Blood in the urine or hematuria (Haematuria) in cats is accompanied by the release of some blood when urinating.
Hematuria in cats is one of the symptoms of a number of infectious diseases, as well as diseases of the genitourinary system of cats, trauma.
Normally, a cat's urine is clear, and the color of urine can vary from light yellow to orange. A healthy cat should be free of impurities and blood in the urine. The urine should not have a strong odor.
Causes of the appearance of blood in the urine
The reason for the appearance of blood in the urine of a cat can be:
The main symptom of hematuria in cats is the presence of blood in the urine, causing the urine to turn red or brown. Additionally, the owner of a cat with severe blood loss notes the appearance. The cat has painful urination, meowing during urination. The act of urination is difficult, the cat has a hunchback, the cat urinates in small portions, sometimes past its pot, up to urinary retention.
With hematuria, the general condition of the cat is depressed, the behavior of the cat changes (meows loudly, rushes around the room), appetite is reduced, sometimes we register vomiting.
If your cat has the above symptoms, you need to go to the veterinary clinic as soon as possible.
Diagnosis of hematuria in a veterinary clinic
At the veterinary clinic, specialists will conduct a clinical examination of your cat, during which they may reveal anemia in the cat. During bladder catheterization, urine will be collected for laboratory testing. Laboratory analysis includes:
- General urine analysis - determination of the presence of blood and other impurities in the urine.
- Culture of urine on culture media will help determine the type of infection and titrate the isolated pathogen for antibiotic sensitivity.
- With vaginitis, a vaginal smear is taken.
- A general blood test - will determine the presence of inflammatory processes in a cat.
- Biochemical blood test - we determine the functional ability of the kidneys.
- Coagulogram - a blood clotting test.
- Abdominal x-rays - to look for kidney and ureteral stones.
- X-ray contrast study - allows you to identify stones, bladder tumors or congenital anomalies (bladder diverticula).
- Ultrasound of the abdominal cavity - will detect the presence of tumors and stones in the kidneys and bladder.
- Histological examination in order to determine the type of tumor and in the future, the appointment of appropriate chemotherapy.
- Cytoscopy is an examination of the bladder and urethra with an endoscope, which allows a veterinarian to examine the inside of the urinary tract and genitals.
Treatment of hematuria in cats
Treatment for hematuria depends on the cause of the hematuria. At home, as first aid, the owner can do the following:
- We provide the cat with complete rest in a warm room, we give a lot of clean fresh water.
- For anesthesia, make an intramuscular injection of an anesthetic (no-shpa, baralgin).
- Solid food is replaced with liquid food.
- Give the cat a drink with a decoction of parsley or bearberry root (they have a disinfectant effect).
In the future, you will need to contact a veterinary clinic. The veterinarian at the clinic will prescribe treatment for your cat according to the diagnosis that caused the cat to have blood in the urine.
After determining the type of bladder stones, an appropriate diet will be recommended.
When the cat is bleeding, hemostatic drugs are injected.
To relieve pain and cramps during urination - antispasmodic drugs (no-shpa, drotavertin).
If urination is delayed, a urinary catheter will be inserted.
If the body is dehydrated, infusion therapy will be performed.
In case of poisoning with anticoagulants, vitamin K 1 will be prescribed.
In case of an infection of the genitourinary system, a course of treatment with titrated antibiotics will be prescribed.
Prophylaxis
Prevention of hematuria in cats is based on correct, balanced feeding, because one-sided feeding leads to metabolic disorders with all the ensuing problems. The inclusion of fermented milk products in the diet is beneficial for cats as a source of calcium. Provide your cat with an active lifestyle to improve metabolism. Never overfeed your pet as obesity leads to a large number of metabolic diseases. Treat worms twice a year.
If a cat has urine with blood or with its clots - this is not just an alarming symptom, it is an SOS signal, because it is a sign of bleeding or necrosis of tissues of internal organs (usually the kidneys or bladder). Sometimes the process is running so much that nothing can be done.
Hematuria in a cat
Clots or blotches are visible to the naked eye, as are the symptoms accompanying the disease, which appear much earlier than changes in the composition of urine.
The pathology can be noticed earlier. In cats, urine is normally clear, light and free of impurities, urine with blood has a darker color (brown or reddish), which allows one to suspect hematuria and make a simple clinical analysis.
In rare cases, reddish urine may be normal if the animal eats red vegetables (beets or carrots). An unusual treat for cats, but it also happens. Nevertheless, at the slightest suspicion, you should get tested - and everything will fall into place.
Causes of hematuria
Most often, this symptom is typical for the pathology of the genitourinary organs of any pathogenesis and etiology: infections, systemic diseases, tumors, helminthic invasions, trauma, chemical and food poisoning, accompanied by kidney dysfunction. Hematuria is the main symptom of both primary and secondary damage to these organs. Also, hematuria can be a sign of the disintegration of malignant tumors of any localization.
Associated symptoms
Hematuria does not appear suddenly - it is a long and gradual process. As a rule, other symptoms first appear, characteristic of the pathology that caused the change in the composition of urine.
Most often, long before the manifestation of this dangerous symptom, you can notice that:
- the cat has become restless or lethargic;
- lost appetite or increased thirst;
- pronounced local pain in the pelvic and abdominal region;
- the process of urination is painful;
- development of urinary incontinence is possible.
Each of these symptoms in itself is a reason for visiting the clinic for examination. This is the only way to diagnose a serious illness before dangerous symptoms appear.
Collecting material for analysis
If the cat has blood in the urine or it just seems that the color has changed, an analysis should be done. The material for this is easy to assemble on your own at home. You will need to remove the filler from the tray, wash the tray itself thoroughly and cover with a wire rack. Then collect the urine in a clean, sterile container and take it to the doctor.
Sometimes the process of urination is too painful, or the cat is very shy - and it is impossible to collect material. In this case, catheterization is needed, but it will be done by a doctor in a clinic or when called at home.
First aid
Self-medication and traditional medicine in this case are not only useless, but also dangerous. You should also not expect that the doctor will be able to consult by phone or Skype. Contact medical examination and visual examination are required. Therefore, first aid is a trip to the clinic, and as quickly as possible.
If a cat has blood in the urine, but for some reason it is not possible to deliver a sick animal to a doctor immediately, you can do something yourself:
- you can relieve painful spasms for a while with the help of drotaverine or baralgin intramuscularly;
- furadonin can be used as an antiseptic;
- before being examined by a doctor, decoctions of parsley and juniper root, which have antiseptic and anti-inflammatory effects, will not be damaged;
- to provide the sick cat with peace and warmth. It is especially important to protect the animal from drafts;
- provide a gentle diet: pureed and easily digestible food. Sometimes you can even keep the cat hungry for a day or two if he has no appetite. But the water must be fresh and in sufficient quantity.
Blood in the urine of a cat is an indicator of a serious condition of the body or a disease, the development of which could be provoked by certain reasons. They will be identified by a veterinarian during laboratory and computer examinations. As a rule, hematuria develops as a result of various infections, diseases and injuries.
Determining the cause of the presence of blood in the urine is of great importance, since further treatment and the speed of recovery of the animal depend on this.
Depending on the reasons, the following types of hematuria are distinguished:
- Renal parenchymal hematuria is a consequence of kidney problems. These can be diseases of varying degrees of complexity, trauma, inflammation, infections, tumors and other abnormalities.
- Hematuria of urinary tract pathology - its causes are the presence of bacteria in the urine, infections of the bladder, urethra, ureter, as well as tumors, trauma, inflammation and other problems in the work of these organs.
- Hematuria from diseases of the genital tract - darkening of urine with vaginal discharge in cats or inflammation of the prostate in cats.
- Hematuria as a result of a systemic disease - pink or red urine in this case appears after diseases of the liver, cardiovascular system, or other pathologies such as overheating, hypothermia, excessive physical exertion.
Regardless of the type of hematuria, treatment should be carried out in a hospital or at home, exclusively under the supervision of a doctor.
Diagnostics
To identify the cause of the presence of blood in the urine and make an accurate diagnosis, on the basis of which treatment will be prescribed, the veterinarian must conduct a thorough examination. First, a visual examination of the cat is carried out. If the owner did not manage to pre-collect urine for analysis, this can be done in a clinic using a catheter.
Examination methods and analyzes for hematuria:
- General urine analysis - indicates an excess of the level of erythrocytes and other dangerous impurities in the cat's discharge and the presence of an inflammatory process;
- Biochemical blood test - indicates problems in the functioning of the kidneys;
- Coagulogram - determines the level of blood coagulation;
- Sensitivity and urine culture - helps to determine the presence of infection in the urine and choose the right antibiotic;
- Ultrasound of the abdominal cavity - determines the presence of tumors, stones and infections in it;
- Fluoroscopy with contrast - allows you to detect abnormalities, tumors and stones of the genitourinary system;
- Abdominal fluoroscopy - indicates the presence of stones in the organs of the urinary system;
- Cystoscopy - allows you to examine the state of the urethra and bladder from the inside;
- Analysis of stones or histology of a removed tumor (if detected) - based on the data of these analyzes, the doctor prescribes a specific treatment.
Causes of the appearance of blood in the urine
Most often, blood in the urine of a cat indicates the development of urolithiasis in him. Scientists are still arguing about what causes the formation of stones. Improper diet is one of the main reasons:
- the diet contains a large amount of phosphates;
- lack of vitamins;
- monotonous diet;
- a large number of marine fish.
In castrated cats, urolithiasis often develops due to stagnant urine. The reason for this is the narrowing of the urinary canal after castration.
Why does my pet have a little blood in the urine? This question worries many owners, whose cats suffer from the appearance of blood in the urine, and therefore the topic will always be relevant. This disease can develop for various reasons. Sometimes the appearance of hematuria is due to infections (especially with an exacerbation). Also, blood in the urine may appear due to a strong blow. The most common causes of reddish urine are:
If your pet pees with blood, contact your veterinarian immediately, as the life and health of the cat may depend on it. It often happens that a cat will urinate with blood after a fall, so keep it safe.
If the animals knew how to speak, it would be much easier for us to find a common language with them and take care of them. However, cats and dogs cannot speak. Therefore, you and I can only guess about how our pets feel, relying on the behavior of the animal (knowledge will help to understand the cat better).
Today we want to consider with you a situation in which our observations alone will not be enough. Quite often, many owners of domestic cats, both neutered and non-neutered, complain that they notice blood or blood clots in the pet's urine. What does this mean? What disease can it be a symptom of? How to behave in this situation and how to help the cat? We suggest finding answers to all these questions on the pages of our publication ...
Where does the blood in the urine of the cat come from?
In veterinary practice, the appearance of blood and blood clots in the urine of animals, particularly cats, is called hematuria. Translated from Latin, such a term sounds like bloody urine... If your animal has this kind of urine, this is a serious symptom that should not be ignored. And, he testifies that your four-legged furry friend has big health problems. But before we look at these problems with you, let's find out what the urine of a healthy pet should look like.
So, urine is the liquid that is formed in the kidneys and is excreted through the urethra system. At the same time, along with such excretion, harmful metabolic products, foreign substances, salts, enzymes, vitamins and even hormones are removed from the animal's body ... In principle, this is a completely natural and normal process that helps to maintain a normal internal environment of the body, which we we call homeostasis.
In a healthy animal, urine should be clear, it can be yellow or even orange.
By the way, the latter depends on the cat's diet (find out) and the nature of the metabolism in his body. If a malfunction occurs in the body (which we will find out a little later), the color of urine changes, it becomes cloudy, and bloody cords or clots can be observed in it.
Depending on the condition of the cat, the appearance and smell of its urine also changes.
Causes of the appearance of blood in the urine
Diseases of the genital tract, as well as systemic diseases and various pathologies (including heart failure, diseases of the blood, liver, overheating) can also lead to hematuria ...
As a rule, a symptom such as blood in the urine is often accompanied by a pet's refusal to eat, a general depression, and an increase. Often, a cat experiences pain during urination, so it meows loudly, rushes around the apartment and tries to go to the toilet where it is not worth doing.
If you notice such symptoms and similar changes in the pet's behavior, do not ignore them. It's time to seek advice from a veterinarian. And, it is better to go to the doctor's office right away not with empty hands, but with collected urine.
How to collect cat urine for analysis
In fact, collecting the urine of an animal, especially your pet cat, for analysis - it will help determine the cause of this condition of your pet - is not so difficult. The main thing is to follow our recommendations and take some precautions. Regarding the latter, it is better to carry out all manipulations with gloves in order to protect yourself from possible infection with an infection, if it is in it.
Disinfect the litter box before and after urine collection, remove it from the litter box and leave the grate. When your pet goes to the toilet again, you must carefully collect the urine with a syringe and pour it into a special container (you can buy it at the pharmacy).
Urine should be collected 3-4 hours before testing. If you collect it in the evening and go to the veterinary clinic only in the morning, the test results may be biased.
If the animal has problems with urination, then in order to collect a urinalysis, he will need to insert a catheter, however, this procedure must be carried out in a veterinary clinic.
How to treat hematuria in a cat
Sometimes, a visual examination of urine may not show the presence of blood clots and impurities in it, therefore, the animal's urine must be taken for analysis to a veterinary clinic. There, with the help of special methods, specialists will be able to establish whether erythrocytes, protein, leukocytes, acetone, pus, microbes, epithelium are present in the blood of a mustachioed pet, microbes, epithelium ... Based on the test results, as well as, in combination with the data obtained as a result of a clinical examination , it will be possible to diagnose and identify the cause that led to the appearance of blood in the urine of the animal. Depending on the diagnosis, an appropriate course of treatment will be prescribed. As you can see the participation of a veterinarian in this process is mandatory, therefore, it is not worthwhile to self-medicate the animal.
As a rule, in the case of hematuria, the animal is prescribed a course of anti-inflammatory, analgesic and antispasmodic drugs. If the condition of the animal is neglected, you delayed too long with an appeal to the veterinarian, the cat may be prescribed a course of antibiotic therapy. , immune drugs, herbal infusions are prescribed depending on the condition of the pet and their appointment should be dealt with by the veterinarian, not you. This should not be done even by those people who are interested in medicine or have a medical degree.
Veterinary medicine is a completely different field, and although it has some similarities with "human" medicine, there are a number of drugs that can kill an animal, rather than help it.