More recently, you took a tiny, fluffy kitten home. Today he has turned into a beautiful cat, playful and affectionate. Unfortunately, like humans, they are prone to disease. The most common ailment is cystitis and urolithiasis. Suspicion of them requires a mandatory examination of urine. Today we’ll talk about how to collect urine from a cat for analysis.
Veterinarian examination
The sooner you see a doctor, the better. If you suspect urolithiasis, you will have to give urine many times in a row. At the same time, one should not rely on the similar experience of dog breeders. For dogs, a one-time analysis is usually sufficient. It is best to go to the doctor’s office, then you don’t have to think about how to collect urine from the cat for analysis. He gently squeezes the contents of the bladder into a special tray. If the examination was carried out at home, then you can collect urine in a regular bag, and then deliver it to the laboratory for analysis.
What you can face
Sometimes the owner himself must take up the matter. In this case, you must definitely check with the veterinarian: how to collect urine from the cat for analysis. The owner should make sure that the cat at the time of examination by a specialist has a completely empty bladder. There is a reverse situation when there is stagnation of urine and the contents of the bladder are already infected. In this regard, the owner is asked to collect material at home. Of course, the use of a catheter in this case is unacceptable.
The first method, do not disregard
If this is your first time encountering a question of how to collect urine for analysis from a cat, and you have enough free time, you can just try to watch your pet during a trip to the tray. In a similar way, you have to use it if the cat is used to walking in a container with a filler. You just need to prepare a clean cup, and substitute it under the cat when he sits on the tray. This is not so simple, but quite possible.
We use a tray
If the container is empty, it will do. A cat tray with a grate is one of the most convenient options, provided that it is used correctly. The first step is to thoroughly wash it to prevent bacteria that live on its walls from getting into the urine. To do this, use laundry soap, hydrogen peroxide or chlorhexidine. Prepare a clean container or at least 20 ml syringe in advance. Immediately collect the urine of the animal and try to deliver it to the clinic as quickly as possible.
There is another way that can be successfully used. You must also monitor your pet. As soon as the cat sits down and begins to urinate, he is immediately grabbed by the scruff of his neck, and lifting it up, fill the cup with urine. I must say that the method is far from the best. With it, there is a risk of negative side effects, the main of which are the following:
- Violation of urination due to severe stress. Such conditions do not always go unnoticed.
- The cat may stop walking in the tray due to fear that they will seize him again. In this case, puddles will appear throughout the house.
- From unexpectedness, a spasm of the bladder may occur. It is important to consider the nature of your pet, how shy he is.
By the way, today there are a lot of tray models. Breeders praise the toilet - a house for the cat, where he feels very comfortable. These models are the most convenient in order to substitute a bowl for collecting urine, your pet will not notice anything.
Urine bag for children
It can be used only for naked cat breeds, or pre-cut part of the hair. In pets with thick fur, he simply can not resist. Moreover, it will be necessary to buy not one, but several devices at once, since it is rarely possible to collect material for analysis the first time. The algorithm is approximately the following:
- Wash your hands with laundry soap.
- Open the urinal, which is a 100 ml sterile soft pouch.
- Remove the protective layer.
- Fasten the urinal to the area between the anus and genitals.
As soon as the cat empties the bladder, you need to immediately detach the urinal, pour it into a clean container and send it for analysis.
Urine collection in the bathroom
If your pet is used to relieving the need for a bath, then you can use the following method. It is not the easiest, but you can adapt. First, it must be thoroughly washed with a disinfectant solution and thoroughly rinsed with water. After this, cover several layers of cling film so that a recess forms at the drain. As soon as the cat urinates, the fluid can be collected using a syringe and transferred to a container. After that, you need to remove the dirty film. This method is comfortable for the animal.
Urine collection kit
In veterinary pharmacies today there is a special filler for the tray, which is designed to collect material for analysis. It provides invaluable assistance. You only need to thoroughly wash the tray and pour special granules into it, which do not absorb urine and do not change its composition. The kit also has a pipette for collecting material.
After the urine has been sent to the laboratory, there is no need to discard the excipient. Rinse and dry thoroughly, after which you can reuse it. This is by far the most convenient option.
What is analysis for?
Why may the question be about collecting urine? First of all, such an examination is necessary if urolithiasis is suspected in a cat. Symptoms and treatment under such circumstances are highly dependent on how advanced the disease is. In the early stages, this is frequent urination, anxiety of a pet. As the disease progresses, so does the pain. Blood appears in the urine, the animal is no longer able to control urination and leaves puddles throughout the house. Very often it does this in conspicuous places so that you pay attention to how bad it is.
Do not forget that only an experienced doctor can prescribe treatment. Symptoms of urolithiasis in a cat do not immediately become apparent. But if you run it, then the case may end with surgery or death.
Interpretation of Results
What does a cat urine test show? First of all, the doctor evaluates physical characteristics, such as color, transparency and density. Brown indicates liver problems, and red indicates kidney disease. As for transparency, only slight clouding is acceptable. If it becomes pronounced, then this indicates the presence in the urine of white blood cells, red blood cells and bacteria. In this case, it is recommended to conduct an additional examination, namely a microscopic and chemical examination of the sediment.
Instead of a conclusion
Therapy is prescribed based on the general condition of the animal. In cases of mild lesions, antibiotics are prescribed. In severe urolithiasis, immediate surgical intervention is necessary. In any case, your pet needs attention and the most thorough care.