What causes it?

When a female dog is ready for pregnancy, her body will prevent immune system cells (i.e., white blood cells) from entering the uterus, because they would interfere with fertilization.

In addition, the lining of the female dog’s uterus will thicken for several weeks so her body is prepared to carry a litter. If pregnancy doesn’t occur, the lining of the uterus will get thicker and thicker during each of her fertile cycles (known as “heat”). Eventually, the lining will be so thick that cysts will form.

Also during this time, the muscles of the uterus and cervix (i.e., the entrance to the uterus) are weakened. A relaxed cervix is necessary for fertilization, but it also means that bacteria can enter more easily. Weakened muscles of the uterine wall means that bacteria can’t be expelled–normally, the uterus would be able to contract itself to expel infected fluid.

The combination of an absence of white blood cells, a lining covered in cysts, and weakened muscles creates the perfect environment for a severe bacterial infection—known as pyometra.

What are the signs?

If the dog’s cervix is still relaxed, there will be pus and abnormal discharge draining out. This is known as open pyometra.

If the cervix is closed, which is the more dangerous situation, the pus will accumulate and cause the dog’s abdomen to swell. This is called closed pyometra. This will cause severe symptoms very quickly, including weakness, vomiting, and diarrhea.

An increase in water consumption and urination is a symptom is both open and closed pyometra, because the body is trying to flush the toxins released by the bacterial infection.

How is the diagnosis made?

If there is discharge from the cervix or a bloated abdomen in an older female dog that has not been spayed, these are indicators that diagnostic tests should be done to confirm whether a dog has pyometra.

Diagnostics would include a blood test to look at the white blood cell count and level of globulins in the blood. A urine test would also be conducted, because normally the concentration of urine is low due to the dog drinking an abnormally large amount of water.

As for looking for structural abnormalities, an x-ray or ultrasound of the abdomen could be done to see if the uterus is enlarged. An ultrasound can also identify thickened uterine walls and the presence of fluid in the uterus.

What is the treatment?

If pyometra is not treated, and quickly, the bacteria in the uterus will produce toxins that will most likely be fatal to the dog. Additionally, in closed pyometra, the uterus may rupture and leak into the body, also causing death. It’s very important to immediately seek treatment for this condition if you suspect your dog may have it, especially because treatments are more effective the earlier the condition is diagnosed.

There are two treatments for pyometra: surgical and medical. In the surgical treatment, the uterus and ovaries are removed (also known as “spaying”). This procedure is more complex than spaying a dog who is in good health, because in most cases, infection has already weakened the dog significantly. Antibiotics and IV fluids are also administered to the dog when using this method.

The other approach for treating pyometra is the medical treatment. Usually, owners who are using the dog for breeding may opt for this method, because it doesn’t involve spaying the dog. In this treatment, the dog is given hormones, called prostaglandins, that relax the cervix and cause the uterine muscles to squeeze out infected pus.

The medical treatment for pyometra comes with numerous risks and it’s efficacy is not guaranteed. For open pyometra, it has a success rate of 75-90%, but for closed pyometra, the success rate is between 25-40%. Also, there is a high chance of reoccurrence for pyometra using this treatment—about 50-75%. Moreover, the chance of successfully breeding the dog after it recovers is reduced to 50-75%.

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What is FLUTD?

FLUTD is an umbrella term for disorders that affect the feline bladder and urethra.  It affects between 1-3% of cats, most commonly middle-aged, overweight cats. Cats at risk for FLUTD usually don’t exercise much, consume little water, and use indoor litter boxes.

Both male and female cats can suffer from FLUTD. The condition is more serious in male cats, because their urethra can get blocked. While this can occur in female cats, it is extremely rare due to their shorter urethra which doesn’t narrow down.

Signs of Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease

Here’s a list of signs that you may want to keep an eye out for:

• Difficult, painful urination—if your cat is crying out in pain during urination, it’s very probable your cat needs medical attention
• Frequent urination
• Producing minimal amounts of urine or, for male cats, no urine at all
• Blood in the urine
• Urinating outside of the litter box
• Urine has very strong odor
• Excessively licking the backside—this can even cause hair loss

What Causes Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease?

The source of FLUTD can be a variety of diseases, including:

• Bladder/urinary stones
• Bacterial infection
• Urethral obstruction in male cats (urinary stones, crystals, plugs consisting of pus or mucous)
• Anatomical defects
• Tumors
• Inflammation of the bladder (about 50% of the cats with bladder problems have Feline Idiopathic Cystitis, which is chronic inflammation with blood in urine and crystal forming without obvious reasons)

How to Diagnose FLUTD

Because there are so many sources of FLUTD, it can be difficult to diagnose. Veterinarians usually conduct a number of tests, including:

• Urinalysis: to assess pH, look for crystals (formation affected by urine pH, but sometimes idiopathic—meaning the cause is unknown), internal bleeding, inflammation and infection
• Urine culture: determine if a bacterial infection is present (usually in recurrent cases)
• X-ray: identify stones, anatomical defects, suspected tumors (ultrasound and biopsy would be used for confirmation of tumors)
• Blood work: determine dehydration, infection, kidney function–if kidneys are failing, toxic substances normally eliminated by kidneys build up in body and can cause damage to other organ systems
• Ultrasound: identify stones, anatomical defects
• Biopsy: conducted if a tumor is suspected

Some of the tests might need to be repeated after couple of days of hospitalization, depending on severity of the condition in order to monitor effectiveness of the treatment.

Does Your Cat Have Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease?

If you suspect your cat may have FLUTD, it’s time to make an appointment with your vet. If you’re looking for a vet in Sanford, Florida, you can make an appointment with us or visit us as a walk-in.

If your cat is not urinating at all (almost exclusively male cats), this is a medical emergency—take your cat to an animal hospital immediately. If the bladder cannot be emptied, kidney failure and/or bladder rupture will occur. These conditions lead to death.

How is FLUTD Treated?

Treating FLUTD depends on the cause. Generally, vets may treat FLUTD by:

• Passing a catheter through the urethra in case of blockages—a procedure that requires anesthesia, hospitalization for up to several days (depending on how fast the cat recovers and other factors), and IV fluids.
• Antibiotics to treat bladder infections.
• Surgical removal of bladder stones and a special diet to try and prevent their reoccurrence.
• In case of obstruction, even with the most aggressive treatment recurrence is relatively high (some cases even the next day). Some cats might need to have a special surgical procedure called Perianal Ureterostomy.
• Cats with this problem will be placed on a special prescription diet to help prevent reoccurrences.

An owner’s role is very important in treating FLUTD as well. Here are things an owner can do to help a cat suffering from FLUTD:

• Increasing a cat’s water intake. Methods include feeding more canned food, ensuring fresh water is always available, placing the water source away from the food source, giving a cat a source of running water, adding more water to canned food, and others. Some cats are very picky, so experimentation might be required to find out the best way to entice your cat to drink more water.
• Playing with your cat and giving your cat sources of environmental stimulation. This can help promote exercise and reduce your cat’s stress.
• Litter boxes should be cleaned frequently. Make sure your cat has privacy while in the litter box. If you have multiple cats in your household, be sure you have enough litter boxes. A general rule is at least one litter box per cat plus one additional litter box.

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Periodontal disease refers to inflammation or infection of the tissue that surrounds the tooth. When plaque hardens into tartar and accumulates around the gum line, it can cause inflammation (known as gingivitis) and recession of the gum line. This allows bacteria to spread into the tooth socket, which can create a painful abscess and even organ failure if the bacteria spreads to the blood stream.

Tooth fractures are a dental issue that primarily affects dogs. Most of these fractures occur when dogs chew on objects that are too hard, such as ice cubes, bones, nylon chew toys, antlers, and horse hooves. If the fracture results in exposure of the tooth’s inner pulp, a root canal or extraction might be necessary. In any case, a fracture should always be examined by a veterinarian to make sure that there’s no direct entry into the tooth, which can cause serious complications like blood infections. To reduce the chance of tooth fractures, make sure that chew toys you give to your dog are somewhat “squishy” and bend when compressed.

Cervical neck lesions occur in cats and result from destruction of the tooth’s enamel that causes holes (or cavities) in affected teeth. The exposed part of the tooth, known as a lesion, can be extremely painful. The only humane treatment option is extraction of the tooth.

Common signs of dental disease include difficulty eating food (e.g., picking up hard food, then spitting it out), decreased interest in food and weight loss, bad breath, drooling and bleeding from the mouth, and pawing at the mouth. Tartar build-up, which leads to periodontal diseases, looks like a brown or tan layer below the gum line, possibly covering the whole tooth in serious cases. Sometimes dental disease in our pets might not have any obvious signs; this is another reason why maintaining regular check-ups with your veterinarian is so important.

Between dental examinations and cleanings at the vet, the best way to prevent dental diseases in your pet’s mouth is through brushing their teeth. Brushing their teeth effectively reduces build-up of plaque and tartar, which lowers the risk of periodontal disease occurring. Never use human toothpaste to brush the teeth of your dog or cat—human toothpaste contains ingredients that can cause internal problems in your pet. Instead, use toothpaste that is formulated for pets, and a toothbrush that is designed for your pet’s mouth.

Do not try to use metal instruments like dental picks to attempt to remove plaque or tartar from your pet’s teeth. This can lead to the creation of microscopic scratches on their teeth that will actually lead to plaque forming more quickly, because it becomes lodged in the scratches.

You can also reduce the incidence of dental problems in your pet by feeding them food that is formulated to help reduce the formation of plaque and tartar on their teeth. Other products that are designed to keep your pet’s teeth healthy also exist, like special chew toys for dogs, antibacterial mouthwashes and gels, and even water additives. Ask your veterinarian for more information about these options if your pet is experiencing frequent dental issues.

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