural products with a therapeutic effect, a high professional skill of a fellinologist is required. Therefore, it is better to use ready-made food for a cat suffering from KSD. Treating a sick pet with unusual food should be stopped - only dietary food.

It is necessary to pay attention to the organization of drinking. It is better to use bottled drinking water. The bowl should be washed daily, changing the drink 1-2 times a day.

Medical treatment consists of the following:

  • Fortifying agents:
  1. Polyionic mixtures are used to ensure the proper water-salt ratio.
  2. At the same time, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, detoxification therapy is carried out.
  • Antispasmodics - Drotaverine.
  • Stone destroying drugs:
  1. Erwin the cat. Extract from medicinal plants. It has a diuretic effect and destroys stones.
  2. Stop Cystitis. Phytosuspension. Prevents the formation of stones and dissolves formed ones.
  • Anti-inflammatory and antiseptic agents prescribed by a veterinarian.

Prevention

  • Replace poor-quality drinking water with bottled or filtered water.
  • Urine pH is monitored using special tests.
  • Keep the tray clean. The cat would rather endure until a walk than use a dirty toilet.
  • Prevent obesity. High quality feed is used. Active games are held regularly. Exclude the use of treats and human food.
  • Do not allow hypothermia and overheating.
  • Get regular check-ups twice a year.

If a cat has formed uroliths, she will have to change her lifestyle. A responsible fellinologist is able to provide a sick pet with a satisfactory state of health and a long life.

With urolithiasis, different types of uroliths are formed. Let's stop at one of them. Struvite in cats - what is it, how do they form, what methods of treatment are effective? We will talk about this in our new article.

If you see that your cat is having difficulty urinating, that trying to urinate is accompanied by pain, and there is blood in the litter box, you need to take him to the veterinarian as soon as possible. It is possible that your pet has urolithiasis, or urolithiasis. In KSD, urinary stones form due to a metabolic disorder in the kidneys, urinary tract, and/or bladder of the cat. With a different acid-base balance of urine, various salts can precipitate. Which salts are deposited determines what type of stone is formed in the cat's bladder.

Struvites - it is a phosphate stone. They can be hard or loose, the color of struvites is cream or yellow. Under a microscope, they look like an elongated prism with recognizable diamond-shaped edges. In cats, this is the most common type of stone, accounting for up to 80% of cases. Struvite is soluble, which is essential for the treatment of this disease in cats. These stones are also radiopaque, making them easy to visualize on an x-ray and make a diagnosis.

Symptoms of struvite formation in a cat

Your cat's symptoms of struvite mimic those of kidney stones in general. The main symptom is difficult urination or its absence. The number of urination may be more or less than usual, the volume of one urination is usually reduced, and blood may appear in the urine. Read more about the symptoms of urolithiasis in our article "Urolithiasis in Cats".

Establishing diagnosis

If your cat has been diagnosed with urolithiasis, the next step in the diagnosis is to determine the type of stones and their location. Determining the type of urinary stone is extremely important for further treatment. The main type of diagnosis in this case is a urinalysis. The nature of the change in acid-base balance and sediment can tell a lot about what kind of stones have formed in the cat's urinary tract.

Another type of examination is X-ray. Since struvites are radiopaque, they will show up well on x-rays. An ultrasound examination is also used to clarify the diagnosis.

Struvite treatment in cats

Since struvite is soluble, the main treatment is diet. To dissolve this type of stone, the cat's diet must contain a limited amount of protein, calcium, phosphorus and magnesium, as well as maintain the pH of the urine at a certain level. It is quite difficult to prepare suitable food for a sick cat on your own, however, there are lines of therapeutic food for cats with urolithiasis on sale. Each type of stone has its own food, so before giving such food to a cat, be sure to consult a doctor. Prescribing the wrong food can exacerbate the problem.

Antibiotics are also commonly used to treat struvite stones in cats, as these stones are usually accompanied by a urinary tract infection.

More information about the treatment of different types of urolithiasis can be found on our website in the article "Urolithiasis in cats" mentioned above.

Prevention of struvite formation in cats

Prevention of struvite formation in particular and urolithiasis in general lies mainly in a balanced diet (it is better if it is a good ready-made food) and clean water. To monitor the condition of the cat every six months, you need to take a urine test.