Biology Reference
In-Depth Information
LOWER URINARY TRACT DISEASE
Lower Urinary Tract Disease (LUTD) is a broad term encompassing
many different syndromes. The lower urinary tract of cats involves the
bladder and urethra.
Theories about what causes bladder problems in cats have changed
over the past 20 years. In the past, owners were concerned about the
“ash” content (and later the magnesium content) of their cat's food, but
LUTD involves a complex interaction between genetics, diet, water
intake and stress.
Recommendations about canned food or dry for cats with bladder
problems have gone back and forth, and recently the pendulum has
swung back to recommending more canned food. Canned food
increases a cat's water intake. If cats will not eat canned food, moisten-
ing dry food or installing a circulating water drinking fountain are two
other ways to increase water intake.When a cat drinks more water, his
urine is more dilute and crystals, which are among the main culprits in
LUTD, are less likely to form in the urinary tract.
The feline urinary tract is a part of the cat that is constantly being
researched in academia and the pet food industry, so expect new infor-
mation to be available each year. Litter box use and diet are important
issues to discuss with your veterinarian at each annual visit, since they
both have an impact on the urinary tract.
Blood in the Urine
Bloody urine is a frequent finding in cats with LUTD. Owners notice
blood in the litter box or on other objects the cat has decided to elim-
inate on. Blood is a sign of inflammation of the bladder (cystitis), but it
does not necessarily mean a bacterial infection is present.
DIFFERENT NAMES,
SAME PROBLEM
You may hear your veterinarian use the acronym FUS when refer-
ring to urinary tract problems. FUS stands for Feline Urologic
Syndrome. Medical personnel may use the terms LUTD and FUS
interchangeably, but the former is the more accurate terminology
used today.
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