Shadow was seen by a referring veterinarian in late October for decreased urination. He was prescribed preventative medications but they did not eliminate the problem. Shadow was seen a few weeks later at VREC for similar urination issues. After a routine unblocking did not fix the problem, our clinicians recommended a perineal urethrostomy (PU) surgery.
A perineal urethrostomy (PU) surgery widens a cat’s urethra and helps prevent future blockages. Obstructions are oftentimes mucous plugs, inflammatory material, or small crystals, calculi or “stones” that are unable to be passed through the urethra. The exact cause of the inflammatory materials and stone formation it not completely understood, though viral and/or bacterial infections and diet may play a role. Male cats are more likely to develop urinary blockages than female cats simply because of urinary anatomy. Cats who obstruct are more likely to re-obstruct and if not treated swiftly can be deadly.
Shadow had PU surgery performed immediately after qualifying for the Angel Fund. The surgery was a success, and Shadow recovered in-hospital post-operatively before being discharged to finish healing at home.