Showing posts with label interstitial cystitis in cats. Show all posts
Showing posts with label interstitial cystitis in cats. Show all posts
Saturday, December 29, 2012

Interstitial Cystitis in Dogs and Cats



Chronic UTIs can lead to Interstitial Cystitis.  Interstitial Cystitis is a condition in which the bladder wall becomes inflamed and may even hemorrhage. No sooner do you finish a round of antibiotics, your pet starts showing the common “signs” of discomfort which can include frequent urination, straining to urinate, waking up in the middle of the night to urinate, arching the back, urinating outside the litter box and/or blood in the urine. Some pets that are normally house-trained may have accidents or urinate right in front of you because they can’t hold their urine. Some may develop urinary incontinence on a regular basis. With interstitial cystitis, there may be an infection or the “start of infection” and sometimes there may be no infection at all. With chronic UTIs and interstitial cystitis, there may be bleeding in the urine which can be caused by a variety of factors such as bladder stones, crystal plugs, kidney disease, stress and/or a congenital defect. Regardless, your pet’s bladder and urinary system may have a great deal of inflammation and quite possibly infection which can become very hard to treat and very uncomfortable for your pet.

Conventional veterinary treatments for interstitial cystitis and chronic urinary tract infections involve the use of antibiotics and anti-inflammatories. Depending upon the other factors that may be involved, your veterinarian may also recommend that your pet be on a special diet that controls the pH of your pet’s urine. Stones, crystals and infections tend to develop depending upon the urinary pH. For example, if your pet’s urine is highly alkaline (pH is 8 or more), there is a possibility that struvite crystals form or that your pet may have urinary tract infection. Having a high urinary pH does not necessarily mean that your pet has an infection. Urinary pH can vary throughout the day as your pet eats, exercises, etc. A normal urinary neutral pH is between 6.5 and 7.0. Consistently high or low urinary pH could be a problem and it is recommended, if possible, that you learn to check your pet’s urine at home using pH testing paper. This will provide valuable information for your veterinarian.

Can holistic care help with interstitial cystitis and chronic urinary tract infections? Absolutely. Holistic care should not be a replacement for conventional veterinary care but rather an extension of it. Holistic care offers you more choices and treatment options to help your pet but it is important to work with your veterinarian to monitor your pet’s progress using laboratory tests and even in-home periodic pH urinary test strips that you do yourself.

Supplements for interstitial cystitis include Not Drops  and Power Probiotic as well as Renelix and AkuturClick here to learn more about how to treat interstitial cystitis naturally using holistic pet care

Pet Nutritionist Susan Blake Davis and Her Rescue Dog Legend

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