• Menu
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Mosman Vet

Where Pets and Their Families Come First

Header Right

02 9960 2856 - 9 Canrobert Street, Mosman NSW 2088

Book an Appointment

Mobile Menu

02 9960 2856 – 9 Canrobert Street, Mosman NSW 2088

Book appointment

  • Home
  • About Us
    • About Mosman Vet
    • Meet Our Team
    • Awards and Achievements
    • In The Community
    • Referral Rewards
    • Testimonials
  • Blog
  • Services
    • Services at Mosman Vet
    • Annual Health Checks
    • Vaccinations
    • Microchipping & Registration
    • Worming
    • Heartworm
    • Flea Control
    • Tick Control
    • Grooming
    • Nutrition
    • Tick Alert Map
  • New Clients
  • Pet Care
    • Puppy Care
    • Kitten Care
    • Senior Pet Care
    • Pre-Operative Information
      • Before Your Pet Has Surgery
      • Pre-Anaesthetic Blood Tests
      • Intravenous Fluids During Surgery
    • Tick Alert Map
    • Chocolate Toxicity Calculator
    • Interesting Cases
    • Pet Behaviour
    • Dog Care
    • Cat Care
    • Special Offers
  • Puppy School
  • Boarding & Day Care
  • Contact Us
  • Photos
    • The Face of Mosman Vet
    • FOMV Winners Gallery
  • Search

Follow Us

  • Home
  • About Us
    • About Mosman Vet
    • Meet Our Team
    • Awards and Achievements
    • In The Community
    • Referral Rewards
    • Testimonials
  • Blog
  • Services
    • Services at Mosman Vet
    • Annual Health Checks
    • Vaccinations
    • Microchipping & Registration
    • Worming
    • Heartworm
    • Flea Control
    • Tick Control
    • Grooming
    • Nutrition
    • Tick Alert Map
  • New Clients
  • Pet Care
    • Puppy Care
    • Kitten Care
    • Senior Pet Care
    • Pre-Operative Information
      • Before Your Pet Has Surgery
      • Pre-Anaesthetic Blood Tests
      • Intravenous Fluids During Surgery
    • Tick Alert Map
    • Chocolate Toxicity Calculator
    • Interesting Cases
    • Pet Behaviour
    • Dog Care
    • Cat Care
    • Special Offers
  • Puppy School
  • Boarding & Day Care
  • Contact Us
  • Photos
    • The Face of Mosman Vet
    • FOMV Winners Gallery
  • Search

What You Should Know About FLUTD

Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease is a serious condition in cats that can be fatal if untreated.

You are here: Home / Pet Care / Cat Care / What You Should Know About FLUTD

Up to 10% of all cats admitted to veterinary hospitals are affected with Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease, or FLUTD. The most common finding is irritation and inflammation of the lining of the bladder and urethra (the tube that carries urine from the bladder to the outside) associated with the formation of crystals. Crystals form when the urine is too concentrated.

Building blocks for various crystal types include magnesium, ammonium, calcium, oxalate, urate, and phosphate. Crystals (most often struvite) may imbed in an inflammatory protein matrix, much as bricks are embedded in mortar.

Causes

Although there is no single cause of FLUTD, various risk factors have been identified that predispose cats to the disease.

  • urine too alkaline or too acid
  • obesity
  • high urine concentrations of magnesium
  • foods with excess protein

Factors that cause high urine levels of magnesium include high magnesium content in the food, infrequent urination caused by a dirty litter tray, and reduced water intake caused by unavailable or poor-quality water and dry food.

Factors that contribute to an alkaline urine pH include the size and frequency of meals, the type of food eaten, and bacterial infections of the bladder.

Signs

FLUTD is a serious condition that can be fatal if untreated. Therefore it is important to recognise its signs in your cat. Signs include:

  • prolonged squatting and straining to urinate
  • more frequent urination
  • urination outside the litter box
  • bloody urine
  • painful abdomen

Diagnosis

Your veterinarian will palpate (examination by touching) your cat’s abdomen to see if the bladder is enlarged and painful. Another important part of the physical examination will be an inspection of a male cat’s penis. Obstructions may be apparent, or a drop of bloody urine may be present. Other tests that may need to be performed by your veterinarian include examination of urine with the aid of a microscope to reveal the presence of crystals, urine culture, x-rays, ultrasound and blood tests.

The number of male and female cats affected with FLUTD is equal, but the disease is much more serious in male cats because they have a longer, narrower urethra. The protein matrix/struvite crystal complex or calcium oxalate formations may partially or completely obstruct the urethra in male cats. This obstruction makes urination impossible. As a result, wastes that are normally passed in the urine build up in the cat’s body causing life-threatening changes.

For information on steps to reduce occurences and signs of feline lower urinary tract disease (FLUTD) check out the Cornell University website.

Posted on 14 February 2014
Last updated on 16 December 2019
Tagged with: flutd, urinary

 

Related pages

  • How to stop your cat urinating inappropriately
  • Not the kind of rock that you want for Valentine’s Day…
  • Annual Health Checks
Previous Post: « Not the kind of rock that you want for Valentine’s Day…
Next Post: Doggie Community Service »

Primary Sidebar

Latest news

Keep the Season Fun but Not too Festive for Your Furry Friends

16 December 2020

We all love to spoil our pets, especially during family celebrations like Christmas and New Year. Be warned though - so …

Leptospirosis Alert

25 August 2020

**There has been a confirmed case of Leptospirosis in Crows Nest** Mosman Vet strongly recommends that all dogs …

Dental Months at Mosman Vet

11 August 2020

At Mosman Vet, we are passionate about dental health for pets. Our aim is to raise awareness and promote prevention at …

Mosman Vet Blog

Facebook

Mosman Veterinary Hospital

Footer

Contact Us

Mosman Veterinary Hospital
9 Canrobert Street
Mosman NSW 2088
Get Directions

T 02 9960 2856
E mosmanvet@ mosmanvet.com.au

Book Online Send Us a Query

Consulting Hours

Monday - Friday8am - 8pm
Saturdays8am - 5pm
Sundays &
Public Holidays
10am - 12pm

Emergencies

!

Call us on 9960 2856 at any time for instructions.

After hours, you can call North Shore Vet Specialist & Emergency Centre on (02) 9436 4884 or Small Animal Specialist Hospital on (02) 9889 0289.

Follow Us

We Accept

© Mosman Veterinary Hospital Pty Ltd - ABN 21 122 360 436 | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | Website by Provet
The brand name Mosman Vet™ is a trademark of Mosman Veterinary Hospital Pty Ltd.