Cystitis is more commonly known as a bladder infection. These types of infections are fairly common in cats.
Blood in the urine is the most common sign of cystitis in cats. If you start to observe blood in the litter box or on other objects the cat has urinated on you should start to pay close attention because something is wrong. Blood in the urine is the most prominent sign of cystitis (inflammation of the bladder), but does not necessarily confirm the diagnosis.
Besides cystitis blood in the urine could be a sign of a bladder infection as well as:
* Stress
* Trauma to the kidneys or bladder
* Crystal buildup
* Viral infections
* Tumors
* Bladder stones
To confirm the presence of cystitis your veterinarian will need to run a urinalysis. If the test comes back positive your vet will likely prescribe antibiotics which will take from 5 to 7 days to show results.
Totally preventing cystitis in cats may not be likely but there are a couple of simple steps you can take that will reduce the chances of your cat falling victim to this condition, while promoting general urinary tract health.
The first is to make sure your cat drinks plenty of fresh water. Lets face it some cats just don't like water. As a cat owner myself, I know first hand the difficulties of convincing a water hating feline to drink water. Not an easy task, but a little love combined with a couple of eyedroppers filled with water daily seemed to produce good results, at least for me.
The reason water is so important for bladder health is simple; if your cat fails to drink enough water bacteria growth can explode in the bladder leading to cystitis/infection as well as creating a positive environment for the formation of stones. Stones can be deadly is urinary blockage occurs.
The second suggestion is to consider a homeopathic natural alternative remedy containing uva ursi. Uva ursi which is commonly known as bearberry, is a natural urinary system tonic. It soothes and strengthens urinary membranes and has been proven to be effective in curing cat cystitis. Uva ursi is particularly effective in cases of highly acidic urine.
R.D. Hawkins is an enthusiastic advocate of alternative natural pet health products and supplements with over 10 years experience. To learn more about homepathic natural health visit Purchase Remedies.com
Related posts:
There are no comments yet...Kick things off by filling out the form below.