Seven-year-old Max presented as a blocked cat earlier in the month. He was successfully unblocked and sent home, only to re-present a few days later. This time Max was experiencing a swollen belly and lack of urination.
A quick diagnostic scan revealed evidence of a peritoneal effusion, an excessive amount of fluid in the abdominal cavity. The team concluded Max was suffering from uroabdomen, a condition where urine leaks into the abdominal cavity. Max was transferred to the surgery department where he was prepared for surgery.
Upon inspection it became clear Max’s uroabdomen was due to a distal urethral tear. When the urethra is torn, urine can leak into the body, causing inflammation and swelling. Our surgery team performed an abdominal explore (an evaluation of the abdominal cavity and its contents) and perineal urethrostomy, or PU. A PU procedure removes of the narrowest part of the urethra (the tube which transports urine from the bladder to the exterior of the body.) Removing this segment allows cats to urinate easier while greatly decreasing the risk of re-obstructing.
Max was an excellent patient and recovered well from his procedures! After a few days of TLC at VREC, Max went home to a very relieved family.