![]() ![]() ![]() The Blocked Male Cat: An Emergency Situation Unfortunately, FIC is a condition where we are much better at preventing future episodes than we are at treating an active episode but before we go on to prevention, we need to review one more acute and very serious FIC Complication: urinary blockage. ![]() In some cases, acepromazine or gabapentin is combined with an analgesic for greater pain relief. These medications may be exclusively pain relievers (analgesics), like butorphanol or buprenorphine, or may include medications like those mentioned above that reduce nerve signals or offer tranquilizing properties like gabapentin or acepromazine, respectively. Typical medications might include acepromazine, phenoxybenzamine, diazepam, or prazosin. These medications help the painful urethral spasms that occur with the inflammation associated with the episode. They also help the urethra dilate so that urine can pass. All we can do is manage the pain and urinary discomfort until the episode passes. Despite decades of research on this condition, no treatment has emerged that will shorten the duration of the episode. Most young adult cats with FLUTD symptoms are believed to have FIC.Īn episode of FIC typically lasts 1-2 weeks. The diagnosis of FIC is based on negative tests for other more definable conditions and the clinical picture of the patient (young adult cat, recent stress in history, anxious temperament, past history of similar symptoms, etc.). These conditions have specific approaches and can be ruled in or out by tests. When a young adult cat has FLUTD symptoms, some effort is made to rule out more specific causes such as bladder stones and bladder infections. The Active FIC Episode: Diagnosis and Treatment Dealing with an active episode of FIC is another matter entirely. What seems to be the most effective approach is addressing the stress that caused the problem in the first place but even doing this is a preventive measure. For decades, the management of FIC focused on reducing urinary crystals, changing urinary pH, and improving the PSGAG layer of the bladder. The bladder PSGAG layer becomes patchy when the cat is experiencing anxiety. If the lining of the bladder becomes patchy, the tissue of the bladder is directly exposed to the urine, and inflammation results. All of these unpleasant materials are present in urine, so it is a good thing to have a layer of insulation protecting the actual tissue of the urinary bladder. Urine can vary greatly in pH and can contain abrasive crystals in addition to assorted toxins and irritants that the kidneys have removed from the bloodstream and concentrated. This material basically insulates the tissue of the bladder from the urine it contains. The urinary bladder is lined with glycoproteins called PSGAGs. Not every cat is susceptible to FIC some cats are simply neurologically wired to have issues with how they handle stress. Similarly, cats get a recurring upset bladder from stress. An easy analogy is a human who gets a recurring upset stomach from stress. So what is FIC? It turns out to be a defect in the way a cat handles stress. We used to use the term FUS (which stands for feline urinary syndrome) to describe FLUTD and you may hear or read the term FUS somewhere so we are bringing it up but it was decided that FLUTD was more accurate so that is what we say now.įeline idiopathic cystitis (FIC for short) is a common cause of FLUTD in younger cats. Basically, any source of inflammation in the bladder will create FLUTD. The symptoms above could be from any cause: bladder tumor, UTI (urinary tract infection), bladder stone, etc. Licking the urinary opening (usually due to pain).Urinary blockage (almost exclusively a male cat problem and constitutes an emergency).Straining to urinate (can easily be mistaken for straining to defecate).The urinary bladder and urethra are the lower urinary tract and when the lower urinary tract is diseased from ANY cause, the symptoms are the same. Let's start with feline lower urinary tract disease (also called FLUTD). (Also known as Pandora Syndrome and formerly known as FUS)įirst, Some Terminology (FIC, FLUTD, FUS, UTI and how they all fit together)įor a long time, these abbreviations were used interchangeably but they shouldn't have been because they refer to different conditions. ![]() Inappropriate Elimination (House-Soiling) in Cats. ![]()
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