Pole To The Vet (UTI)

The hardest cats to feed medicine to are Pole and Cleo, so we’ve been very lucky that both of them very seldom required any medication.

But this morning, I noticed Pole squatting trying to urinate and nothing came out. This happened about 7 times in a 15 minute interval, so that was a cause for concern.

I suspect it would be some sort of urinary tract infection and I remember that such condition is to be treated as an emergency (in case there is any blockage).

I wasted no time to taking Pole to the vet’s.

The vet palpated Pole’s bladder and said there appeared to be no blockage. She says it is most likely an idiopathic urinary tract infection which is rather common in female animals. Pole’s temperature was normal. An ear-prick blood test was done under the microscope and Pole’s had slightly elevated white blood cells which points towards a possible infection.

To address this condition, Pole needs an antibiotic (liquid Clavomox) for 7 days, a liquid anti-inflammatory for 3 days and a bladder supplement, Cystaid, which is a capsule.

Being one of the two hardest cats to medicate, of course this is going to extremely challenging.

I requested that the vet give the first dose at the clinic as all cats tend to behave better at the clinic with a vet. She did. Of course there was frothing from the liquid medication, and Pole spat out the capsule. It took several tries with the pill popper before the capsule went in. The vet said I could open up the capsule and sprinkle the contents onto her food.

Please wish me luck.

SEVEN days of antibiotics, and twice a day too. That’s going to be 13 more times.

The vet said the infection should clear up tomorrow or the next day. If it doesn’t, then we need to do more tests to investigate further.

I really, really hope it is just an infection and Pole will be well by tomorrow.

The vet did ask if there has been any changes in her environment or changes in food, but there hasn’t been any. Everything has been the same as always.

Well, maybe that is why it’s “idiopathic” – we don’t know the cause.

The vet it might be helpful too for Pole to be on a urinary diet for a few days. Being as fussy as she is, I only bought one can of the urinary diet to try it out.

She was willing to eat some of it just now.

She seems relaxed now and has not gone into the squatting position ever since coming back. She is also grooming herself and showing “normal” behaviour.

For those of us who have had UTI, we KNOW how painful and uncomfortable it is – it is constantly having the urge to urinate but nothing comes out. I know how that feels. The vet says that’s how a cat feels too. I’m glad I somehow managed to see Pole straining this morning and am able to take her to the vet and start treatment immediately. For humans, antibiotics does the job. Let’s hope it works for Pole too.

Upon reflection, I shudder to think of the many street animals who has no one to care for them when they are ill. We must do our best to control the street animal population through neutering.

Source: https://myanimalcare.org/2019/07/31/pole-to-the-vet-uti/

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AnimalCare is a registered society that promotes caregiving to street animals and helps in their neutering and medical needs. AnimalCare has a Medical Fund, Food Fund and Education Fund.

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