Unfortunately, it is not uncommon for cats to get sick. In these cases, it is necessary to take a urine test. Most often this procedure is performed in a veterinary clinic, but sometimes urine must be collected at home. This process baffles the owners. In our article we will talk about how to take an analysis and in what cases such a need arises.
How to behave if your cat is used to going to the litter box?
To begin with, you should try to make your life easier and rinse the litter box clean, remove the litter and offer this litter box to your pet. You can use a cat litter box with a lattice or mesh. When the process is completed, its contents must be collected in a pre-sterilized jar or a special container purchased at the pharmacy. You can also use a 20 ml syringe instead of a container.
Urine taken for analysis must be delivered to the laboratory as soon as possible. It is important that no more than 2 hours have passed since collection. If more time passes, the urine may lose some elements and the study will not be reliable.
If the cat refuses to go into an empty tray, then there is only one option left - to guard the animal. As soon as the process has begun, you need to have time to provide your pet with pre-washed dishes. Then the contents must be poured into a collection container. This method is good because the urine is collected clean. If the cat litter box is in an inaccessible place, you can lift the cat by the scruff of the neck while urinating. However, this can lead to psychological trauma and lead to consequences in the form of puddles throughout the house.
For the study, you need at least 100 ml of content, because a smaller amount will not contain elements important for performance.
Another option for taking urine from a cat who goes into a litter tray for analysis is to use a tray with a grid. Moreover, you can put torn pieces of paper on the tray; you cannot use newspaper, because it contains harmful substances that affect the quality of the result.
Some sources recommend inducing urination by gently pressing on the tummy; this should not be done, as this can only harm the animal.
Reasons why pollakiuria may occur
The reasons why a cat begins to visit the toilet frequently, and urine output is insignificant, can be pathological and physiological. In the first case, the animal requires treatment, and in the second, the phenomenon is considered normal and should not cause concern.
If the owner cannot independently understand whether the animal is sick or not, consultation with a veterinarian is required, and urgently.
Be sure to read:
Diarrhea in a kitten: what to do, first aid, causes, treatment, medications and folk remedies
Many diseases of the bladder, kidneys, and metabolic diseases can be treated quite effectively, but if detected at an early stage. Some pathologies are chronic and the animal requires regular maintenance therapy.
What is cystitis and why does it appear?
The main reason for frequent visits to the toilet, when there is little urine left in the tray, and sometimes it is mixed with blood, is cystitis. This inflammatory disease of the bladder does not occur without provoking factors.
Cystitis occurs as a primary pathology or complication. Depending on this, the necessary therapy is determined.
The development of cystitis in cats can be provoked by:
- disturbance of metabolic processes in the body (most often observed in old animals);
- suffered a severe infection;
- the presence of stones and sand in the kidneys, ureters or bladder;
- disturbance in mineral balance;
- improper nutrition, in which the cat does not receive enough proteins and fluids;
- infection of the genitourinary system;
- pregnancy and childbirth (cystitis can occur as a complication);
- cold.
Abdominal injuries can trigger the development of cystitis in a cat. This phenomenon is more typical of animals that have free access to the street, but can also be observed in apartment pets during unsuccessful jumps from a height.
The main reason for frequent visits to the toilet is when there is little urine left in the tray, and sometimes it is mixed with blood
With cystitis, a cat not only experiences frequent urination, but also meows when going to the toilet, as the process is accompanied by pain. Due to pain, the pet's behavior when trying to touch its stomach becomes aggressive.
Urolithiasis disease
Urolithiasis occurs in most older pets and some young ones. The risk of pathology in neutered cats that receive improper nutrition increases slightly. In this case, the owners themselves are to blame for the fact that the animal begins to get sick.
For neutered pets, you should use only special ready-made food or coordinate their natural diet with a veterinarian.
Stones not only injure the mucous membrane, causing irritation and inflammation, but also lead to blockage of the ureter, which impairs the flow of urine. If urine stagnation occurs and the cat does not receive emergency treatment, it dies within a few days.
At the same time, the general condition of the animal worsens. A complete lack of urination is an emergency condition when you cannot postpone a visit to the veterinarian even for a day.
Be sure to read:
A cat is vomiting yellow liquid: normal or pathological, first aid, what to do, best medications, diet
Urolithiasis develops slowly. First, sand deposition begins in the kidneys. It does not interfere with the flow of urine and rarely causes any symptoms. Remaining in the kidneys, sand becomes compacted over time, and stones begin to form.
Fractions increase gradually. Small in size, they pass through the ureters and are partially removed in the urine. If treatment is not started at this stage, the stones will enlarge and cause health problems for the pet.
What if the cat is used to going to the bath?
If your cat has developed the habit of going to the toilet in the bathtub or sink, then you need to clean them with a brush and rinse with water. Then cover the surface of the bath with cling film so that there is a depression at the drainage point. As soon as you notice that the cat has gone to the toilet, you need to draw the contents into a syringe with a previously removed needle. Then pour the urine into a collection container.
The bathtub, sink or tray should not be washed with detergent, as it may distort the main characteristics.
How to collect a test using a children's urine collection bag?
A children's urine collector will help collect a cat's analysis and save the owner's nerves. You just need to stock up on these devices and buy a little more of them, because it’s not always possible to do such a “trick” right away. So, how to use this device?
- First, you need to open the disposable urine collection bag, wash your hands first, and remove it from the package. The urine collector is a bag with a capacity of about 100 ml with a hole.
- Then you need to tear off the adhesive tape, which is made of hypoallergenic materials.
- Now the fun begins: you need to glue the urine bag onto the cat so that the bag is located between the genitals and the anus. If the bag is lower, feces may get into it.
- Now all you have to do is wait for him to do his delicate job and pour the contents into a pre-prepared jar.
What is a urine collection kit?
If your cat still cannot go to the toilet without litter, then you can purchase a urine collection kit from the veterinary clinic. It is a bag containing plastic granules and a pipette that helps in collecting the contents for research. Using this device, urine is collected and then delivered to the laboratory. Cats mistake plastic granules for litter and can easily dig into it. Plastic balls do not absorb liquid, so after collecting the contents, you can rinse them thoroughly and store them.
If for some reason it is impossible to purchase such a set, then it can be replaced with clean aquarium pebbles or foam balls.
Throat swab and bacterial culture
It is very important when preparing for bacterial culture and when preparing for a throat smear to refrain from brushing your teeth and eating. You can drink. Food, toothpaste, and even its residue on a toothbrush can significantly change the bacterial environment and the culture result will be incorrect and will require repeating.
If it is necessary to carry out bacterial culture for disgroup and salmonellosis , then it is not necessary , as was previously the case. Modern methods allow analysis only by making a smear.
Preparation for saliva collection
Saliva collection is sometimes necessary, for example, to analyze the level of free cortisol. Before handing over the material to the patient, the following rules must be observed:
- Do not eat for 2-3 hours before the test; you can drink clean still water.
- Avoid physical and emotional stress for 3 hours before the test.
- Do not brush your teeth, do not use toothpicks, dental floss, avoid manipulations that injure the oral mucosa for 3 hours before collecting biomaterial.
How is urine taken for examination in a veterinary clinic?
If you need to collect research material, but this cannot be done at home, then it is better to seek help from specialists. Most often, the veterinary service takes a puncture from a pre-filled bladder. Do not be afraid of this procedure if it is performed by a specialist. Puncture is a low-traumatic operation. To do this, the cat is placed on its back and a 20 ml syringe is injected into the area below the navel. This procedure is especially important for bactericidal analysis, as it will give the most accurate result. The puncture is a safe and painless process and is called cystostomy. The veterinarian performs catheterization less often, as it is more dangerous and traumatic for the animal.
PREPARATION FOR A BLOOD TEST
The general rules are known, but it’s worth remembering the most important things before any blood donation.
- You need to donate blood strictly on an empty stomach and in the morning. Eight hours or more must have passed since your last meal. Smoking before donating blood is also undesirable.
- No jogging, exercise, or stress on the day of the test.
- Eliminate or minimize the use of any medications if exclusion is dangerous. But if you took anything, tell your doctor or laboratory technician. This is extremely important to know for the interpretation of the analysis.
- It is not advisable to donate blood after physical procedures or studies accompanied by irradiation or intensification of processes in the body.
We have listed the most important rules, compliance with which will make the analysis more accurate and eliminate the need for a retake. Now about special research.
Blood tests for gastrin and pepsinogen must be taken strictly on an empty stomach after a 12-hour fast.
1 week before the study, refrain from taking medications that affect gastric secretion: Pepcedin, Zantac, Nizax, Ranimex, Esofex, Losec, Somac, Ranixal, Ranil.
1 day before the study, refrain from taking medications that neutralize hydrochloric acid secreted by the stomach: Alsucral, Balancid, Prepulsid, Metropam, Librax, Gaviscon.
If you have difficulty stopping medications, be sure to inform your doctor.
3 hours before donating blood, refrain from smoking.
On the eve of donating blood for lipid testing, a 12-hour fast is required.
When is it necessary to collect analysis?
Frequently collecting urine for examination is not recommended; this must be done as prescribed by a veterinarian. However, it is better for the owner to know when unwanted changes occur in the cat. First of all, they can be seen by a change in habitual behavior. If an energetic cat lies down all the time, then the owner better pay attention to the pattern of urination. A change in the frequency of visiting the toilet and the amount of fluid secreted is a reason to visit the veterinarian and collect urine for testing.
Collecting urine for research is a real problem for many owners; if a pet lover applies a little patience and ingenuity, then this problem can be solved in a variety of ways.
PREPARATION FOR A SMUTUM TEST
After thorough oral hygiene (brushing teeth and rinsing with boiled water), the morning portion of sputum is collected in a sterile container. Sputum of a mucous or mucopurulent nature, as well as sputum containing dense whitish inclusions, and sputum colored yellowish, gray or brown, are of diagnostic value. The volume of sputum sufficient for examination is 3-5 ml. To increase the information content, it is possible to repeat (up to 3 times) sputum examination, which increases the number of positive findings.
If sputum is produced irregularly or in scanty quantities, expectorants or irritant inhalations should be used the night before and early in the morning on the day of sputum collection. Preparation of smears from material obtained in this way must be done on the day of collection. In the absence of sputum, the impossibility of aerosol inhalation or its failure to test for mycobacteria, bronchial or gastric lavage water should be examined.
Thank you for your feedback!
Return…
